Las Cruces de Mayo. Once 30 April has passed, beautiful, flower-filled May arrives. In Aldeaquemada, the custom of making the Crosses lives on, a methodical task requiring great devotion and love for tradition.

In the image, we can see the work created by Benicia Gallardo, who unquestionably puts together the most detailed altar of any in the town. Residents familiar with the making of the Cross visit this neighbour, who has spent so much time keeping this centuries-old tradition alive, admiring her work, congratulating her on it, and singing hymns to the Virgin.

A day in the countryside with a picnic. Hornazos tasting. 

Procession and communions, with the streets decorated with flowers and rosemary, as well as arches and altars.

La Candelaria: bonfires at every doorway. Circles of dancers, singing, and shepherd's cakes baked over the embers. The celebration takes place the night before, on the evening of the 1st, which is when the bonfires are lit.

La Cuca is a Central European tradition in which lamb is eaten out in the countryside, along with pipirrana (chopped tomato, egg, tuna, onion, olive oil, olives and salt), as well as the traditional boiled eggs, which are painted and "cucados" (knocked) against each other.

The winner of the group — or gathering of friends who meet in the countryside, sometimes saving their spot from the night before — is whoever manages to come out victorious with their egg unbroken. The mischief of some young people has led to painting a wooden egg or a darning egg made of marble in bright colours. 

A celebration shared among different groups of friends. People have dinner, roast chestnuts, and the youngest follow the age-old custom of covering keyholes with "gachuela", a paste made from water and flour that comes away when the key is inserted. Modern times mean that today it's applied only symbolically to new locks. 

Procession of the Saint, bullfighting events, open-air dances and a communal dinner. On the Saint's feast day, bull runs are held in the traditional style, with lead oxen guiding the bulls to make the run shorter and less dangerous. During these days, it's a pleasure to enjoy a cold drink at one of the many stalls set up around the town, since the sun isn't as strong as in August.

Regulars at the outdoor terraces begin to feel, with a touch of mock displeasure, the arrival of cooler weather and the pleasure of once again feeling a jacket or light jumper over their short sleeves as they sit chatting.

The snack offered by the town hall — usually held the day after the bullfighting events end — is another notable event, since on that day two head of cattle are roasted in the bakery's oven.

The meat is seasoned with garlic, pepper, salt, parsley and oregano, and braised with white wine, then prepared in 25 large baking trays or tins.
Once local residents themselves have distributed the trays of fighting-bull meat among the tables, set with their corresponding loaves of bread and bottles of wine, a Viking-style Andalusian feast begins without any need for a starting signal, enlivened by pasodobles from the band.

What stays etched in visitors' memory is the great warmth and friendship among those attending — whether from the town or not — while it's also striking to see the odd daring diner tackling a rib with both arms. This event is held in the town square during the August festivities, and at the municipal stall during those in September.

During Holy Week, 31 processional floats from 13 brotherhoods parade through the streets of Alcaudete. The highlight of this religious celebration is the performance, using 13th-century texts, of liturgical scenes such as "El Paso de Abraham", "La Venta de Jesús", "El Arrepentimiento de Judas", "El Buen y Mal Ladrón", "Los Apóstoles" and "La Sentencia".

Since 2006, Alcaudete and its people have travelled back to the era of the Military Order of Calatrava, with the Calatravo Castle as the main attraction, around which a series of free activities take place: birds-of-prey displays, horseback tournaments, combat re-enactments, interactive theatre, a medieval market, exhibitions, workshops, concerts, guided tours of the castle...

The Fiestas Calatravas were declared an Andalusian tourist event in 2019, and every year, in the second week of July, they draw hundreds of people. They celebrate the victory of the monks and townspeople over the Nasrid attack from Granada on the Puerta de la Villa, with parades, street processions, a medieval encampment and theatrical visits to the castle all organised for the occasion.

In addition, the town's streets are decorated with banners of the Military Order of Calatrava, and residents wear historical 13th-century garments, creating a magical, exclusive atmosphere that transports us back in time — even gastronomically, with a medieval dinner organised in the castle's stables.  

In honour of the Virgen de la Fuensanta, patron saint of Alcaudete, a pilgrimage is held during the early hours between 14 and 15 August to her hermitage, located on the outskirts of the town, where participants spend the evening in a festive atmosphere. The beautifully decorated floats are one of this festival's main attractions.