THE MAURACA: KEEPING THE CHESTNUT TRADITION ALIVE IN THE ALPUJARRA, Capileira, Granada, Spain – 1 November 2026;
La Mauraca is an autumn chestnut festival held on November 1st in Capileira, a mountain village in the Alpujarra region of Granada, Andalusia, southern Spain. Residents and visitors gather for a communal celebration centred on roasting and sharing chestnuts over open fires.
Participants prepare the fruit and cook it in perforated metal pans above the embers, while the fire provides a focal point for the gathering. The event brings people together to eat, talk and spend time outdoors, giving a seasonal food custom a visible place in community life.
The chestnut is both the main ingredient and the symbol of the occasion, linking the celebration to the autumn harvest. Through the shared preparation and consumption of food, La Mauraca offers a snapshot of local social life and the ways seasonal traditions continue to be practised in a rural Andalusian village. It remains a visible expression of local identity and belonging.
photos © Felipe Passolas
