Soportujar is a unique village in Andalusia, located in the historic La Alpujarra region of Granada. There are a lot of quaint villages to visit in this part of the province, but none of them are more unusual than Soportujar. It has a history dating back to the 13th century when it was founded by 100 Moorish families. In the 16th century, an uprising during the reign of Philip II saw the king expel the whole population and the area was almost entirely depopulated. And that’s where the legend took hold.
Anyone who’s heard of Soportujar knows that it’s also referred to as “the village of witches”. This legend comes from the Galician population that were brought from the north by Philip II to repopulate the region. The Galicians were known to have their own beliefs and practice witchcraft, and they left a long lasting mark on the culture of the village. Today, Soportujar is a popular place to visit in southern Spain, and there are plenty of things to do in Soportujar to entertain you for a day.
Unusual things to do in Soportujar
Bruja Baba Yaga
One of the first attractions in Soportujar that you’ll come across is Bruja Baba Yaga. This witch is very well known in Slavic mythology. She’s said to live in the forest inside a wooden house that sits on stilts in the shape of birds legs. She sits there waiting for travellers who are lost and in need of help. Depending on her mood, she may help them or eat them. The Bruja Baba Yaga statue is a good way to mark the entrance to Soportujar.
Mirador del Aquelarre
Mirador del Aquelarre offers one of the best views in Soportujar. It’s here that the witches supposedly met for their covens. You can see an example of the interior of a witch’s house here too where people throw coins in for good luck. Before leaving the viewpoint, make sure you take a look at the unique collection of sculptures that sit on top of the wall and admire the view.
If you’re looking for parking in Soportujar, there’s a good sized parking lot at Mirador del Aquelarre. I would only recommend driving to it with an automatic car though because the road is incredibly steep. We struggled to get to the top in a brand new automatic rental car, so it’s not for the faint hearted!
Casa de Hansel y Gretel
Right at the top of the list of things to do in Soportujar is to visit the Casa de Hansel y Gretel (House of Hansel and Gretel). This is one of the highlights of the village and it’s a great spot to take photos. This “chocolate house” is inspired by the tale written by the Brothers Grimm and it was designed to honour the stories that have become part of the village’s culture. Don’t forget to walk all the way around the house, because there are some surprises waiting on the other side.
Araña Tejedora de Sueños
If you’re scared of spiders, you might want to miss this one out. Araña Tejedora de Sueños, the Dream Weaver Spider, is located on the edge of the village, not far from Casa de Baba Yaga. It’s said that if a candle is lit and a spider falls and is consumed by the flame then witches are nearby. Another story says that dreaming of a spider means that your dedication towards your dreams will be rewarded. Visiting this spider statue is one of the things to do in Soportujar that shouldn’t be missed.
Casa de Baba Yaga
One of my favourite things to do in Soportujar is to visit Casa de Baba Yaga. This attraction is directly related to the giant head you will have seen at the start of the village. From this house, the Slavic witch waits for travellers to pass by who may be lost and in need of help. If she’s feeling generous, Baba Yaga will help them on their way, if not, she’ll have a tasty meal. The house sits on top of stilts that are shaped like birds legs and it’s surrounded by plants and a water fountain to give it a more magical feel.
Serpiente Malefica
As you make your way on foot through Soportujar, look out for a few lesser known attractions too. The Serpiente Malefica (Evil Serpent) is said to be the guardian of the village’s secrets and it protects the traditions and stories too. If you’re still in Soportujar in the evening, many people have claimed to have seen the serpent slithering down the streets to make sure no secrets leave the village’s boundaries.
Walk down the narrowest street in Spain
If you’ve seen enough mystical attractions, one of the top things to do in Soportujar is to walk down the narrowest street in Spain. The street, known as Zanjilla (Ditch), is only 47 cm wide at its narrowest point. The sign that hangs over the street has a creepy saying that roughly translates to “By day the witches you can see, but before dark you must flee“. We visited during the daytime to avoid any altercations with witches.
Fuente del Dragon
Around the corner from Spain’s narrowest street is Fuente del Dragon, the Dragon Fountain. Legend has it that anyone who drinks from this fountain will find it to have aphrodisiac properties and may be rewarded with enhanced fertility. If you take a closer look at the dragon, you may be surprised to see where the water is shooting out of!
Fuente de las Brujas
Located in Plaza de Abastos is another interesting point of interest in Soportujar. Fuente de las Brujas (the Witches Fountain) is a statue of two witches that are making a potion. Mirador del Embrujo sits behind the fountain and it provides a stunning view of the valley and nearby towns below. There are a number of restaurants located near this plaza too in case you’re feeling hungry.
Admire the unusual street art
While you’re walking through the streets of Soportujar, you’ll come across a number of examples of unusual street art. One of my favourites is located at the base of the House of Hansel and Gretel and it depicts the witch that’s said to live inside the chocolate house. There are plenty more magical-themed pieces of street art dotted around the village, so be sure to look out for them.
La Escoba Magica
One of the best places to take photos in Soportujar is at La Escoba Magica, the Magic Broom. It’s designed for people to sit on, with beautiful houses and floral arrangements in the background. The Magic Broom is a nod to the Western belief that witches are able to fly on broomsticks from one place to another. The broom wouldn’t be complete without a black cat accompanying it either.
El Pozo de los Deseos
El Pozo de los Deseos, the Wishing Well, isn’t as eye-catching as other things to do in Soportujar, but it’s equally worth visiting. If you’re throwing a coin in the well, don’t forget to look down because there’s a creature waiting to greet you. The Wishing Well is very close to the dragon fountain and Zanjilla so you can see a few attractions all at once in this area.
Cueva del Ojo de la Bruja
The Witch’s Eye Cave, Cueva del Ojo de la Bruja, is meant to signify a portal to the history and traditions of the region. It’s located on the road leading up to Soportujar, next to a ravine, and you’ll need to walk along a short uphill trail to access it. Inside the cave, visitors will see a staged recreation of witchcraft practices that were said to have taken place in the village. A crack in the bottom of the cave is supposed to connect to other worlds and it marks a passage for souls going to purgatory.
Take a photo with the Soportujar sign
Before driving out of Soportujar, or perhaps on your way into it, make sure you stop and take a photo with the Soportujar sign. If you’re visiting outside of the summer months, you should have no issues stopping on the side of the road for a few minutes. The sign shows a witch on a broomstick next to it and a miniature version of the village sits above it. It may not be one of the top things to do in Soportujar, but it’s worth a quick look at.
Where to eat in Soportujar
Taberna Romero
There aren’t too many places to eat in Soportujar, but the restaurants that are based here offer predominantly traditional menus. Since the village is situated in the mountains, you can expect hearty dishes using local products that are quite heavy. I’d recommend having lunch at Taberna Romero which is very reasonably priced and has a good selection of dishes available with and without meat.
Where to stay in Soportujar
There are some beautiful places to stay in this region of Granada. If you want to stay close to Soportujar, I’d suggest booking one of the rural accommodations located just a short drive away. Places like Alojamiento Rural El Brazal and Casa Jazmin are good locations to explore the rest of the Alpujarra Region from, as well as Soportujar.
Is Soportujar worth visiting?
Soportujar is a very unique destination in Andalusia, making it the perfect place to stop during a road trip in Granada. There are plenty of other villages to visit nearby too, so if you run out of things to do in Soportujar you can drive to another location easily enough. Soportujar is unlike any other pueblo in southern Spain, making it worth adding to your plans if you like to visit hidden gems.
If you have any questions about things to do in Soportujar or if you need any recommendations about places to visit in the Province of Granada, please feel free to reach out via the contact form or by sending me an email. You can also follow along with my travels on both Instagram and TikTok where I’m always sharing travel tips and inspiration about where to go next.
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