The town of Jaén will celebrate for 72 hours and will become a medieval village.

For three days, the cobblestone streets of Sabiote, one of the most picturesque villages in the province of Jaén, will be transformed into a setting worthy of a historical novel. From May 2 to 4 , this town in the La Loma region will leave the 21st century behind to immerse itself in the Middle Ages with its now traditional Medieval Festival , a celebration that has established itself as one of the region's major tourist and cultural events.

Over the course of 72 hours, Sabiote transforms into a true medieval town. Its squares, alleyways, balconies, and corners are decorated with banners, shields, fabrics, and torches. Residents join in the transformation dressed in period costumes , perfectly recreating medieval daily life. Merchants, minstrels, blacksmiths, knights, monks, and maidens parade through the streets in an immersive experience that attracts thousands of visitors from all over Spain each year.

The Sabiote Medieval Festivals were born with the intention of highlighting the town's impressive historical heritage, especially its Renaissance castle, one of the best-preserved in Andalusia and the work of architect Andrés de Vandelvira, and its old town, declared a Site of Cultural Interest . Since then, the event has grown in popularity and scale, becoming one of the most anticipated events on the Jaén calendar.

Sabiote Castle is considered the most important construction built for military purposes in the 16th century in the province of Jaén, and is also the oldest example of the Renaissance castle-bastion model that is still preserved today.

The castle was declared a Historic Monument in 1931 , and its walled enclosure a Historic-Artistic Site in 1972. In 1993, the Andalusian Regional Government granted special recognition to the castles of the Autonomous Community of Andalusia.

During these days, the town is filled with activities for all audiences : falconry shows, sword fighting exhibitions, night-time torchlit parades, musical parades, children's games, open-air theatre and historical reenactments that recall the splendor of medieval Sabiote, when it was a strategic enclave of the Order of Calatrava on the border with the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada.

But along with the streets, squares, and the castle, horses are the other main protagonists of the festivities, thanks to their famous horse races. The town is transformed into an improvised racetrack , just as it was in medieval times.

In addition to horse racing, a medieval market is held, as well as fencing exhibitions, medieval dances, and theatrical performances in the castle courtyard.

The medieval market brings together dozens of artisans and merchants from around the country. Their stalls offer everything from artisanal cheeses and cured meats to natural ointments, pottery, leather, incense, and traditional sweets. The scent of spices, freshly baked bread, and roasted meat permeates the air, transporting visitors to another time.

What makes these festivities special is not only their carefully curated setting, but also the involvement of the entire town. The residents of Sabiote are not mere spectators: they are the protagonists. More than 300 residents participate each year in the organization, decorations, dramatizations, and activities.

Precisely the most anticipated and most important event of the Medieval Festivals is the recreation of the Battle of La Serna , a historical representation that takes place in the Ronda de Miradores, at the foot of the castle, where hundreds of locals recreate the battle where the forces of Queen Isabel of Castile , supported by the people of Sabiote, faced and defeated the forces of Juana "La Beltraneja" , backed by the kingdom of Portugal.

The Medieval Festival also provides a significant boost to tourism and the local economy. Hotels and rural houses book up for weeks in advance, and bars, restaurants, and shops see their business boom. Previous editions have seen over 20,000 visitors , a figure that underscores the event's popularity.

When the curtain falls on Sunday and the medieval costumes are returned to the wardrobe, Sabiote will return to the present with the satisfaction of having experienced, yet another year, a unique festival. Medieval Festivals are not just a popular celebration: they are an act of historical remembrance, a tool for energizing the local area, and a way to show the world that great legends live in small towns.

If you're looking for a unique, family-friendly plan filled with magic, history, and excitement, mark your calendar for the Medieval Festival, where Sabiote invites you to dream of swords, castles, and waving flags. You can check out the full program at www.sabiote.com