The district is located within the Natural Park of the Baza Mountain range reason why it enjoys abundant vegetation and magnificent landscapes in its surroundings. It is a point of reference to start visits, excursions or to camp in the park. It is rich in sites of copper, iron, lead and other minerals, and several rain tanks and kilometres of channels to transport the water to the soil laundries are still conserved in the “Fabriquilla of the gold”. Within the town we can find numerous inhabited caves and appreciate the singular map of its streets, wide and straight. It celebrates its religious celebrations the 20th of January in honour to San Sebastián, and it maintains the tradition of the “Robbery of the saint”. In Easter, “the night of armed ones”, the “Day of the Vieja”, in which its inhabitants enjoy a day in the field, and “the madrugadora Verónica” are very popular '. In addition, in the month of August the City council organizes The National Encounter Villa de Caniles, which hosts groups of choirs and dances of all Spain.
To Caniles belong the following anejos: Balax, Rejano, Frances, Gallardos, Jauca, Pinos, Yeseras, Vega, Bodurria, Maclite, Olmos, Molineras and Uclías.
The origins of Caniles go back to the Prehistoric period, as the sites found in the Cueva de la Pastora or the settlement of the Montones de Piedra testify. Numerous utensils of the Palaeolithic period have been found, as well as the so called Glass of Caniles, from the Neolithic period. Rests of the Iberian culture have also been found. During the Roman domination the gold mines were exploited and it probably started the construction of structures to use the water. During the Arab period it reaches its maximum splendour under the name of Canilla. They continued with the exploitation of its auriferous resources, the old systems of irrigated land are perfected and new ones are constructed. A watchtower, the Tower, was also built, to communicate and to watch the area. At the Nasrid period the town received the name of Caniles.
Due to its border situation it is besieged during years by the Castilian troops, being recognized like one of the fortress most difficult to take. In 1489 the count of Tendilla, in name of the Catholic Kings, occupies the area definitively, and it changes the name to Caniles de Baza. The population, mainly Moorish, was drastically reduced in 1568 after its revolt and later expulsion. In 1679 it obtains its independence of the city of Baza of which depended since 1501. Only decades ago it received the villa title and it lost the name "of Baza" to change its name to just Caniles.
Caniles has an excellent production of, vegetables, fruits, olives and almonds, in addition to rich hunting products and a wide livestock. The typical dishes are the gachas with marinated anchovies and mushrooms from the Baza Mountain range, the matancera pot of turnips, white gazpacho, the gurullos with hare and the fried rabbit with tomatoes of the orchard. The traditional desserts are the chicharrones cake, the vieja twisted rolls or the matalahúva cakes.
© Patronato Provincial de Turismo de Granada I Diputación de Granada
