The small villages of the Los Vélez area have been successful in retaining their traditions and historical customs.

Of such importance is the esparto craftsmanship in Chirivel and María, of which examples of the craft and its products can be seen in the ethnographic museum which has been set up in Contador, a hamlet of Chirivel.

The gastronomy is another source of tourist interest in the villages which in the past formed part of the Marquis of Los Velez? feudal estate. The local dishes are varied, simple, nourishing and healthy.

The most popular are stews and local dishes which are rich in calorie content and help to endure the cold in the winter months. Some of the most invigorating include: puchero de pelotas, potaje de trigo and other stews whose main ingredient is pork or lamb. A variety of vegetable and organically produced fruit from the area is used to garnish many dishes or as main ingredients, as is the case of mushrooms in sauces. All the dishes are cooked in the magnificent pure olive oil which is pressed in local mills.

The high quality of the pork products such as stuffed meats and hams produced in the area is widely recognised as is the abundant and exquisite game meat which is used for preparing typical dishes such as the gurullos con liebre, marinated partridge, tortas gachas, and rabbit. We can also find a wide range of desserts and pastries with a marked Muslim influence.

A series of typical dishes which are prepared in the area for the different seasonal festivities have almost become part of a tradition.

Thus, during the Christmas period, a rice and turkey dish is cooked everyday as are typical pastries and cakes such as the rollo de Pascua, mostachones, mantecados or alfajores de miel.

During Carnival, the favourite food is cod pancakes or tortas fritas whilst at Lent, it is traditional to cook cod with chickpeas, trigo de vigilia, chard stews, the olla gitana and pastries such as the roscos fritos.