Culturally significant landscapes in Granada

The Culturally significant landscapes in Granada is a route that runs through various landscapes of the province of Granada that are of special interest due to their socio-cultural, natural and geographical merits. Original reference documents are available on the website of the Digital Guide to Andalusia’s Cultural Heritage.

This route through the province of Granada features a selection of landscapes included on the Register of Landscapes of Cultural Interest in Andalusia. Of the 117 landscapes included on this register, 16 are found in the province of Granada. These were chosen as they are particularly illustrative examples of certain categories used in the register to classify landscapes, namely: systems of settlement (2), obtaining and processing resources (6), security and defence (4), and ideas and aspects relating to the associations of people and landscapes (3). The register includes a summary for each of these landscapes, which provides an overview and analysis of key information. Readers are encouraged to have a look at these documents relating to the landscapes included on the route (which are signposted throughout) as this will help them better understand and appreciate their natural and cultural values.

You may begin the route in the provincial capital, Granada, or anywhere along the way. Its purpose is to help you understand the various ways in which people have related to and continue to relate to the places they call home, as well as how these interactions have given rise to various types of cultural landscapes. Not only do these kinds of landscapes contribute to the uniqueness of the province, they also represent examples of sustainable spatial development.

Understand

“

... Your elegy, Granada, is rusty silence,
a silence already dead from dreaming.
When your charm was broken, out of your veins bled
that immortal fragrance, which your rivers carried
in bubbles of tears to the sonorous sea ...

”

—García Lorca, Federico, Fragment Granada, elegía humilde (1918)

The province of Granada is located in south-east Andalusia and spans 12,635 km². In the south, it has a short coastline on the Mediterranean, becoming wider in the centre and then narrower and narrower in the north-east, where it borders the autonomous regions of Murcia and Castilla-La Mancha in Albacete. In the south, its coast is characterized by rugged cliffs and small coves. An ever-present sight is Sierra Nevada, a geographical landmark that has an impact on many of the province’s landscapes. To the west of the historic city of Granada, the vast plain that is the Vega de Granada is marked by less contrast, crossed by the Genial River and its immense network of tributaries, making it extremely fertile. To the north-east is the Hoya de Guadix, a large plain that gives way to the equally vast Hoya de Baza. This is the third largest area of plains and hills in the province, and is surrounded by mountain ranges such as Sierra de Orce to the east as well as Sierra de Castril and Sierra de La Sagra to the north.

Here, some of the most remote remains of human existence are to be found, as seen through archaeological sites such as in Orce as well as places like the Gor valley, where well-preserved ruins combine with nature to give rise to landscapes of stunning beauty. Also to be found are numerous castles and other structures built during the Middle Ages to defend the Kingdom of Granada, as well as small settlements dating back to the Al-Andalus period, particularly in La Alpujarra.

These fertile plains have traditionally been used for farming, as well as the sides of valleys, where terraces were built. The latter can be seen on the slopes of the Poqueira and Río Verde valleys. Traditional mining, for its part, carried out over a large part of the province’s mountainous regions, has left obvious marks on places such as Busquístar and Lújar.

These historic activities now coexist with others that drive the province’s economy. The status of the provincial capital as a pre-eminent university city has historically resulted in the interior of the province being characterised by great dynamism. This led to expansion into the nearby area (albeit it often short-lived), as well as a wealth of heritage in and around the city, which continues to exist today. In Granada itself, one particularly noteworthy example is the Alhambra and Generalife complex, a World Heritage Site. In the surrounding area, the network of acequias (irrigation channels), bridges, wells, waterwheels and mills allowed a thriving arable and pastoral farming sector to develop. These cultural relics have made a visit to Granada a must for those visiting Spain.  Furthermore, the nearby Sierra Nevada, which receives significant snowfall each year, has become a popular destination for winter sports and other outdoor activities. Some of its highest peaks are not far from the city. The location of this mountain system near the Mediterranean creates a temperate climate around the coast. This allows for the intensive farming of tropical fruit, which has fulfilled a significant demand across Europe, whilst leading to certain landscapes undergoing significant change.

You can begin the route through the province of Granada from its capital city, then heading west until you reach Montefrío, before descending southwards until the town of Alhama de Granada. Perched on the sides of the gorge in Alhama de Granada, you will see the mills that were once powered by the current of the river. From here, head to the area south of Sierra Nevada. Here, you’ll find the historic region of La Alpujarra, with its whitewashed villages, including Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira. To the south is Órgiva (Sierra de Lújar), where you’ll find the relics left by mining. Then head north, through Sierra Nevada until you get to the municipalities of Guadix and Purullena, before heading east, where you’ll find the Gor valley, to the west of Sierra de Baza. Continuing north-east, you’ll reach Galera, where you can visit the archaeological site of Castellón Alto. To end the route, head north until you get to Sierra de La Sagra. Here, you’ll find Mount La Sagra, a peak that has significant symbolic value in and around Huéscar.

Prepare

This route has been designed to be done in a private vehicle. Most accommodation (which caters for all budgets) is to be found in the capital and on the coast, known as Costa Tropical due to its unique subtropical climate. During the ski season, there is also a selection of hotels at the Sierra Nevada ski resort.

Due to its unique terrain, the province has a varied climate. Particularly in winter, in some places it might be warm and sunny, whilst in others it may be cold and raining. As such, it’s important you bring the appropriate clothes and check the weather beforehand. During the rest of the year, the weather tends to be hot, although not as hot as in other parts of Spain. Remember to use sun cream and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.

Some visitors may like to combine skiing followed by a dip in the Mediterranean in the same day, weather permitting of course.

Get in

The route begins in Granada, the capital of the province. The city can be reached by car  A-92 , east–west, and  A-44 , north–south; train to Granada Train Station there are high-speed trains to other parts of Spain as well as regional trains to Almería; and flights to Federico García Lorca Granada Airport.

From Granada, you can begin the route by stopping at the landscape of Montefrío.

Drive

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1 Paisaje de Montefrío

In the north of Sierra de Parapanda, a mountain road takes you east to Moclín, where the 2 landscape of Moclín is similar to that of Montefrío. In Moclín, see find a castle built on the top of a rocky formation. This played an important role in the defence of the Kingdom of Granada. Following the occupation by the Kingdom of Castile in 1486, the area experienced significant growth and many olive groves were planted in the surrounding area, despite the challenges presented by the mountainous terrain.

Route: Granada,  GR-43 ,  N-336 ,  A-335 , 1 Montefrío panoramic viewpoint, Montefrío, (55 km (34 mi), 1 hour 8 minutes)

The road from Granada to Montefrío passes through part of the plains of the River Genil, leaving the Sierra de Parapanda to the north, before reaching another mountainous area, where some peaks are more than 900 m (3,000 ft) high. It is here, from the south, that you’ll get your first glimpse of Montefrío. Built on a rocky formation, the western side rises slowly, dotted with whitewashed houses, whilst the bare eastern-side falls sharply into the surrounding hills and olive groves. Montefrío began life during the Al-Andalus era, its location making it ideal as a defensive outpost. Today, its whitewashed houses and other buildings, perched on the western face of the rock, exist in complete harmony with nature, creating a truly unique landscape. The Nasrid castle and the church of la Villa, which watch over the town, are perhaps its two most important landmarks. Both offer spectacular views of the surrounding olive groves and distant mountains. In the lower part of the town, facing these two landmarks, the Iglesia de la Encarnación church, with its slender steeple and vast dome, provides a stunning view and is witness to another important period that shaped Montefrío’s landscape – its occupation by the Crown of Castile in 1486.

Nearby sites of interest include:

1 Castle of the Villa

2 Montefrío Old town

3 Church of la Encarnación

4 Tower of the Rings

5 Tower of las Cabrerizas

6 Tower of el Cortijuelo

7 Tower of el Espinar

8 Tower of the Guzmanes

9 Tower of el Hachuelo

10 Tower of the Sun

11 Tower Quebrada

3 The milling landscape of Tajos de Alhama

Not far from Tajos de Alhama, to the west of Sierra de Alhama, the mountain pass known as 4 Zafarraya pass has provided an important link between the interior of the province and its coast since prehistory. The fact that it is so narrow and passes between mountains at high altitude, in addition to the remains of infrastructure once used to control the area, allows us to deduce this. Since the division of land under Charles III, this area has been made up of small and medium plots of farmland.

Montefrío,  A-335 ,  A-402 , 2 Tajos de Alhama Natural Viewpoint, (50.6 km (31.4 mi), 54 minutes)

As you leave Montefrío, you’ll descend the southern side of Sierra de Parapanda. You’ll notice how sharp mountains and valleys begin to give way to gentler terrain similar to the hills and plains around the river Genil. As the Genil cuts right across your path, you have to take a road along one of its tributaries, the river Alhama. During this second stage of the route, the landscape once again becomes mountainous, albeit with less height, before you reach a truly unique landscape: the point where the river Alhama passes through the town of Alhama de Granada. Here, the erosion of the river has resulted in a steep gorge. Perched above the meandering water, which is flanked by poplars, are farmhouses, mills and small plots of land. Some of these date back to the Al-Andalus period and were built to make use of the current. In fact, the milling of grain was what powered the local economy until well into the 20th century. The compact line of white buildings overlooking the gorge offers a sharp contrast to the rusty, grey colour of the rock. Seen from a distance, the town is barely visible and the gorge appears only as a faint line making its way through what appears to an uninhabited part of these highlands.

Nearby sites of interest include:

12 Molinos de los Tajos

13 Alcazaba

14 Molino Mochón

15 Historic Centre of Alhama de Granada

16 Arab baths

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5 Mining landscape of Sierra de Lújar

Another mountainous landscape in the province of Granada that has been shaped by mining is to be found near Busquístar, on the southern side of Sierra Nevada, in the area known as Alpujarra Granadina. In the 6 mining landscape of Busquístar continued into the 1970s.

Route: Tajos de Alhama natural viewpoint,  A-4150 ,  GR-3302 , Jayena,  A-4050 , Otívar,  GR-5300 , MolvÍzar,  N-323a ,  A-4133 , Vélez de Benaudalla (95.4 km (59.3 mi), 2 hours)

Next, leave behind Alhama de Granada and continue east towards the Poqueira valley and La Taha, which are flanked by the northern sides of Sierra de Tejeda and Sierra de Almijara, two mountain ranges of medium elevation. The route then takes you through Sierra del Chaparral and the Guadalfeo valley until Vélez de Benaudalla. This vast landscape, shaped extensively by mining, contrasts sharply with that of Tajos de Alhama. Here, the lush, green countryside, whitewashed villages and terrace farming give way to more desolate scenery. The impact of mining is hard to miss with entire areas void of vegetation, as well as rubble and abandoned buildings, roads once used to transport minerals, and a murky river full of waste thrown into it by miners. Although fairly extensive mining began to take place from the 18th century onwards, what you see today is the result of intensive mining carried out in the 19th century, when traditional techniques were used to extract copper and lead across the area, and particularly mining carried out from the mid-20th century onwards, when Spanish and foreign companies industrialised the process to mine other minerals, such as fluorite for use in the chemical and steel industry. This saw the construction of extensive infrastructure, which significantly altered the landscape.

Nearby sites of interest include:

17 Castle of Órgiva

18 Building used to store minerals awaiting transport

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7 The farming landscape of the Poqueira valley and La Taha

The 8 Lecrin valley offers another landscape extensively shaped by farming. The area played a key role in defending the borders of the Emirate of Granada during the Al-Andalus era, something that has left its mark in the form of castles and watchtowers. The extensive farming of olives and grain has shaped the land over the centuries, and led to the dispersed villages you see today.

Route: Vélez de Benaudalla.  A-4133 ,  A-346 ,  A-348 , Órgiva,  A-4132 , Pampaneira,  A-4129 , Capileira,  A-4129 ,  A-4132 , La Taha,  A-4132 , Pórtugos (536 km (333 mi) 1 hora 33 min.)

As you continue your journey, you’ll notice how the landscape clearly changes from one influenced by mining in Sierra de Lújar to one dominated by farming. The River Guadalfeo provides us with a clear visual reference until it meets the River Trevélez, into which tributaries running down the southern side of Sierra Nevada flow. Here, to the south of this vast mountain range, the valleys become steeper with small villages perched close by on their slopes. This is without doubt one of the defining features of this area, known as La Alpujarra. This can be seen in the Poqueira valley and in the municipality of La Taha. These remote settlements trace their roots back to the Al-Andalus period, when defensive structures were built throughout the area. During the 14th century, these outposts became small villages, La Taha began to grow, and farming significantly expanded, giving rise to many small rural communities. This was the beginning of the most significant change to the landscape by humans. Around these villages, terraces with a complex network of acequias (irrigation channels), were created for farming. These further contributed to the gradual transformation of the area and continued following the introduction of the manor system by the Crown of Castile and the arrival of new settlers and livestock. This is something that has left a clear mark on the landscape is seen today.

Nearby sites of interest include:

19 Castle of Poqueira

20 La Alpujarra Media Granadina and La Tahá

21 Capileira old town

22 Pampaneira old town

23 Bubión old town

24 The settlements of La Taha and the terrace farming landscape

25 Acequia Alta de Pitres

26 Acequia Baja de Pitres

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9 The landscape of Guadix and Purullena

The 10 farming landscape around the upper Río Verde , where you will find Guadix and Purullena, offers a very different landscape, with small villages built during the Al-Andalus era. These were self-sufficient rural communities until the introduction of the manor system in the Middle Ages. Following the loss of the colonies in the Americas in the 19th century, the area began to be used mainly to grow sugar cane.

Route: Pórtugos,  A-4132 ,  A-4130 ,  A-4127 ,  A-348 ,  A-337 ,  A-92 ,  A-4101 , Guadix.  A-4100 , Purullena (110 km (68 mi), 2 hours 25 minutes)

As you continue from Vélez de Benaudalla, you are forced to go back for a few kilometres until you reach a road that takes us east, following the Guadalfeo valley. You leave Sierra Nevada to the north and Sierra de Lújar and Sierra de la Contraviesa to the south. Once you reach the village of Cherín, the next part of the route takes us north, up the far eastern side of Sierra Nevada. The landscape here is scarcely populated, with mountains and coniferous forests. Continue until you reach the village of La Calahorra, where you’ll find a solitary castle built on a hill, looking out over the vast plain known as Hoya of Guadix. Here, against the backdrop of the imposing mountains of Sierra Nevada, the landscape changes drastically, now shaped by rolling hills and plains. This is also a more densely populated area with larger settlements such as Guadix and Purullena. The origin of Guadix, the main city in the region, can be traced back to Roman Hispania, when it was known as Acci. Its history can be seen wherever you look, and its Renaissance and baroque buildings are testimony to its important economic and cultural status during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. This is in contrast to Purullena, where a more primitive way of life gave rise to houses carved out in the argillaceous sandstone. This way of living began in the Al-Andalus period and continued until the beginning of the 20th century amongst those who worked the land.

Nearby sites of interest include:

27 Guadix old town

28 Roman Theatre of Guadix

29 Tower of Paulenca

30 San Torcuato sugar factory

31 Cathedral Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation

32 Alcazaba (castle)

33 City wall

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11 Megalithic landscape of the Gor valley

On 12 cerro de Jabalcón, settlers from Jaén built a devotional center to the Virgin of la Cabeza in the 16th century, which pilgrims from Benamaurel, Cúllar and Castril continue to come to each April. This mountain offers stunning views across the vast plain surrounding Zújar, and from the top it offers views of the Negratín Reservoir as well as two very different agrarian landscapes: one dominated by irrigated farming, around the River Baza to the west, and the other shaped by dryland farming, on the plain to the east.

Route: Purullena,  A-4100 ,  A-92 ,  A-342 ,  GR-6100 , Gorafe (35 km (22 mi), 27 minutes)

From Purullena, our route towards the canyon of the River Gor takes us north-east over the vast Hoya de Guadix plain. Here, the landscape is shaped by dryland farming until the foothills of Sierra de Baza, near the town of Gor. Head north-west in the direction of Gorafe on a straight road that runs parallel to the river, until you reach the canyon. It was formed by the erosion of the river on the rock, and becomes more meandering as it makes its way downhill. From a distance, the canyon can be easily missed, hidden by the plain, something which often surprises visitors when it suddenly appears in view and they notice just how impressive it is. Like an opening carved in the vast plain, the scenery of the valley alternates between shrubs perched on the sloping rocks, and small olive groves at the bottom near the river, which meanders in and out of vegetation. A large number of megalithic funerary monuments, built during the Bronze Age by the Argaric, the Iron Age, and the pre-Roman era, are found throughout the valley over an area of 20 km (12 mi). This heritage makes the landscape truly unique, almost a world of its own, giving it great symbolic value and turning it into what some have called the frontier between life and death.

Nearby sites of interest include:

34 Castle of Gor

35 Tower of de Gor

36 Hoyas del Conquín Alto

37 Dolmen 134

38 Puntal del Cuervo

39 Gorafe Megalithic Art Visitor Centre

40 Castle of Gorafe

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13 Landscape of Castellón Alto

During the Middle Ages, the defence of the borders of the kingdoms of Castile and Granada saw a castle built on the top of a rocky formation in what is now 14 Zagra. At the foot of the castle, on the eastern side of the hill, the small village you see today was built. The views from the castle make it easy to see why it once played a strategic role in defending the region. Following the end of conflict in the area, olive groves were planted on the surrounding hills.

Route: Gorafe,  N-342 ,  A-92N ,  A-330 , Galera, Castellón Alto (81 km (50 mi), 60 minutes)

From the Gor valley, head north-east towards Galera, crossing the Hoya de Baza plain, another of the province’s flattest areas. The route is marked by two towns, Baza and Cúllar. Depending on the season, the road will take you over a number of streams that run into the River Gallegón. Leaving the foothills of Sierra de Orce to the east, you see a rather barren landscape with chalky soil. The only vegetation are large patches of native shrubs, dotted amongst fields of grain and olive trees. This continues for miles around, only interrupted by irrigated farmland around the River Cúllar, and further to the north, in Galera, by the River Orce, River Huéscar and River Galera. The latter has provided fertile ground for farming since the Al-Andalus era. To the west of Galera, you will see a rocky spur emerging in the south. Here, you will find the archaeological site of Castellón Alto. This can be traced back to the first settlers in the area, who arrived between 1900 and 1600 BC during the Bronze Age. The site was built by the Argaric, a complex culture with a rigid hierarchical structure, as shown by the archaeological record. Becayse of its sweeping views of the river and the surrounding area, the site took on an important defensive role. Today, it is an outstanding viewpoint, shaping the landscape and allowing visitors to appreciate just how rural the area was and still is.

Nearby sites of interest include:

41 Tútugi Iberian Necropolis

42 Cerro del Real

43 Castellón Alto

44 Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation

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15 Recreated landscape of La Sagra

In and around nearby 16 landscape of Castril, two main factors have shaped the landscape. The first is the strategic role once played by the village in defending the area, something that can be seen from its castle, built in the Middle Ages. The second is the importance of farming, as evidenced by the farmhouses beneath the village, beyond its walls, and the hillside olive groves.

Route: Castellón Alto, Galera,  A-3030 ,  A-326 , Huéscar,  A-330 , Puebla de Don Fadrique,  A-317 ,  GR-9100 , La Sagra, (51 km (32 mi), 1 hour 10 minutes)

From Castellón Alto, the route towards Sierra de La Sagra continues north. The scenery remains flat from Hoya de Baza through to Huéscar, where the Bermeja, Jorquera, Montilla, Moncayo and Jurena mountain ranges begin. As you travel along the eastern edge of Sierra de Jurena until Puebla de Don Fadrique, the scenery begins to change, becoming more mountainous and remote. Here, dryland crops give way to mountainsides with vast forests of pines, holm oaks and junipers, amongst which you begin to get glimpses of Sierra de La Sagra. The grey and white of Mount La Sagra, at 2385 m high, offers a stunning contrast to the rusty-coloured soil and patches of green scrubland. This imposing mountain, which never ceases to captivate the imagination of locals and visitors alike, is truly the centrepiece of this landscape, and has great symbolic value. In Roman times, it marked the border between the provinces of Hispania Baetica and Hispania Tarraconensis, and during the Al-Andalus era, the border between the kingdoms of Granada and Murcia. From 1488 onwards, with the arrival of the Crown of Castile, it began to be associated with the martyrdom of Saint Nunilo and Saint Alodia. This saw it become a mythical place of legend. It continues to be a place of pilgrimage, which includes a number of festive and ceremonial rituals. Pilgrims make their way along the river Bravatas to a shrine built in honour of the two saints, perched on the eastern side of the mountain.

Nearby sites of interest include:

45 Rock shelter of Letrero de los Mártires

46 Castle of Cerro de la Trompeta

47 Tower of Cerro de la Trompeta

48 Castle of Volteruela

49 Los Castellones

50 Tower of la Yesera

51 Tower of Cortijo de la Torre

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Safety

The villages, towns and cities included on the route are safe and have low levels of crime. However, the usual safety precautions should be taken, such as locking your car and keeping your eye on your rucksack and other personal belongings. As in the rest of Spain, the Guardia Civil is responsible for policing the countryside, although larger built-up areas may have their own municipal police force.

On many parts of the route, there are no areas of shade. Use sun cream and a hat when the weather is hot. Many locations are not fully accessible and may require outdoor wear and walking boots.

Some areas that are dry for the most part of the year may be prone to sudden flooding as a result of rainfall. Check the weather beforehand and act quickly in the event of unexpected rain.

• Emergencies-112, ☏ 112.  
• Guardia Civil, ☏ 062.  

Stay healthy

The hospitals nearest to the route are:

• 3 Baza hospital, ☏ +34-958-03-13-92.  
• 4 High resolution hospital of Guadix, ☏ +34-958-69-91-53.  
• 5 Virgen de Las Nieves University General Hospital, ☏ +34-958-02-00-00.  
• 6 Santa Ana hospital, ☏ +34-958-03-82-00.  
• 7 High resolution hospital of Loja, ☏ +34-958-33-81-00.  

Where to go next

Other places of interest in the province of Granada include:

• 1 Granada city. (updated Dec 2023)
• 2 The Alhambra (Calle Real de la Alhambra S/N, 18009 Granada. ☎ +34 958027971).  
• 3 Almuñécar.  
• 4 Sierra Nevada. (updated Dec 2023)
• 5 La Alpujarra.