9 family-friendly hiking routes near Salobreña
Tropical Coast of Granada has many beautiful landscapes: cliffs, beaches, caves, valleys, mountains… All these places have an interesting wildlife nature.
Uncrowded places are great option for those who love outdoor activities.
We propose some routes that are short trips to spend the day with family or friends enjoying these natural landscapes. Good footwear, a mobile phone, drinks and some fruits are required- Register police station telephone number and local health services in the villages where the trails are located in case of emergency.
Maintain the contact telephone numbers of the local police and health services in the villages where the trails are located in case of emergency.
1. The Custard Apple “chirimoya” route (10.64km)
A few minutes from Salobreña are the Tropical Valleys of Salobreña, Motril and Río Verde. Here you will find exotic and tropical fruits such as avocados, custard apples, loquats and mangos. The climate of the Costa Tropical of Granada, sunny with mild temperatures has made our area unique in fruit production.
The first tropical trees arrived in the 16th century, although it was not until the 20th century that they began to be cultivated more intensively. The custard-apple, in particular, has the Certificate of Denomination of Origin, in the Costa Tropical of Granada and the coast of Malaga.
The most significant route you can do through tropical crops is the Chirimoya route. This route starts in the centre of Salobreña, towards the Municipal Sports Centre. Once you pass the wall of the sports centre, you turn left onto a dirt road among different tropical fruit plantation and cortijos (country houses) until you reach the crossing of Cortijo de Concha. You have to keep walking through the left bank of the river passing through Los Matagallares until reaching Camino del Canal (Watery Road), a concrete path area. We continue along this valley until we reach a crossing 150 metres away from the Municipal Cementery, where you will have to turn right to continue to La Caleta. Once you find a traffic light, you will have to cross this district made of white houses until reaching the beach and the seafront wall of the old Salobreña Sugar Factory. Next to La Guardia neighbourhood, after a short sandy path you will come to Salobreña’s Beach Promenade, where you have to keep walking straight until reaching the main avenue to the entrance of the village, the end of the route.
To know more about Tropical Fruits in the area, click here.
Check the following companies if you are interest in different activities in the area:
2. Route of the Mills of Nigüelas
70 kilometres from Salobreña, on the A-4 road, you will reach the Lecrín Valley in 35 minutes by car. Exit Nigüelas. Arab baths, castles in ruins, romantic gardens and old oil mills.
In this town you can find “La Erilla“, an Olive Oil Mill Interpretation Centre, a well-preserved oil mill in the Town Centre which worked from the 15th to the 20th Century. Thanks to the force of water coming from an irrigation canal, it can move. If you are interested in visiting the mill, you can visit their website here.
The route through the Mills of Nigüelas is a circular route of 5.94km. The route starts at the town hall and during it you will pass through different types of landscapes: the Church, the olive oil mill of La Erilla and different mills, such as the Petaca Mill, the Molino Alto (“High Mill”), el Molino del Canario (“The Canary Mill”) or el Molino del Bizo (“The Cross-eyed’s Mill”), passing along places as the Nigüelas fault or a 16th Century water mill.
In the Lecrín Valley you will be able to visit different towns such as Melegís or Cónchar.
- In the town of Melegís you can find remains of watchtowers, a large agricultural system or irrigation channels and terraces and a Muslim urban structure: there are many narrow streets, courtyards and impasses.
- In the town of Cónchar/Villamena you will be able to visit the Señorío del Nevada Winery and take a guided tour through the vineyards and the winery. You can also take part in creating and tasting your own wine. For further information, visit their website: senoriodelnevada.es
Here are different activities that can be carried out in El Valle de Lecrín:
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- Farm School “Huerto Alegre“
- Nautical Centre “Valle de Lecrín“
- Nature interpretation centre of Padul’s wetlands “Aula de naturaleza del Aguadero“
- Farm School “El molino de Lecrín“
3. Route of Río Verde, Otívar (14,85km)
In the town of Otivar you can find the Río Verde route. It is a route of moderate difficulty of 14.85km. During the route you will find several waterfalls and bridges tat will allow you to enjoy the great variety of landscapes in the area. Link detailed information on this path at Río Verde Route.
Canoying and outdoor activities at:
4. Route of the Cat in Albuñol (9.13km)
Contraviesa Mountains are a mountain range parallel to Sierra Nevada, facing the Mediterranean Sea. Having Salobreña as a starting point, you can get there after a 68 kilometres trip following de A-4131 road. It is not a place with overcrowded tourism, which means it is perfect for those who are looking to disconnect. Most of the population work on agriculture: green beens, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes on greenhouses productions at the valleys, almond trees upon hills, vinyards and fig tree mostly.
A popular hiking route in this mountain range is the Ruta del Gato (“Route of the Cat”), a circular route of 9.13km with moderate difficulty. This trail will allow you to reach Cerro del Gato (“Cat Hill”) in about 2 hours and 40 minutes. The whole route goes through a climb that will take you to the niche of the Virgen del Rosario (“Our Lady of the Rossary”), surrounded by almond trees. If you continue climbing there will be divided views: to the north, the Lújar mountain range, to the south, the Mediterranean Sea. From this spot, the return to Albuñol will begin through slopes between almond trees.
If you are interested in active tourism in this area, check Aventura Alpujarra.
5. Órgiva Miners Route (8.2km)
Lújar’s mountain range was a key space for Spanish mining, there were in operation 59 lead mines and 5 copper mines. The final closure of these mines was in 1989, causing a major crisis in the town of Órgiva. After going through a forest track, it is necessary to turn right to start climbing for three kilometres following the original path used by the miners of Órgiva to reach the mine. This is a slightly complicated stretch: we will gain altitude in a short time. At the end of the climb, you will observe a panoramic view of the Alpujarra and you will find a place to rest.
You will reach a forest track in which the descent through will start. There you will be able to see Órgiva and the peaks of Sierra Nevada at the back. After going down this track for 5 kilometres, you will go back to the starting point. It is estimated that it 8.2km can be covered in 3h 30 min. For further information, visit alpujarraturistica.com
Within the gastronomy of the Alpujarra, there are endless dishes to taste: ham is the most typical, although the Alpujarra soup (made with bread, onion, ham, almonds, tomatoes, garlic, boiled egg and olive oil), the puchero a la gitanilla (made with chickpeas, ham bone, chicken meat, potatoes, rice, garlic and parsley), patatas a lo pobre (fried potatoes with green pepper, onion and olive oil), migas camperas (cooked crumbs), choto (young goat with sauce) and the gachas pimentonas (made with hose mackerel’s broth, tomatoes, green and red peppers, garlic, cumin, flour and olive oil) are also typical dishes of the area. You may have heard of the “plato alpujarreño” (dish alpujarreño), consisting on patatas a lo pobre, fried egg, ham, longaniza (pork sausage) and fried peppers. For those who love sweets, in this area you can find Moorish sweets, borrachillos (made with oil, white wine, aniseed, yeast, lemon, flour, sugar and cinnamon), torta de lata (similar to a sponge cake) and chotolate fritters.
If you are interested in visiting a typical ham drying shed of La Alpujarra, you can contact InterJamón, a company that offers a guided tour through their drying shed and a final tasting. To contact them, click here.
Check Nevadensis, Al-Mihras or Aventura Alpujarra if you are interested in more activities.
6. Route of the Roman Aqueduct of Almuñécar (7.11km)
Almuñécar is only 14 kilometres from our town. Here you can find a unique building: an aqueduct and thermal baths of Roman origin. In the 1st Century A.D. a 7km long aqueduct was built and declared of Cultural Interest.
In the old town you can find the salting factory El Majuelo, of Punic-Phoenician origin from the fourth century B.C., although it became more important in Roman times, remaining active until the fourth century A.D.
You can follow a route that goes through the Roman Aqueduct to Torrecuevas and go back to Almuñécar, with a total of 7.11 kilometers. Following this route, you can see sections I, II and III on the aqueduct in Río Seco district. Next, on the town centre you will be able to see an original pillar of the 16st Century. Continuing the way you will go back to the salty factory of El Majuelo.
Check the following companies if you are interested in active tourism activities in the area:
7. Route of Castillejo of Guajar Faragüit
35 kilometres from Salobreña you can find Los Guájares, a town formed by three population groups: Guájar Faragüit, Guájar Fondón and Guájar Alto. Its name, which comes from the Arabic “Wa-run”, means “abrupt, steep, difficult to access”. The typical gastronomy is made of homemade sausages, stews, saladas of sun-dried tomatoes, dried apricots and migas (cooked breadcrumbs). Choto en salsa (young goat with sauce) is one of the best known dishes in the area.
Los Guájares has a valley of great value for those who love hiking: there is a great variety of landscapes with many interesting points: flora, birds, mushrooms, archaeological remains, etc. For those who love cycling, there is a route that goes all the way to Los Guájares starting and finishing in Salobreña. You can check it here.
The route will start in Guájar-Fondón and you will have to kep walking to the highest part of the town. You will have to walk through a local path SL -A 52. Once you reach Paraje de la Hoya, the following views you will have is Paraje de los Jacintos. You will get to a dirt path to reach Paraje del Rendate, and keep walking to reach the highest point of the trail, from where we will be able to see El Castillejo. After a few more minutes walking , you will be able to visit El Castillejo, a 13th Century Almohad fortified village made from rubblework masonry and soil. The following step will be heading to Guájar Faragüit and getting to Toba river. After crossing the river, you will have to follow the signposted route until getting to the Sports Centre and, afet a few minutes walk, going back to the starting point.
8. Route of La Garnatilla – Cortijo Alcántara – Alto del Conjuro. (13.32km)
The town of La Garnatilla is 15 kilometres far from Salobreña and it is the starting point of this route of moderate difficulty and 13.32km in total. Once you reach the arrival point, you will have to retrace your steps. After leaving the town, through a forest track and during a moderate climb, you will pass through the ruins of the Cortijo de Burgos and the Cortijo de Alcántara, and old forest nursery. When you pass them, you will reach the highest point of the route. There will begin your way back to La Garnatilla.
9. Route of Vélez de Benaudalla – Haza del Señor – Llano de los Pozos – Barranco del Algarrobo (15.45km)
Only 16 kilometres separate us from Vélez de Benaudalla, the starting point of this route. This is a 15.45 kilometres circular path of moderate difficulty. Along this route you will be able to observe the Azud Valley, the Lecrín Valley and the Órgiva Valley.
Along this route you will be able to see holm oaks, olive and almond trees, the typical agriculture of the area.
If you are interested in active tourism activities in the area of Vélez de Benaudalla, you can contact the following companies:
- Jardín Nazarí: rates and discounts
- Vélez Nazari
- Turismo Activo Vélez
You may also be interested in:
If you are interested in more activities in our town and its surroundings, visit our page Active Tourism Salobreña, our Countryside walks or our post “Eight surprising spaces in Granada’s geography not far from Salobreña”
Consult here the active tourism companies that can help you with your activity.
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