Location
Orgiva was made the regional capital by Isabel 2nd in 1839 and it remains the biggest town of the Las Alpujarras as of today. There are few remains of its Moorish past, the Castle of the Counts of Sastago may look the part but it dates from the 17th Century. The Renaissance church has a carving of Martinez Montanes and there is an Old Olive Mill on the outskirts of the town. Orgiva springs to life on a Thursday with the local weekly market where locally grown fruit, vegetables and crafts are brought to be sold.
If it is culture your after, then look no further. Orgiva has allot to offer in the style of Spanish architecture, food and drink, places of interest and history such as the historic city of Granada with the Alhambra Palace dating back to the 13th century.
Here are a small selection of places to visit in the surrounding area.
Lanjaron can be found within a short car ride from Orgiva. This principle tourist centre has been attracting tourists to its many spas since Roman times. There are eight springs in total each offering a different blend of natural minerals, while shops along the main street offer complementary remedies for whatever ails you. The ruins of a Moorish Castle can be found on the outskirts of Lanjaron standing alone on a jagged rock formation, the Castle saw the Moors last stand against the imperial troops in March 1500. Lanjaron is now famous for its own bottled water all across Spain.
Photos of the area click on the castle for more information ! if you would like to see an aerial view of Lanjaron & Orgiva please click on the You Tube logo.
Pampaneira also can be found on a road out of Orgiva. After a lovely winding drive up into the Sierra Nevada you will come across this picturesque white painted village with its cobbled streets and tavernas and craft shops. In the Plaza de la Libertad there's a museum dedicated to the customs and costumes of Las Alpujarras and a locally run office for the Parque Natural de la Sierra Nevada. There are a variety of sporting activities on offer from here such as horse riding, skiing, hang gliding, nature walks and caving expeditions. For the more contemplative of you situated above the town on the sides of a gorge , you could visit the Tibetan Monastery of Clear Light which is said to be the reincarnated birthplace of the Spanish Tibetan Lama Osel.
Salobrena can be reached by travelling towards the coast from the house in Orgiva. But once on the main A7/E15 coast road you can travel right the way along the coast as far as to Malaga to the west and Almeria to the east, bobbing in and out of the hills and cliffs along the lovely coastal road you will see avocado, pears and sugar cane growing which helps keep the farming community busy. Salobrena's dramatic setting, slung down a steep, lone peak overlooking the sea is the most stunning along the coast and helps to insulate it from the tourist industry. There are nice beaches to be found here with parking and many beach tavernas, shops and restaurants'.
Views of Salobrena, click on the photos for more !
Granada Everyone who comes to Andalucia stops to see the Alhambra in Granada , but there is infinitely more to this magical city. Not content with having the biggest collection of wonders from Moorish al Andalus, Granada also possesses the greatest monument of the Christian Reconquista. The city where Fernando and Isabel chose to be buried is still a chapel of romance. Granada's setting is a land of excess, where Spain's tallest mountain, Mulhacen in the Sierra Nevada, stands only 40km from the sea, it has become something of a tourist ritual to ski and swim on the same day. Mulhacen and its sister peaks provide the backdrop for the Alhambra , while there southern face overlooks the hidden villages of the Alpujarras. Around the city itself it is wise only to be driven into by a brave and confident driver. There is so much more to say about Granada and the Alhambra but it would be more useful for the would be traveller to research this for themselves.
Almuñécar is one of the larger, better known towns on the Costa Tropical, and definitely among the most popular.
The town also boasts long stretches of sandy beach with several small coves where people enjoy fishing, scuba diving, hand gliding, jet-ski rental, boat trips and boat rental are also available in the area.
Almuñécar has a thriving nightlife which you would be hard pressed to beat anywhere else on the Costa Tropical coast line. There are numerous late night bars and clubs throughout the town, including “Los Bajos” - a row of very popular beachfront bars that stay open until around 3am, as well as several nightclubs where you can dance until the early hours of the morning. During the day Almuñécar also has plenty of shops, bars and restaurants catering to a wide range of needs and tastes.
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