Alpujarras, Granada, Halal Restaurants, Travel Blog
What to Visit in The Alpujarra of Granada
The
Alpujarras is a region of mountain towns and villages that lie on the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada, just one to two hour’s drive from the city of
Granada in
Andalusia. The area was made famous by Chris Stewart’s
Driving Over Lemons series of novels about life in rural
Spain, and manages to still retain much of its original and natural charm. The area is characterized by deep gorges, soaring peaks, gushing waterfalls and picturesque, white-washed villages. Here’s our roundup of where to go and what to see to make the best of your trip to this magnificent location.
The Spa Town of Lanjarón
The spa town of Lanjarón is celebrated for its natural spring water and was actually home to Spain’s first bottled water company, which is still active today, selling bottled Alpujarran water throughout the country. On June 23rd, like most places in Spain, the town celebrates the Fiesta de San Juan, but instead of celebrating with fireworks, they have a giant water fight – the biggest in Spain. Starting at midnight for exactly one hour, the town goes mad, spraying each other from bottles, hoses, water pistols and even fire engines. If you’re not here for the fiesta you can explore the ruins of the town’s Moorish castle and relax in the Balneario de Lanjarón spa, where you can enjoy everything from bubbling pools and massages to mud baths and steam rooms.
Go Skiing
The Alpujarras lie on the slopes for the Sierra Nevada, home to one of Spain’s most popular ski areas, so if you’re here from the end of November until April, then make sure to hit the slopes at the Pradollano ski resort. Pros can whizz their way down the pistes, while those who want to learn can take a lesson provided by one of the ski schools on site.
Buy an Alpujarran Rug
Driving through many of the Alpujarran villages, you’ll see swathes of colorfully hand-woven woolen rugs for sale, hanging outside shopfronts along the roadside. A traditional handicraft from the region, they make an original souvenir from your trip. Other typical handicrafts from the Alpujarras include woven baskets and ceramics.
Go Hiking
The Alpujarras are ideal for walking and hiking enthusiasts, with many trails and routes throughout the area, and higher into the Sierra Nevada National Park. Many of the best hikes leave from the villages of Trevélez and Bubión and can lead to beautiful waterfalls or lookout points. Those serious about hiking and mountain climbing can challenge themselves by scaling Mulhacén, the highest mountain in mainland Spain.
Halal Restaurants, Malaga, Travel Blog
The Roman Theatre of Málaga is located on the west slope of the Alcazaba hill. Built during the reign of Augustus, it was used until the 3rd century. It is a mixed construction, using part the slopes but there is also an artificial terrace stands support the stands.
The size and characteristics is very similar to other theatres in the Baetica, very much on the lines of the classical model proposed by Vitrubio.
It was used as a cemetery in the 5th and 6th centuries and subsequently became a source of stone for restructuring the Alcazaba, where you can still find capitals and shafts of Roman columns.
After remaining hidden for centuries, the Roman Theatre in Málaga was discovered in 1951. It has three parts: the cavea or stands, the orchestra pit or semicircular area between the stands and the stage and the proscenium or stage. The pulpitum is very well preserved, with the front bordered with niches containing remains of the original painting.
VISIT
Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am. to 6 pm.
Sunday and bank holidays from 10 am to 4 pm.
Closed: Mondays and 1 and 6 January, 1 May, 24, 25 and 31 December.
PRICE
Free
Granada, Halal Restaurants, Malaga, Travel Blog
An impressive well-preserved 10th-century Islamic fortress
The magnificent Castillo de Gibralfaro sits on a high hill overlooking Malaga city and port and dates back to the 10th century. The hill where the Gibralfaro is situated forms part of the Montes de Malaga mountain range, located to the east and north of Malaga city – this land is protected by the Montes’ natural park status.
The castle was built in 929 A.D. by Abd-al-Rahman III, Caliph of Cordoba, on a former Phoenician enclosure and lighthouse, from which its name was derived – Gebel-faro (Arabic and Greek, meaning rock of the lighthouse). Yusef 1, Sultan of Granada, enlarged it at the beginning of the 14th century, also adding the double wall down to the Alcazaba.
The castle is famous for its three-month siege in 1494 by the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella, which ended only when hunger forced the Malagueños to surrender. Afterward, Ferdinand occupied the site, while his queen took up residence in the town. Interesting historic fact: this was the first conflict in which gunpowder was used by both sides.
The most visible remains of this historic monument are the solid ramparts which rise majestically from dense woods of pine and eucalyptus; inside the fortress itself, you will find some buildings and courtyards, reminiscent of those in the Alhambra. The ramparts have been well restored and you can walk all the way around them. At one point, you can get a good view down into the La Malagueta bullring – some visitors linger for a free view of the bullfight. These walls make a fun, interesting and scenic walk, and usually, you will have it to yourself.
Near the entrance, you can find the Interpretation Centre (formerly known as the Museo Militar), a small military museum.
VISIT
Winter (from November to March):
9 am to 6 pm.
Summer (from April to October):
9 am to 8 pm.
PRICE
Standard admission: €3.50
Combined visit Alcazaba – Gibralfaro Castle: €5.50
Sundays: Free from 14:00 h.
Halal Restaurants, Madrid, Malaga, Spain, Travel Blog
Halal places in Spain
A list of restaurants with halal options in Spain
| Andalucia Includes Seville, Granada, Córdoba, Málaga |
|
| Aragon Includes Zaragoza, Huesca |
|
| Asturias Includes Oveido |
|
| Balearic Islands Includes Palma de Mallorca, Minorca, Ibiza |
|
| Canary Islands Includes Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Las Palmas |
|
| Cantabria Includes Santander |
|
| Castile-La Mancha Includes Toledo, Guadalajara |
|
| Castille and León Includes León, Valladolid, Ávila, Zamora |
|
| Catalonia Includes Barcelona, Girona |
|
| Ceuta and Melilla |
|
| Euskadi Includes Bilbao, San Sebastián, Vitoria |
|
| Extremadura Includes Mérida |
|
| Foral Community of Navarre Includes Pamplona |
|
| Galicia |
|
| La Rioja Includes Logroño |
|
| Madrid Metro The Madrid metropolitan area |
|
| Murcia |
|
| Valencian Community Includes Valencia, Alicante |
