the area | granada | las alpujarras | lecrin valley | salobreña & motril

The Moors traveling south from Granada fell in love with this area with its rich soil, rushing rivers and mountains providing natural fortification to the valley. It was named El Valle de Lecrin or, the Valley of Happiness and many of its present day inhabitants would concur that its given name is quite appropriate. The Lecrin Valley is situated between Granada and Motril, in the foothills of the Alpujarras. At the centre of the valley is a large fresh water lake with many idyllic spots whilst the 'Sun and Snow' ski resort is only an hour and a half away by car.

Within a half hour drive are the sandy beaches of the Costa Tropical, the magnificent city of Granada with its famous Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens, and the spectacular Sierra Nevada mountains. The little known villages in the area remain very traditional and largely untouched by time, and there are some lovely walks in the surrounding countryside. The village of Lecrin is named after the valley it lies in and is set amidst orange, lemon and olive groves. This village, together with a number of others forms part of the Sierra Nevada natural park.

The village of Albondon is situated towards the Mediterranean coast in the lower region of the Alpujarra. The mild climate here is perfect for growing almonds and vines that produce a very popular local wine. The whitewashed village stands out against the permanent green of the landscape and the old town has many remains of Moorish architecture in its narrow streets.

Durcal is situated on the southwest face of the Sierra Nevada natural park and is rich with orange and lemon orchards and sugar cane. Durcal has always been a convenient stopping off place between Granada and the coast and the 19th century saw the construction of two significant engineering projects. One, a 38km cableway that transported local goods to the harbour in Motril (sadly dismantled in 1958), and the other, an iron bridge used by the railway.