Shopping

La Herradura has an excellent selection of shops, which can be found in and around the old part of the village and there is also a choice of several small supermarkets. In Almunecar, the main town in the area, there is an abundance of shops – large and small – where you can while away the hour's window shopping, looking for gifts or buying groceries.

Also in La Herradura there is a lively daily municipal market where fresh meat, fish and vegetables can be purchased. Almunecar also has a market, which is on a much larger scale. Both municipal markets are excellent for buying fresh produce and are just as much fun to visit and experience the sight of the daily catch and to people watch.

La Herradura has two wonderful bakeries where fresh bread is baked daily on the premises. A morning visit to buy fresh bread to enjoy with breakfast – a must!

You will be spoilt for choice with an abundance of great restaurants and bars – from Spanish country restaurants to beach bars and restaurants, Italian cuisine to family run pizzeria – truly something for everyone.

Needing a hairdresser? The village has several Spanish salons, but if you are worried about the language barrier there is also a first class English salon.

There are several banks in the village along with a newspaper shop supplying daily papers from all round the world. Should you need a chemist (Farmacia) these too can be found in La Herradura.

The Post Office, which is open during the mornings only, is quite a different experience from home but, as with everywhere, the staff are extremely helpful and friendly.

Places to go and things to see in the area

Granada , the provincial capital is just one hour's drive away. It has many outstanding buildings including the famous Alhambra and Generalife Gardens, and the Cathedral.

If retail therapy is what you need, Granada also boasts some very good shops, as does Motril.

The ski resort of Sol y Nieve , in the Sierra Nevada, is a short drive from Granada. The skiing there is very good, the season starting early December and ending some time during April. Ski equipment can be hired. For non-skiers, you can take a ride up in the cable car to the first stage just to enjoy the wonderful views.

Almunecar

La Herradura is actually a suburb of Almunecar, so although it is not a large city, it is bigger and has more facilities.

The park el Majuelo houses some archaeological finds, namely the ruins of a Roman fish-salting factory. The park is a very relaxing area with many types of tropical plants and trees from many parts of the world. At times throughout the year, evening concerts are held in the park. Information and dates for these are available in the Tourist Office just down from the park. Above the park is ‘old Almunecar' with its Moorish castle proudly standing looking over the town.

The exciting and well run water theme park at Playa Velilla . is well worth a visit. Spend a day here and enjoy the gardens as well as the fun of the water. There are plenty of areas to sunbathe and simply watch others try the slides, if you wish. The water park is well supervised with safety being a prime concern.

The Friday market in Almunecar is also well worth a visit. It is a very colourful and lively event. Almost anything can be bought here, with the exception of fresh produce.

There are many restaurants in Almunecar; our favourites include the Ultimo Ola and La Galeria , which are both on the beach road near Avenida Juan Carlos, and El Chaleco , which is at the top of Avenida del Sol.

Almunecar boasts many bars. Try some that are tucked away from the main areas. Many of these typically Spanish bars give extremely tasty and interesting tapas when you buy a drink.

From Almunecar, take the road towards Otiva and just a short way outside the town is Venta Luciana . Here, on Friday evenings, they have a barbecue followed by a show of flamenco dancing. It is great fun and typically Spanish.

Motril is a larger town with many shops. The town itself is slightly inland, but there is a port where fishermen come in to land their catches.

Frigiliana is one of the famed white villages and is the nearest to La Herradura. The narrow streets were built before the age of the car so to see the village you need to walk.

Nerja Caves

These are actually at Maro. The caves are breath taking and well worth a visit. They were only discovered in the 1950's and are now a major tourist attraction.

A suggestion would be to visit Frigiliana in the morning and then, in the heat of the afternoon, visit the caves.

The Alpujarras (or Driving Over Lemons Country) is another area well worth visiting. The scenery is absolutely spectacular and a visit might include a visit to Trevellez, the highest village, famed for its delicious hams, and Lanjaron famous for its water.

There are also organised trips in the area covering trekking, quad biking, walking, etc. They are often advertised locally or information can be obtained from the Tourist Office.