Carmenes del Mar

Places to Visit

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.

Sol y Nieve

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.

Almuñécar

La Herradura is actually a suburb of Almuñécar, 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.

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.

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 Almuñécar 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 Almuñécar; 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.

Almuñécar 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 Almuñécar, 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

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

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

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.