Costa News Spain Breaking News | English News in Spain.
Salobreña is a beautiful little town built on the summit of a rocky crag, a stone’s throw from the Mediterranean Sea.
It’s 50 miles east of Málaga and 40 miles south of Granada. Motril is four miles away.
It is easy to get to Salobreña. Salobrena is located just off of the main A-7 coastal road (take N-340 to the centre).
What makes Salobreña so spectacular is the way it rises sheer out of the surrounding sugarcane fields. Be sure to check out the “peñón”, a massive rock formation on the beach.
The steep promontory, as you would expect, was the perfect terrain to build a castle during the Dark Ages. This castle, in turn, gave birth to the town.
The kingdom of Granada was the last Arab foothold in Europe to fall to the Christians, and Salobreña was a Muslim community from 700AD until the year 1489.
The town’s main industry is sugarcane, which was planted first by the Arabs.
The Old Town around the castle is a jasmine-scented paradise in the summer, while New Town further down the slope provides all the amenities.
The Moorish Castle, of course, is the most popular attraction. It costs €4 to visit (€2 for the usual reduced entry), but you may be lucky, and coincide with an ‘open day’, and get in free! You can always get in for free on Monday afternoons.
The castle gates are open daily for three-hour periods, beginning at 10am. They also remain open in the late afternoons, from 4pm to 5:30pm, (in summer).
You can easily get around in half an hour – but bring a credit card: they don’t accept cash at the ticket office.
You might also want to see the church, near the castle: Nuestra Señora del Rosario.
It’s 500 years old, and it’s mudejar (after the Christians took control of Salobreña, some Arabs stayed on and worked on the Church).
As often happened in Andalucía, the incoming Christians converted the town’s main mosque into the present church – so it retains Moorish characteristics.
There is a small prehistoric museum in the Old Town for history buffs.
To get to the beach (it’s walkable, but it’s a good mile or so) leave the crag of Salobreña and take the ruler-straight Avenida Mediterranéo.
There is accommodation in Salobreña to suit all tastes and all wallets, as you’d expect in a town which is turning increasingly to tourism, but on this occasion we are going to recommend the Hotel La Miba.
It’s a short distance outside Salobreña proper, on the Málaga side, but this is good, because just about every part of the hotel offers superb views of the steep crag.
The hotel is pet-friendly and boasts an open-air swimming pool, a “skybar” and is renowned for its “skybar”.
Various deals are on offer, and short stays work out at about €130 per night (April prices).
La Traviesa offers a great place to eat. You will find this quaint little restaurant tucked away within the winding streets and alleys of the Salobreña Old Town, near the castle.
This is a great place to have lunch or dinner if you’re touring the castle. The best way to get there is by walking, since parking isn’t available in the area and roads are too narrow to allow cars through.
From all the terraces, you’ll be rewarded by stunning views.
The restaurant does not face the sea. Instead, it offers a stunning view of the surrounding mountains and town. You might even catch a show of flamenco if you come in the evening.
One more quick thing to see: La Bóveda (the Vault). It is not known when or why the ancient tunnel was constructed, nor why tourists would choose to visit it.
We think a beer on La Botica’s terrace is good enough.
Salobreña is the perfect place to visit if you’re staying in Granada, and you fancy a beach day. Alternatively, why not stay in Salobreña, and make excursions to Granada?
READ MORE
