Ten Reasons For Visiting Granada

The Poniente Granadino is situated in the centre of Andalusia (Spain). It is located between the city of Granada and the Sierra Nevada on one side and the city of Malaga and the Costa del Sol on the other one. Its strategic situation means that the traveller can visit several major historical centres of Andalusia in single day trips.

Staying in one of the many rural accommodations in the Poniente Granadino is an excellent choice if you plan to visit the highlights in Andalusia: Sevilla, Cordoba, Ronda, Sierra Nevada, the Alpujarras, Malaga, the Costa del Sol and of course, the city of Granada with the beautiful arabian palaces and gardens of the Alhambra.

1.- The Poniente Granadino is a new tourist area, without the saturation of other destinations with similar characteristics and a wide range of rural holiday houses and country cottages to choose from.

2.- It is an area which is easily accessible from anywhere in Andalucia, meaning that as well as seeing this region, visitors can also make trips lo a large number of other tourist areas in Andalucia (Costa del Sol, Granada, Sevilla, Cordoba, the Sierra Nevada, the Subbetica of Cordoba, etc.) making one day round trips.

3.- The area contains five towns with first class monuments (Alhama de Granada, Illora, Loja, Moclin and Montefrio), as well as an archaeological park, with extraordinary environmental and cultural value and there are many holiday houses available all year round.

4.- lts landscape of water meadows, farmland and mountain peaks encloses the Sierras de Alhama, Tejeda and Almijara Natural Park, as well as another space which is on the point of receiving the same nomination, the Sierras de Loja, Chanzas, Parapanda, Marques. Come and see the transparency of the rivers and lakes, which carve out this land, or stay in one of the beautiful rural country houses in Granada.

5.- The transport network within The Poniente Granadino is one of the most complete in the surrounding area, with the A-92 motorway and the Granada-Sevilla railway. Furthermore, Malaga and Granada airports are only a short distance away.

6.- The Poniente Granadino has a wide range of holiday lodgings, with options ranging from 5-star luxury to modest pensions, with 2 and 3-star hotels in between, as well as spa resorts, campsites, rural hotels, country houses, farm schools, etc.

7.- The gastronomic offer allows the enjoyment both of exclusive dishes from the local cuisine, and of the most exquisite international food and dishes invented and prepared by renowned chefs. And this is without mentioning the option of tapas, so typical of Andalucia. Trout and sturgeon from Riofrio (in Loja), green-purple asparagus from Huetor-Tajar, wine from Alhama and goats cheese from Montefrio, Jayena and Jatar are some of the specialities of the region.

8.- Some of the cultural celebrations and festivals of The Poniente Granadino already enjoy tradition and prestige recognized at an international level: the pilgrimage of El Cristo in Moclin, the Holy Week celebrations, or the "Va de calle" International Festival of Street Theatre and Animation in Loja, the "Parapanda Folk" International Music Festival in Illora, Carnival, and the Andalucia Song Festival in Alhama de Granada.

9.- The range of tourist activities includes trout-river fishing, donkey trekking, 4x4 group outings, bicycle tours, water activities in the Bermejales lake, etc.

10.- A common tie unites the region with the following towns: with Granada, the whole of history; with Malaga, our geographical roof, the Peak of the Maroma, and the river Guadalhorce, the umbilical cord between the Puerto de los Abazores and the provincial capital.