Poniente Granadino - Holiday in Andalucia

Poniente Granadino as a region has a wide variety of attractive towns and villages, each with their own features and attractions. To detail them all is impossible and we can only give a taste here.

Montefrio: this nearby village enjoys one of the Poniente Granadino's most striking settings, with one of its churches perched on top of a bare, rocky pinnacle, overlooking the town and its surrounding hillsides clothed in olive groves and fields of cereal crops. It nestles between two memorable hilltop churches. The Iglesia de la Villa in Montefrio is well worth the steep climb from the town to visit it and to enjoy the magnificent panoramic views. The church in Montefrio was built on the site of a Nasrid castle. In a key strategic location, the Alcazaba was constructed in the mid-14th century to help defend the Muslim kingdom of Granada and prevent an invasion by the Christians. It is believed to have been designed by the same architect who was in charge of the Alhambra.

Alhama de Granada; Alhama de Granada is a pretty, ancient spa town located approximately 53 kilometres from Granada. It is perched precariously at the top of a ravine from where the Rio Alhama carves through otherwise rolling countryside. There are 6000 inhabitants in the town, and its picturesque location and thermal springs attract many visitors. Enjoy a walk through the length of the fascinating town, which is in easy reach of Illora.

Countryside: The Poniente Granadino is characterized by contrasts between mountains and river plains, with areas such as the Sierra Gorda and the Sierra de Loja. Wild olive trees, cultivated olive tress, oaks and rosemary are to be seen in Macizo de Gibralto massif. Loja is surrounded by refreshing countryside where water is the main feature, especially in Infiernos de Loja with its Cola del Caballo waterfall and the source of the Frontil on Monte Hacho (1,025 m above sea level). Dehesa de los Montes, a flat area with rolling hills bathed by these three streams, invites you to relax.