Estepona: 6 ways to get to one of the jewels of Costa del Sol
Discover Alhama de Granada. What to see and what to do in the paradise of thermal waters.
Alhama de Granada is a small town in the province of Granada with a special charm located on a rocky spur. This Granada town is well known for its famous hot springs but also has a great heritage, cultural and historical importance.
With only about 6000 inhabitants, this is a jewel of nature where there are plenty of things to do in Alhama de Granada. The natural environment in which this town is situated offers spectacular views of the Alhama River and the town in general, as well as an unparalleled beauty of the surrounding landscape.
One of the things to see in Alhama de Granada and that is part of the history of the town is all the cultural heritage full of monuments and remains of the fortress that take us to the Arab past so present in Alhama and that draw us an impressive historical journey through this jewel of a town.
Thanks to the cultural, historical, and natural importance, tourism in Alhama de Granada has become an obligation to know all the wealth that this town of Granada, increased by its thermal baths, an attraction for thousands and thousands of tourists and one of the most important in Spain.
That is why we invite you to discover a treasure of nature, history, and culture like Alhama de Granada, offering all the places to see and things to do in this wonderful city of Granada.
HOW TO GET TO ALHAMA DE GRANADA
To get to Alhama de Granada you can do it by different means of transport.
- If you travel by plane, you can get to Malaga or Granada airport, and from there, you have several options. The option to rent a car and go to Alhama de Granada is one of them, but if you prefer you can take a bus from the bus station in Granada. The option of going by cab also exists but it is a bit more expensive.
- Another option is to travel by train to Granada station and from there, you go to the bus station and take a bus or cab to Alhama.
- Renting a car or using your own is the cheapest and most comfortable option to travel to this place and not be subject to schedules.
We recommend that if you decide to take a train or bus, you do it in advance. The estimated price of the bus trip is about 7€ per person departing from the Granada bus station.
HISTORY
Alhama de Granada has a great historical past that has been evident throughout the centuries up to the present day.
Although the Nasrid past is more than evident, Alhama began in the time of the Turduli according to Roman history. It was already in the Muslim era when it began its true splendor, and which gave it its name. The name of Alhama de Granada comes from Al-hammam which means The Bath. At that time, in this town of Granada its hot springs were already known, hence the name it received and that led to how we know it today.
The thermal baths of Alhama and their healing power have been protagonists throughout the centuries, so much so that historians such as Ibn al-Jatib have made real emphasis on them and took this town to know its thermal waters.
The enclave in which Alhama is located is in addition to being a natural area of great beauty as the canyon in which it sits, served to be a stronghold of the Nasrid kingdom and to defend against Napoleon’s troops in the War of Independence.
After resisting the war, Alhama de Granada did not follow with the same luck, and the town was destroyed by an earthquake in 1884. Despite being almost destroyed; this Nasrid town managed to survive and rebuild itself thanks to the aid and support of Alfonso XII and all of Spain. To preserve the Arab character, they respected the ancient architecture and continue with the legacy that remains today in the streets of this town such as the remains of the Arab fortress or the Church of the Incarnation.
Despite this setback, Alhama de Granada pulled itself together and today being able to stroll through its cobbled streets, its white houses and visit the monuments left by their ancestors, is a luxury for tourists seeking to discover real jewels that treasure these lands.
WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN ALHAMA DE GRANADA
Discover and relax in the hot springs of Alhama
The thermal springs are the attraction par excellence in Alhama and one of the most reputable in all of Spain. These so-called natural pools are open all year round and their use is free of charge. In addition, the temperature of these thermal waters in the middle of nature is 47 degrees and it is a completely therapeutic bath. These waters have healing power and are also very relaxing where you can meditate and renew one hundred percent. It is undoubtedly the fundamental claim of Alhama where you can enjoy hot springs in a place of extraordinary beauty in the middle of nature.
Visit the Arab bath
The thermal pools and the Arab bath are different places to go on your visit to Alhama de Granada. This Arab bath is a building of the Almohad period and an enviable architecture.
Its state of preservation is very good even though history places it between the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. This Nasrid architectural marvel is located about 2 kilometers from Alhama de Granada and can be visited between 14:00 and 16:00. If you have the opportunity to discover this great Arab legacy, which is part of a thermal station, is one of the things you have to see in Alhama de Granada and know the history that keeps.
Visit the church of our Lady of the Incarnation
It is one of the monuments that are preserved from its Arab past and is that in fact the place where this church is located before there was a mosque, hence the relationship with the Nasrid world. The church of the Incarnation is a jewel of architecture for the combination of Gothic, Baroque, and Renaissance elements and for the dimensions and height that make it visible throughout the village. It is a landmark building in Alhama de Granada and is impressive both outside and inside. To enter this church is to remember the past of this town, as well as to make a tour of the works of art that it treasures in its interior. And it is in it we can find even a museum in which to appreciate ecclesiastical vestments and pieces of silverware of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
Stroll through the Tajos de Alhama
As you know, Alhama sits on an impressive canyon in the Sierras de Almijara, Tejeda, and Alhama. Los Tajos are a Natural Monument and offer breathtaking views of the whole town as well as Africa if you climb up to La Maroma, the highest peak.
This rock formation is of an extraordinary beauty that due to the erosion of the Alhama River among others, gives rise to this ethnographic and natural wonder.
Along the Tajos you can observe several trails on which you can walk and enjoy the rich landscape and tranquility that can be seen in the Tajos de Alhama.
Discover the dungeons of Alhama
The Arabs were in charge of building dungeons in their passage through this town to store the grain of the harvests. However, these dungeons dug in stone, were used for many purposes over time, such as for prisoners or even live in them.
To find and visit this place you will have to go to the lower part of the village and make an appointment to enter.
Explore the old town
One of the things to do in Alhama is to stroll through its old town and discover the nooks and treasures hidden among its streets. Walking through a network of cobbled and labyrinthine streets, with houses with white facades, and enjoying the best views that the monuments are leaving us in its path is one of the things to see in this town of Granada. Strolling through the center is a journey through the history, culture, and traditions of Alhama de Granada.
Know the medieval path of Los Angeles
For lovers of nature and history, hiking along this medieval path is a luxury to do with family and even with small children because it is easy and short. The natural setting is idyllic and beautiful and is that along the entire route, you can see the wonderful views of the village and the surrounding area. In addition, it is a medieval path full of history and you can find old mills, irrigation ditches, and a chapel in honor of the Virgin of the Angels. This is a charming, historic, and unique trail and one of the things you must do if you want to know the oldest and most natural Alhama.
Visit the interpretation center Alhama de Granada
A one-stop tour of the history, culture, and traditions of Alhama de Granada is possible thanks to this new Interpretation Center. It is located in a key place, in the old Arab neighborhood.
Once inside you can take a tour of the different rooms where you will find showcases and exhibitions on the origins and all the most significant patrimonial and historical wealth of Alhama. The history of Alhama, the power of the hot springs, the earthquake that devastated the town and Andalusia, the beautiful landscapes and the extraordinary nature of Alhama, and the rural and emblematic carnival that is celebrated in this town.
Undoubtedly it is a route full of origin and emblems of Alhama de Granada.
Get to know the castle of Alhama de Granada
That Alhama de Granada was an Arab fortification you may already know, what you may not know is that there was a castle that was surrounded and defended by a wall. This impressive castle is easy to recognize by its red wall. In the center of the village, we can find but not visit it as it is currently privately owned. However, it is a sample of the past and the legacy that the Arabs left in the village.
Explore the Granary
The granary of Alhama is one of the most unique things you will see on your tourist visit to this town. A granary is an ancient synagogue dating back to the 13th century. However, years later an Egyptian patriarch ordered it to be used to store wheat. This granary cannot be visited as it is privately owned but it is an emblematic building of the medieval period of Alhama de Granada.
The Queen’s hospital
The Catholic Monarchs ordered the construction of a hospital that was the first in the kingdom of Granada. Part of the architecture retains Arab elements, and it was built on the remains of an old Nasrid building, although most of it is Renaissance. One of the most significant details of the hospital, which is located on the facade, is a skull.
Inside this hospital, there is currently a Craft Exhibition Center.
House of the Inquisition Alhama de Granada
Located next to the Church of the Incarnation, it is an Elizabethan Gothic building and an architectural beauty, as elements such as shells, pyramids, or Gothic balls are found on its facade. On one of the facades can be seen the remains of the Inquisition house. However, there is no data to prove that it was the court of the Inquisition or that the same practices were made in it, but perhaps its name is because some of its members lived or stayed there.
Visit the ruins of the church of Nuestra Señora de las Angustias
This beautiful baroque-style church with a Latin cross is one of the emblems of Alhama de Granada that has suffered several setbacks. The first was a fire during the Civil War that destroyed numerous images, altarpieces, and altars, and years later, in the 60’s a snowfall destroyed the roof. This church in ruins barely preserves some elements of its origin, but it is very beautiful, and it seems that it will be restored.
Discover the fountain of Caño Wamba
Alhama de Granada is the town of water and fountains and there are numerous fountains throughout the town. However, after the Reconquest the first fountain built this one: Wamba. The objective was to leave the Nasrid past and mark the Christian presence in Alhama and for that reason, they built, in addition to other buildings, this fountain that is already mythical in the town. Its name, somewhat peculiar, has its origin in a Gothic king and the purpose of this source for its construction was to give water to the animals.
WHERE TO EAT IN ALHAMA DE GRANADA
On your sightseeing tour of Alhama de Granada, you cannot fail to sit down at the table of a good restaurant and make a stop along the way. The local gastronomy is par excellence the protagonist of Alhama’s cuisine and its most traditional local dishes that you can’t miss are the typical “olla jameña” made with chickpeas, or meats such as kid or lamb. The cheese is another of the products that you have to taste, as well as the must and wines of Alhama. And to top it all off, have one of the delicious desserts. The confectionery is also of vital importance and is that the Arab past is still in force in the sweetest elaborations of this Nasrid town.
To make sure that you are going to try some of the delicacies that this agricultural land gives us, we leave you a list of restaurants and bars where you can enjoy the authentic and unique gastronomy of Alhama.
Bar el Tigre
Casa Bar el Tigre is one of the most typical of the village and where to taste the traditional and homemade food of Alhama de Granada. The lamb and veal are two of the exquisite dishes that we advise you to try, although the list of homemade dishes is so long and of such high quality that whatever you eat, is to take you to the purest tradition of Alhama.
Casa Ochoa
Cheese, croquettes, and migas are some of the dishes that you cannot miss in this bar also mythical in the village. This restaurant is one of the best known in Alhama and where they have an extensive menu with local products and honoring the traditions. It is also a place where you will feel at home.
Pato Loco
It is one of the restaurants in Alhama where the dishes par excellence are grilled meats and is that this land is not only agricultural but specializes in meats and that in the Pato Loco, they know it to the thousand wonders for this, dishes like suckling pig, the pen or the kid are star dishes in this restaurant. However, if you leave room for the end, try the banoffee or some of their cakes and taste the sweetest and most exquisite recipes. It also has a space where children can play peacefully.
El Ventorro, Molino de Santa Ana
This place is another of the most recommended restaurants and is that the cheese salad, sausages, sausage, and black pudding are some of the delicacies of the house honoring the environment in which they are located. But if there is something you cannot miss is the kid and the rabbit. They are two of the dishes par excellence, as well as its list of homemade desserts among which you should try the cottage cheese with cane honey.
La Seguiriya
It is one of the restaurants where you can enjoy the views of the Tajo de Alhama. Those views are impressive as well as the food they elaborate and La Seguiriya has original proposals such as the beet salmorejo but keeping the traditions. Undoubtedly the baked cod is one of their specialties, as well as the chicken with brandy. It is a magical place, with lots of charm and an enviable environment where the food is also exquisite.
SURROUNDINGS OF ALHAMA DE GRANADA
Very close to Alhama de Granada is the capital Granada. Less than an hour away we have the capital of Granada where, among many other things, you can visit the Alhambra of Granada, this marvel of Nasrid architecture.
In Granada, you can visit the Royal Hospital, a beautiful old library, or the Cathedral of Granada, where the Catholic Monarchs are buried. The city of Granada is a treasure very close to Alhama where they also share history, so walking and discovering the corners of this city is certainly one of the things you can do.
Nerja is another of the towns you can visit and is about an hour and 10 minutes away. Here you will find the Chíllar River and the Río Verde, both belonging to the Natural Park of the Sierras de Tejeda, Alhama, and Almijara, so they share the natural enclave in which they are located. Here you can enjoy a route through the rivers on foot and swimming and know the places of crystal clear water pools of the river Chíllar cahorros.
One of the environments that you can visit in the surroundings of Alhama de Granada is Zafarraya. It is a small village in Granada with lots of charm and with its own microclimate, where you can visit some of its churches.
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WHERE TO STAY
Olée Holiday Rentals
To enjoy the most beautiful villages of the province of Granada nothing better than trusting Fuerte Group Hotels. The Olée Holiday Rentals Apartments are located in a perfect enclave on the eastern Costa del Sol, between Torrox and Nerja, typical Andalucian villages with the best climate in all of Europe. This accommodation offers you tranquillity while leaving at your disposal a large number of activities and places to visit. The complex has air conditioning, a spacious living area with satellite TV and a modern kitchen equipped with an oven, dishwasher, washing machine and dryer. Some have a terrace and wonderful views of the Mediterranean Sea.
