Beyond the ancient city walls, exquisite Nazrid palaces and Renaissance architecture of Granada, a fascinating province of the same name awaits discovery.
Many visitors to the capital arrive on brief, organised trips from the coastal resorts of Andalucia and elsewhere, their primary objective being to view the Alhambra World Heritage Site. Travelling independently, however, opens up a wealth of opportunities to discover a region overflowing with scenic treasures, from the snowfields of the high Sierra to the lush sub-tropical parks and gardens of Granada´s Costa Tropical.
Using Granada City as a base, one of the best ways to explore this vast and mountainous region is by car. If time is limited, a perfect way to get a taste of the best that the province has to offer, is to follow the famous Goat Road, the Carretera de La Cabra, as it makes its spectacular descent from the peaks and pine forests to the coast.
As you experience the dizzying 738 metre change in altitude between Granada and Almuñecar, you will encounter fabulous views, valleys filled with tropical fruit trees, great places to stop and enjoy authentic local cuisine and much more besides that will make this journey an experience to remember.
From Granada to The Sierra De Tejeda
On leaving Granada, the first stage of the route follows the A-44 motorway south for some 14 kilometres to Puerto del Suspiro del Moro. Here, or so popular legend has it, Boabdil, last Moslem ruler of Granada, looked back and wept for his lost kingdom on his way into exile.
A little further on, the turn-off onto the A-4050 to Otivar brings you onto the Goat Road itself, though at this end of its 63 kilometre length there is little to hint at the thrills to come. This rolling, open landscape is almond country, and in early Spring the black, skeletal branches of the almond trees are transformed by a blizzard of white and pink blossom.
With the dramatic Sierra Nevada creating a backdrop, the road climbs gently through low hills covered with pine forest and evergreen holm oaks. In the distance, to the right, a jagged horizon of mountains draws steadily nearer. These are the uplands of the Parque Natural de las Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara y Alhama, a 40,663 hectare region of protected wilderness shared between the provinces of Granada and Malaga.
Domains of The Mountain Goat
As you approach the highest point on the road, everything changes - a transformation so abrupt that it can take your breath away. Suddenly, the terrain to the left surges up into thrusting white pinnacles of gleaming marble, a metamorphic rock created by awesome geological forces from ancient dolerite limestone.
Steep, pine clad barrancos climb to the skyline, while to the right the verge plunges in a tumble of rocks and scrub into valley bottoms far below. Further away, the ground rises up again to create mountainous spines that run parallel to the coast.
Somehow, the road has to find a way through this impressive landscape and this it does by looping and twisting around mountain shoulders, dipping into rocky coves and leaning over precipices with only a low safety barrier between the motorist and the long drop.
This is true montane wilderness, and while there are opportunities for hikers to penetrate the hinterland, many of the plunging gulleys and crags are inaccessible. They are the domain of wild boar and golden eagles, and a stronghold of one of Spain´s emblematic wild animals, the Iberian ibex. These mountain goats have multiplied here over the last few decades and the region through which the aptly named Goat Road passes is one of their most important refuges.
Ibex can sometimes be seen from the road, but this is not a drive for the distracted motorist. Keep your eyes firmly on the road, drive carefully and take advantage of the few stopping places to stretch your legs and fill your lungs with mountain air.
At one such pull-off there is a signed Ruta de Senderismo, an 8 kilometre walkers trail through the Barranco Arroba to the dramatically situated hillside village of Lentegi. The information panel informs you that these mountains were inhabited by the Maquis, the resistance fighters who continued to struggle against the regime following Franco´s right-wing victory in the Spanish Civil War.
Otivar to Almuñecar
As the road begins its winding descent into the valley of the Rio Verde, a subtle change begins to affect the roadside scenery. This softening influence is due to the southerly aspect and decreasing altitude, and now the barrancos are filled with wild carob trees and flowers, while the warm aroma of rosemary fills the air.
Soon the first small olive plantations begin to appear, and over the hilltops you can see the Mediterranean, and maybe catch a glimpse of the Moroccan coastline through the haze.
During its lowland stage, the Goat Road passes through one of the most important agricultural zones in Europe. The sheltered Rio Verde valley is used for cultivating avocados, chirimoyas (custard apples) and nisperos (loquats), and the small town of Otivar is at the working heart of this industry.
Although not a typical tourist retreat, Otivar is the first village to be encountered on the route from Granada and makes an ideal place to stop for rest and refreshment. The views over the valley are wonderful, and there are several bars and restaurants including the Mesón Bar Madera which has an excellent menu including local specialities, and a delightfully scenic roof terrace.
Refreshed and restored, the final leg of the Goat Road awaits. As you drive past hillside terraces covered with avocado trees, houses with balconies and patios brimming with colourful tropical flowers and clumps of banana plants, it can be hard to believe that just a few kilometres inland, the same road winds its way through an almost alpine natural paradise.
Once through the village of Jete and its wholesale fruit warehouses, the Goat Road terminates in the bustling town of Almuñecar, the main holiday resort on Granada´s Costa Tropical.
Beyond The Goat Road
If you are staying in Granada, you have the option of returning through the coastal town of Salobreña with its winding streets, ancient arabic quarter and picturesque hilltop castle, and thence northwards along the A-44 motorway. From Almuñecar, this is an additional distance of 78 kilometres.
Alternatively, the Carretera de La Cabra may have so inspired you that you decide to retrace your journey. Visitors based in Malaga and elsewhere might prefer to create their own Goat Road itinerary. But however you decide to plan your excursion, there can be few better ways of gaining an impression of the best cuisine, culture and above all, the landscape of this exceptional area of southern Granada.
References
Ideal.es: Entre El Temple y El Valle: Hacia la costa interior sp.ideal.es
Ayuntamiento de Otívar: Otívar: Paraíso interior www.otivar.es
Peter Ashby - Peter Ashby lives near Granada in southern Spain, is an expert on natural history, and a dedicated traveller, writer and hispanist.
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