With its vast array of landscapes, the province of Granada is like a miniature version of Spain. Lowlands, high mountains, forests, sea, and desert—you can find it all here within a short distance. We will explore this region, starting from the coast and heading inland. After visiting the Sierra Nevada, we will continue to one of Spain’s hidden gems: the Geoparque de Granada.
A Surprising Authenticity: The Costa Tropical
But first, let’s talk about the coast of the province of Granada, known as the Costa Tropical. The climate here is subtropical, but the locals found the term Costa Subtropical too much. It is indeed warm and sunny, warm enough to produce tropical fruits like mangoes and papayas.
It’s remarkable how authentic the coastal towns here remain. Almuñecar, Salobreña, and Motril are still charming Spanish towns with rich histories, untouched by overwhelming tourism.
The coastal strip here is narrow, with mountains rising directly behind it. The mountainous hinterland offers excellent opportunities for hiking and cycling, provided you’re up for some climbing and descending. If you’re planning a bike ride, you may have to use the coastal road N340. It’s not ideal, but it’s doable.
Training in the Sierra Nevada
We head inland towards the Sierra Nevada, home to the highest paved cycling route in Europe. In less than 100 kilometers, you can go from sea level to the Pico Veleta at 3,379 meters. Not when we are there, though, as the highest part of the road to Pico Veleta is still covered in snow in mid-May. The roads through the Sierra Nevada are frequented by professional cyclists who train (and sleep) at high altitudes. We spot major teams like Visma and Soudal and well-known names like Kruiswijk, Benoot, Kelderman, and Cavendish. The pros love it here because, in addition to ideal training conditions, there is also some entertainment for the riders in the Sierra Nevada.
Descending to the Highlight: The Geoparque
We leave the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada behind and descend to the so-called Geoparque de Granada in the north of the province. Don’t expect a park with a fence and a gate; the Geoparque de Granada is an area with villages, towns, and roads. If you’ve never heard of this geopark before, add it to your bucket list because you won’t find a more spectacular landscape anywhere else in Europe.
The Landscape of the Geoparque
Mountains, plains, canyons, bizarre rock formations… The geopark is a wonderland that has taken millions of years to form. It is now a (semi-)desert, but strangely enough, it was water that shaped its stunning landscape. There used to be a vast lake and a wide river here. The deep underground still contains a lot of water, and in some places, warm water flows up from the earth.
Since the area is so large and diverse, and consists of subregions, finding your way around can be challenging. Fortunately, many towns have good tourist offices and modern thematic museums. The effort to open up this area to visitors began just five years ago and is now well underway.
Prehistoric Life…
The Geoparque de Granada shows how the landscape was formed over millions of years. But the area also reveals secrets about our early ancestors. There are many prehistoric habitation sites, including a 4,000-year-old settlement (Castellón Alto). All around, you can find dolmens, ancient burial sites similar to our megalithic tombs.
And we haven’t even mentioned the exotic animals whose remains have been found here. It’s hard to imagine that mammoths, rhinos, tigers, and giraffes once roamed this area.
Hiking, Cycling, and Practical Information
The Geoparque offers a wide range of trails for hikers and cyclists. You can go mountain biking (at all levels), gravel biking, and also explore the area on a hybrid bike. However, not all paths are suitable for all types of bikes, so it’s essential to check in advance what is doable and what is not.
You can find hiking and cycling routes on WikiLoc and the tourist offices are also a great source of information. You will also find signposted routes and information panels throughout the Geoparque.
For general information and a map of the Geoparque, click here: https://www.geoparquedegranada.com/en/
If you want to take a guided cycling holiday in the area, check out the offerings from the Dutch/Spanish travel agency Otros Caminos.
For excellent rental bikes (road, gravel, e-bikes), we found Capitan Ways in Granada to be a great option. Their equipment is top-notch. They also offer a 5-day MTB or gravel package through the area (with luggage transport).
https://capitanways.com/en/granada-geopark-electric-bicycle-route/
If you want a unique place to stay, consider a cave house. You can find them all over the area. Many are still used as homes, but many have also been converted into tourist accommodations. Staying in a cave house might sound rustic, but don’t be fooled. These houses are often spacious and comfortable, not least because the indoor temperature is pleasant year-round. You can easily book online.
How to Get There
- The Geoparque is about an hour’s drive from Granada city
- Guadix, Baza, and Huescar are the larger towns. There are also 43 smaller villages. The village of Gorafe is located in a beautiful part of the geopark and is an excellent base for excursions. There is also a bike rental shop for MTB and e-MTBs
- You can fly into Malaga and Granada
- Granada is also accessible by high-speed train (AVE) from both Malaga and Madrid.
