About the Area
The Coast
Leaving Las Alpujarras driving south, one comes to the coastal
resorts of Granada Province, known as the Costa Tropical. The combination of a
temperate climate and fertile soil provide ideal growing conditions for the many
varieties of delicious tropical fruit and sugar cane, crops which have been grown
in this plain for centuries. The resorts here are smaller and quieter than the
neighbouring Costa del Sol.The mountains also provide natural protection against
overdevelopment on this stretch of coastline.
After the peace and quiet of the Alpujarras, the faster pace of life at the coast
can come as quite a shock. However, there are plenty of small towns offering pleasant
beaches and a varied nightlife. The first reached is the hilltop town of Salobrena,
which nestles under an old Moorish castle. Allow an hour and a quarter for the
drive down the mountain from Ferreirola, longer at weekends and in the height
of summer. Almunecar is another popular resort, with a long promenade, and interesting
gardens beneath the old castle. The park provides a good venue for outdoor summer
concerts.
Driving west towards Malaga, La Herradura, an old fishing bay,
makes for an ideal stop for lunch in one of the restaurants on the beach. The
popular resort of Nerja (Malaga Province) and the ‘Cuevas de Nerja’,
dating back to prehistoric times are approximately one and three quarter hours
drive from Ferreirola. These caves are frequently used for concerts and flamenco
shows, Yehudi Menuhin being one of the artists who performed here.
In most of these resorts Scuba diving schools have opened, offering short courses.
The proximity of the coast to the Alpujarras gives those who wish plenty of opportunity
to combine both the rural atmosphere of the mountains with the buzz of the Spanish
Costa.
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