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| Salobreña, a picture postcard village. |
The jewel of the Costa Tropical Salobrena
is a whitewashed township clinging to huge lump of rock just back
from the shoreline, topped by a Moorish castle and surrounded by
lush sugar cane plantations.
A mere 45 minutes from Granada, and
just over an hour to the Sierra Nevada, Salobrena is also ideally
situated for exploring the Alpujarra, some forty minutes away. From
October to April, you could be in the happy position of being able
to ski during the day and return to sunbathe on Salobrena's long,
clean beach in the evening.
Salobrena has witnessed 6000 years of
human history, thanks to its privileged position and benign climate.
Its Moorish castle was built in the 10th century,
and its Mudejar 16th century church, Iglesia de Nuestra
Senora del Rosario is built on top of the old mosque. Roman
remains turn up everywhere.
 In the heat, it can be an exhausting climb to the top of the old town, but it's well worth the effort. From various viewpoints, you can drink in the rugged landscape of the Sierra del Chaparral which cradles the town to the back, while under the cliffs are orchards of sub-tropical fruit trees and expanses of sugar cane spreading to the shoreline. The tiny village of La Caleta directly to the west houses the last sugar factory in Europe.
The best way to get to know the town itself is on foot, perhaps joining in one of the Tourist Office's excellent guided tours (what to do link) The flower-filled streets contain centuries of history, some of it captured in the town's spotless new museum in the former Town Hall building in the old town.
Beneath the old town on the rock, spreads Salobrena's modern development, low-rise, attractive apartments to house its increasing population (10,500) You'll find plenty of bars and restaurants to slake your thirst and regale you with the enticing tapas which come with every drink. You'll be offered anything from prawns and clams to morsels of juicy fried fish, slices of jamon and wedges of cheese.
Making your way to the shore you could
pause for a while in the cool Parque de la Fuente to enjoy a moment
in the shade, before taking to the beach for a sun session, or a
walk around the Penon, the massive rock jutting
out to sea, a prison in the first and second centuries, eventually
a Christian burial site.
Salobrena enjoys a lively cultural scene,
with year round concerts, plays and films. In summer, outdoor shows
are held in the Arab Castle, and other activities take place in
the Old Town and Parque de la Fuente. It also has
colourful annual fiestas and ferias. (see Fiestas)
Golf, tennis, football, mountain biking and fishing, along with air and water sports are all within easy reach. A real treat for snorkellers and divers is the artificial reef built two years ago off the Penon rock to shelter and encourage sealife, now showing remarkable results.(what to do)
Salobrena has also recently opened a
Film Office, to link into a global network to encourage television
and film-makers to exploit its wealth of visual possibilities.
Cumbre Villas
CumbreVillas.com can help you find the perfect villa with private pool & amazing views on a mature hillside estate surrounding Salobrena. Easy access to the beach, tennis, golf and snow skiing as well as Granada, Malaga & Almeria airport.
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