El Valle

Oranges grow in abundance in El Valle © Michelle Chaplow
Oranges grow in abundance in El Valle

El Valle

El Valle is not a village as such but a municipal district created in 1972 when three small but separate villages were merged together. The villages are Saleres, Restábal and Melegís.

Restábal as the larger and being located between the other two is 'capital' village and is where the town hall offices are located.

The El Valle district has many natural attractions, such as the Barranco de Alos, the area of Cortijo de Budas and Loma del Calvario. At the first, you can see limestone walls and cavernous areas formed by water erosion, as well as a 1000-year-old carob tree. The second is the banks of the Béznar reservoir, and the third, an impressive panoramic view of the village and the Valle de Lecrín.

El Valle was once home to Ian Gibson, the Irish writer who is an expert on Spanish history.

Hotels

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GASTRONOMY

Local produce includes olive oil, wine, beans, oranges and lemons. On the first Sunday of every month, the Lecrin Valley farmers' and artisans' market takes place.

Traditional delicacies of El Valle include puchero de hinojos (fennel stew), pisto de calabaza (ratatouille with pumpkin), ensalada de pimientos coloraos (pepper salad), caracoles en salsa (snails in sauce), manos de cerdo (pigs' trotters) and albóndigas de bacalao (cod meatballs). For dessert, try leche frita (flour, milk and sugar fried and rolled in sugar), crema de naranja (orange cream), torrijas (French toast) and pastas de almendra (almond pastries).

The Feria del Citrico (Citrus Festival) is held in Melengis ever year in the week before Semana Santa, with the Festival de la Naranja taking place on the Saturday before Palm Sunday.

FIESTAS

The main fiesta celebrated in El Valle is la Fiesta de San Antón, in June in Melegís. As well as religious events, at night there is a lively festival. In May the Romeria del Cerro is celebrated, in honour of the Virgen de Fatima.

DIRECTIONS

El Valle is 39km from Granada city. Take the A-44 (direction Armilla-Motril), then leave at exit 160 for Lecrín-El Valle, to join the GR-SO-24 and then finally the GR-110 which takes you to the centre of Restábal. 

el-valle
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