The white village of Restábal in the Lecrin Valley |
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The village of Restábal |
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Restábal
Restábal is one of three villages that were merged in 1972 to form a municipal district called El Valle. The other two villages are Saleres 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.
If you want to capture one of the best images of the village centre of Restábal, you should go to the bridge on the río Torrente. Among its white buildings the Iglesia de San Cristóbal, a Mudejar church built in the 16th century, stands out. The Ermita del Cerro is a recent addition which honours the Virgen de Fatima. A ruined castle, destroyed by the Reyes Catolicos during the Reconquest, dates from the Nazari era (14th century).
 Restábal, from the historic stone bridge on the río Torrente |
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THINGS TO SEE
Mirador de los Guitarros
From this viewpoint, you can see the lower part of the town and the enclosed centre of Melegís. Here, you will find a plaque explaining that, until the mid-nineteenth century, Restábal was a strategic location between Granada and the Lecrín Valley because the Royal Road from Granada to Motril passed through here. It is located on Calle Real.
Iglesia de San Cristóbal
This Mudejar-style church dates back to the sixteenth century and is one of the oldest in the Lecrín Valley. It was once home to one of the three parishes into which the region was divided. In 1965, a fire destroyed valuable historical archives housed within the church, as well as altarpieces, images and armour, leaving only the walls. Following this tragedy, the church's structure was rebuilt and the images were restored with the help of local residents. It currently houses paintings and sculptures of artistic interest, including a seventeenth-century oil painting of the Virgen de las Angustias. It is located on Calle San Cristóbal.
Antigua Pescadería
This used to be the town's fish market and has now been renovated in a modern style. On one side, you can see stonework that may have been part of the neighbouring arch tower. It is located on Calle Real.
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).
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.
