Guided tours conducted by multilingual guides fully trained by the Tourist office education department in English, French, German and Spanish, have now been extended to cover other parts of the municipality, allowing visitors to discover Salobreña’s hidden secrets.
An Historical town tour called “Salobreña, in depth”, a specialist local guide takes visitors on an historical tour of the old town with visiting to the Arab castle, monuments, viewpoints, craftsmanship, etc. Information includes the geological formation of the Salobreña’s valley, and plain, Roman settlements and their pottery, ceramic production, Salobreña, the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada and capture of Salobreña by the Kingdom of Castille.
The tour lasts for two hours and begins in Goya Square, by the Salobreña Tourist Office. It includes a visit to the Loma, Brocal and Albaycín areas of the Town, the Arab Castle (13th century), Local History Museum, Mudejar Church of the Rosary (16th century), Craft Centre and the Paseo de la Flores.
An Agricultural tour through subtropical plantations of fruits, in certain cases unique in Europe, also lasts two hours. It provides the opportunity to learn about the climate, geological formation of the valley and to visit a plantation of sugar cane, avocado pears, custard apples and mangoes (a coach drops off close by). To conclude, there is a chance to taste seasonal tropical fruits and juices.
Subjects covered include the formation of the area, history of the age-old sugar cane plantations in existence since the 12th century, harvesting and production of subtropical fruits and the high level of technology applied to the new agriculture of "Hidroponics".
Natural Salobreña lasts for 2 ½ hours and is a guided mountain bike excursion. The client collects his/ her mountain bike and after a brief introduction, The Tour "on wheels" begins. The bike ride is through a rural area of plantations of sugar cane, avocado, mango and custard apple trees and the route is both easy and totally flat with visits to la Caleta, a fish-farm and a farmhouse where grapefruit, guava and banana are grown. At the end of the tour there is an opportunity to taste tropical fruit juices and seasonal exotic fruits in the local Fountain Park.
A Mediterranean coastal path for hikers is of minimum difficulty and for all age groups. The guided tour along the beaches and coves, which border the Mediterranean, between Salobreña and Almuñecar and takes 3 ½ hours.
Groups begin the tour at the Salobreña Tourist Office in the centre of the town. It is important to wear appropriate footwear and bring a supply of water. The route is linear and follows the Gr 92 section (hiking reference) and part of the Roman road which connected Malaka to Carthage. Walking via Salobreña Gorge, the cliffs are reached where a path leads along the beaches and coves. The route overlookes the sea and is full of birds, flowers, shrubs and numerous watchtowers dating from the 13 th, bear witness to the time when the coastline lived "on constant alert." Each watchtower has its individual features, legends and history, which the accompanying tour guide will explain. The route ends at Pozuelo beach where the group meets up with the coach.
Any of these tours can be booked in advance through the Salobreña Tourist Office Tel. and Fax 958 610 314 or e-mail: [email protected]