In the northern part of the Province of Granada is a vast plateau of flatlands surrounded by the highest peaks of the Bética Mountain Range reaching as high as the Sierra de la Sagre at a height of 2,381 meters. The overall plateau region is known as 'El Altiplano de Granada' and is a land of contrasts.
Leaving behind the impressive wooded Sierra de Huétor Natural Park, just a few kilometres east of Granada city, the terrain becomes increasingly dusty and desert-like. Guadix is located in this dry landscape and is unique for its extraordinary area of caves, where a surprisingly high number of the town's inhabitants still live.
The area west of Granada was once a crucial frontier between the Moorish kingdom of Granada and the Christian territory. Today, it is now dotted some dramatically sited villages, on rocky crags or hills overlooking the fertile vega (plain). These villages still bear the stamp of their defensive past in their ruined fortifications in hilltop positions, with magnificent views over the olive groves and cereal fields of the undulating vega.
Lakes used to make up a big part of the landscape around Villanueva de San Juan so it is a rich source of marine fossils. It has about 1,100 inhabitants.
Pruna is home to a monument declared to be of cultural interest, Castillo de Hiero (Iron Castle). Although little remains from the original structure, visitors can still appreciate the remains of this fifteenth century building. The town has about 2,600 inhabitants.
Pedrera hosts one of Seville's most important carnivals. The special entierro de la sardina (burying of the sardine) is a pilgrimage towards the Cruz Sierra. The town has about 5,300 inhabitants.
Martín de la Jara sits on the border between the province of Seville and the province of Málaga. Here you will also find one of the biggest salt lakes in Seville. It has about 2,700 inhabitants.
Los Corrales was originally exploited agriculturally by the Duke of Osuna as the first houses were built looking out onto the stream and the others overlooking the pens. It has about 4,000 inhabitants.
Estepa is said to produce the best extra virgin olive oil in the whole of Seville province and has received various prizes confirming this. It has about 850 inhabitants.
La Roda de Andalucía is well known by travellers because of the N-334 route and the rail line that cross the whole region. It has about 4,200 inhabitants.
The village of Niebla is located roughly 30km to the southeast of Huelva city and 60km from Seville on the shores of the río Tinto. It is located on plain land. With a population of roughly 4000 inhabitants, its relatively small number of inhabitants does not reflect the amount of beauty and archaeological heritage.
This is a strange outpost of the Wild West, with wide, sandy streets lined with houses complete with broad verandas and wooden rails for tying up horses. It is famous for its annual Romería, the Rocío Pilgrimage at Pentecost when it is overflowing with a seething mass of a million pilgrims, either on foot or with horses and decorated carts.
Arising out of the midst of the surrounding greenery, the giant opencast mines of Rio Tinto create a surreal, almost lunar landscape. The removal of layer upon layer of soil and rock, in the search for iron ore, copper, silver and a host of other mineral ores, has tinted this part of the world in hues of dusty pink, brown, yellow, red and grey.
El Saucejo, originally known as La Puebla del Saucejo, is built above the villages of La Mezquitilla and Navarredonda. It has about 4,300 inhabitants.
Many important historical events have occurred in Casariche. There was, for example, a civil war between the citizens of Pompey and Cesar. And numerous archaeological remains have been found in the town, linking its origins back to Celtic times. It has about 5,500 inhabitants.
Algámitas is home to the large rock known as, El Peñón, which sits opposite to the highest point of Seville, Pico del Terril, and Sierra de Tablone. It has about 1, 200 inhabitants.
Aguadulce is home to some of the best quality Spanish purebred horses, raised in the "Hermanos Maldonado" Stud. They have won various prizes from institutions, like SICAB, that recognise their prestige. It has about 2000 inhabitants.
Baños de la Encina offers visitors interesting historical and artistic heritage as well as attractions for lovers of nature. Once called simply Baños, the village adopted ‘de la Encina’ (‘of the holm oaks’) in the thirteenth century, after a reported apparition of the Virgin Mary amongst the oak trees.
Although of significance to both the Iberian and Roman civilisations, it was the Moors who brought splendour to Iznatoraf. During this period, and later under Christian rule, strong links were forged with Granada and Córdoba, and the village prospered.
South of Cordoba, the N331 threads its way through the undulating fields known as La Campiña, dominated by vineyards and vast olive groves. Surrounded by vineyards, Montilla is famous for its excellent wine of the same name; visit one of its bodegas to try it for yourself. Ten kilometres south of Montilla is Aguilar de la Frontera, worth a stop to see its unusual octagonal square.
