Almuñecar how to get, Almuñecar interest places, Almuñecar beaches, Almuñecar history

Almuñecar

Almuñecar and La Herradura are located in the heart of Costa Tropical. This coast meanders along a shoreline of picturesque beaches and pristine coves, complemented by the beautiful backdrop of the mountains and the warm waters of the Mediterranean. Almuñecar is the largest resort on the Costa. There is the most extensive infrastructure here. Almuñecar is the one of the oldest cities in the Mediterranean, steeped in traditions, with a rich archaeological and monumental heritage.

The Phoenicians founded the first settlement here in 800 BC and the Romans called it Manaba Sexi Firman. Under Muslim rule, it was named Sexi Hin al-Murecab, which means “fortress of the hill” and where its actual name derives from. In 755 AD the Omayyad Prince Aberrearán landed in the port running away from the slaughter that the Abastes carried out in Damascus against the Omayyad family. The following year he founded the independent emirate of Córdoba and became Emir Aberrearán I. During the War of Granada, after Baza surrendered, Almuñecar relinquished to the Catholic Monarchs in 1489. Charles V ordered the building of a large fortress, which would be destroyed by the English in 1812 in order to expel the French troops who were defending it. In the 19th century, Turkish pirates incarcerated the village and its people, forcing the inhabitants to flee to safer places in the nearby mountains.

Places of interest in Almuñecar

Castillo San Miguel

is a palace complex with an Archaeological Museum built by the Phoenicians, rebuilt and used as a fortress by the Romans, then taken over by the Arabs of the Nasrid dynasty, which also became their burial place. From the 16th century onwards, under the reign of the Catholic King Fernando, it underwent reconstruction, as illustrated by the models in the Archaeological Museum. A moat, drawbridge and imposing entrance with round towers were added. During the War of Independence with France, the castle was ruined and used as a cemetery. In the 18th century, the castle was rebuilt and today it houses the museum of the town of Almuñecar.

The aqueduct and Roman baths

are the oldest and best preserved of their kind in Andalusia. The Roman aqueduct was 7 kilometres long and was used to supply water to the town. In the first century AD when the Romans built the Brine Factory in Almuñecar the demand for water increased, which was to be supplied by the waterworks of the time. The aqueduct was also used to irrigate the fertile soils from the Rio Verde to the Rio Seco, where

tropical fruits were grown, and as a sewage hub. Today, the Aqueduct is made up of five parts, the longest being 130 metres long with 17 arches and located in Torrecuevas. The Church of the Incarnation was built at the end of the 16th century. It is the first church in the province of Granada to end with the Mudejar building style, most characteristic of the Andalusian region at the turn of the Medieval and Renaissance eras. Its foundations are located on top of a Roman reservoir. During the construction of the church, several tombs of Phoenician origin and from the 2nd century BC were found. The main chapel of the Almuñecar church was built after the civil war that lasted in Spain from 1936 to 1939, and visits are free. Address: Calle Puerta de Granada 1.

Palacio la Najarra

is a neo-Arabic-style building modelled on a traditional Arab garden house. It was built in the mid-19th century next to a former sugar factory. The phenomenal appearance of Palacio la Najarra is given by the tiled decoration at the windows and floors and the frescoes on the walls inside the building. The palace is surrounded by a garden where cypresses and palm trees abound. It is now the headquarters of the Municipal Tourist Board and the Municipal Tourist Information Office. Address: Avenida Europa.

The El Majuelo Botanical Park

is a garden with a concentration of many tropical and subtropical plants and trees from all tropical regions of the world such as South America, Africa, the islands of the Philippines and Australia. Almuñecar is located on the Costa Tropical, an area with a special climate. Thanks to the mild winters and hot summers, mangoes, papayas, avocados, pomegranates, chirimoya, figs, carambola, bananas and almonds are grown here. El Majuelo Botanical Park is located in the heart of the In the summer, every weekend there is a morning market and in the evenings, also with tourists in mind, various cultural and artistic events are organised, such as flamenco festivals and gastronomic festivals of international stature. Avenida Europa Opening hours: daily 8:00-22:00 Admission is free

The Loro Sexi

ornithological park in Almuñecar has more than 100 different species of birds, reptiles and mammals. The park also includes the Jardin de Cactus, a mini cactus park directly adjacent to the Castillo San Miguel. Parrots, toucans, cockatoos, swans, ducks, peacocks, as well as turtles, lemurs and many other individuals live here. Calle Bikini 1

Bonsai Museum and Garden

Here you will find a collection of over 200 species of Japanese, Asian and European trees, located on an area of approximately 2000m2 in a private property in the city centre. In addition to the trees, the grounds contain Buddhist busts, ornaments, fountains and a mini garden with turtles. Calle Andres Müller 2

Beaches

There are 26 beaches on the coast of Almuñécar. Along 19 km of coastline, Almuñécar has beaches for all tastes and audiences: Urban beaches, coves between cliffs, gravel beaches, gray and black sand beaches, naturist beaches. Some of the most popular are those which are easily accessible and right in the urban area of town. There are also several which are secluded or offer small coves or cliffs, for a little variety. Many of the beaches are covered with stones or pebbles, there are even some with dark sand. Likewise, there are numerous beaches between cliffs, far from population centers with easy access on foot, others are charming coves that are highly sought after by visitors. All of them are recommended for the bathroom at any time of the year. The beaches located next to the population centres of La Herradura, Almuñécar, Velilla and Taramay, are equipped with a wide range of accessibility, health and surveillance services. Some of them have been awarded the Blue Flag distinction on numerous occasions.