Spain

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: Vegueta and Triana

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Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is the capital of the Province of Las Palmas. It is the capital of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands together with Santa Cruz de Tenerife. It is the most populated city in the Canary Islands with 379,925 inhabitants.

Join us for a walk through this beautiful city.

Content:

Stroll through Vegueta

Vegueta is the neighborhood where the city was born. It was June 24, 1478, the troops of the conquistador Juan Rejón landed in the bay of La Isleta. They established their camp on the right bank of the Guiniguada. This camp was called Real de las Tres Palmas, because of the palm trees that were raised in the place.

After the end of the conquest, in 1483, the first buildings of the city began to be built around the camp.

Walking through its narrow streets and admiring its beautiful colonial buildings is getting lost in the history of the Canary Islands.

Take a picture with the dogs in Santa Ana Square

Santa Ana square is one of the most emblematic places in the city. It was built at the beginning of the 16th century in the Vegueta neighborhood. Around them are some of the most remarkable buildings in the city.

One of them is the old Town Hall, which was inaugurated in 1856. It was the first town hall of the city until 1977. In that year, it transferred the headquarters of the Mayor’s Office to the Municipal Offices located on León y Castillo street.

Today it houses an artistic collection of the main Canarian authors such as César Manrique or Jesús Arencibia.

On one side of the square we also find the Episcopal Palace of the Diocese of the Canary Islands. Although its façade dates from the 15th century, designed by Juan Ponce de León, the building dates from the 16th century.

Actually, although today it is not the only one, the Diocese of the Canary Islands is named in this way since it was the only one existing in the archipelago until the 19th century. It was in 1819 when the diocese of San Cristóbal de La Laguna was founded.

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At the west end, opposite the cathedral, are the famous dogs that all of us children spent hours climbing on and off.

There are 8 sculptures representing dogs created by the French sculptor Alfred Jacquemar. They were placed in 1895.

Its origin is uncertain. It is believed that they were a gift to the mayor Felipe Massieu from a French ship. This mayor helped solve some problems with the ship on its way to South Africa.

Another version is that they were a gift from the son of the British businessman based in the city Thomas Miller.

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Visit the Cathedral of the Canary Islands and the Diocesan Museum

The Santa Iglesia Catedral-Basílica de Canarias is the seat of the Diocese of the Canary Islands of the Catholic Church and is considered the most important monument of Canarian religious architecture.

In 1487 the Catholic Monarchs expressed their desire to build a cathedral church in Gran Canaria. They do it to fulfill the mandate of Pope Innocent VIII.

Its construction began in 1497 but was stopped due to lack of funds in 1570. In 1781 the works resumed. This makes several styles of construction stand out. Its façade is Neoclassical and its interior is Late Gothic.

It was named Basilica of the Canary Islands (Basilicae Canariensis), by Pope Leo XIII “Ad perpetuam rei memoriam” in the year 1894. Being the first Canarian temple to be named a basilica.

Next to the cathedral we find the Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. It is located on the south side of the Cathedral of the Canary Islands, in the so-called Patio de Los Naranjos built in the 17th century.

The museum is located in what used to be the cathedral dependencies and is connected to the cathedral through the so-called Renaissance-style Puerta del Aire. It was inaugurated on December 20, 1984.

Learn about the life and voyages of Christopher Columbus in its museum

It is located in one of the most emblematic buildings of the city: the 16th century House of Governors.

The Museum is made up of two large patios and a total of thirteen permanent exhibition rooms. They expose both the history of the navigator’s passage through Gran Canaria, as well as the history of the Canary Islands and their relations with America.

Hours: Monday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sundays and holidays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Closed on January 1 and 6, May 1, December 24, 25 and 31.

Price: €4. Reduced: €2. Children under 18 free.

Web: http://www.casadecolon.com/

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CAAM – Atlantic Center of Modern Art

The CAAM is the most important contemporary art museum in the Canary Islands. It was inaugurated in 1989 with works, above all, by the Canarian sculptor and architect Luján Pérez (1756 – 1815).

Works by other authors such as Manolo Millares, Martín Chirino or Antonio Saura were also added.

It currently has a permanent collection of some 2,800 works by artists from the Canary Islands, the rest of Europe, Africa and America.

Hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Closed Monday.

Price: Free

Web:http://www.caam.net/

Holy Spirit Square (Plaza del Espíritu Santo)

A small corner located in the heart of the Vegueta neighborhood. In it we can find the Hermitage of the Holy Spirit, from the 17th century and the covered fountain installed in 1869. This is the work of the Canarian architect and painter Manuel Ponce de León.

Originally it was km 0 and the starting point of the Gran Canaria water network.

Learn about the history of Gran Canaria at the Canarian Museum

Founded in 1879, the Museo Canario is a scientific and cultural society dedicated mainly to the first settlers of Gran Canaria.

It is an ideal visit to learn about the prehistory of the island and the entire Canary archipelago.

Since I was little, what strikes me the most is the mummy room. It puts the hairs on end.

Hours: Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Price: €5. Reduced: €3. Children under 12 years: free.

Web: https://www.elmuseocanario.com/

Santo Domingo Square

Built in the 17th century, it is another of the picturesque corners of the Vegueta neighborhood.

In it is the parish of Santo Domingo, founded in 1841. It is located in the church of the old Dominican convent of San Pedro Mártir, founded in 1522.

It was built around 1524. During the Dutch attack in 1599, the church and the convent were totally destroyed. It was rebuilt in the 17th century, becoming one of the most traditional churches in the city.

Santo Domingo square

Have a drink around the Vegueta Market

Although it is really called Mercado de Las Palmas, it was officially inaugurated in 1858, it was already in use since 1856. It is the first central market in the Canary Islands and mainly offered local products.

In it we can find many local and imported products. In its surroundings we find many places where you can have a drink enjoying the lively area.

Perez Galdos Theater

The theater was inaugurated in 1890 under the name of Teatro Tirso de Molina. The work chosen for this is La Traviata.

After the enormous success in 1901 at the premiere of the play Electra, by Benito Pérez Galdós, the name of the writer from Gran Canaria is proposed as a tribute to the new theatre. Thus, in 1902 it was renamed the Pérez Galdós Theater.

On June 28, 1918, a large fire destroyed the wooden structure of the theater almost completely.

Between 1925 and 1928 its reconstruction was carried out by the architect Miguel Martín Fernández de la Torre. His brother Néstor, an artist and painter, is in charge of decorating the building.

On May 28, 1928, it was reopened with the premiere of the opera Aida.

It was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC) by the Government of the Canary Islands in 1994, with the category of Monument.

Web:https://teatroperezgaldos.es/

Rest in the Ranas Square

The Hurtado de Mendoza square, popularly known as the Plaza de las Ranas, is located on the border between the neighborhoods of Vegueta and Triana.

Its popular name comes from the ornamentation of the central fountain, consisting of two frogs spouting water.

The three classic kiosks stand out in the square. Also the monument to Ambrosio Hurtado de Mendoza, installed in 1922. This honors the mayor of the city elected in 1903.

There is also the beautiful building of the Island Library of Gran Canaria. It is a building inaugurated in 1898 and is the work of the architect Fernando Navarro.

Originally it was the Mercantile Circle. Later it became the property of Hispano-American Bank. In 1986 the Cabildo de Gran Canaria recovered the building, rehabilitated it and in 1991 the library was inaugurated.

We can also find some quiet terraces where to have a drink or eat something before continuing our walk.

Stroll along the main street of Triana

Triana emerged in the 15th century as an extension to the north of the first settlement of the Real de Las Palmas located to the south of the Guiniguada ravine.

The large number of Sevillians who were among the conquerors are what give the name to the new neighborhood. Calle Mayor de Triana is its main artery.

Until the middle of the 16th century, the street reached the city walls. Here was the Port of Las Palmas, making Triana a mainly seafaring neighbourhood.

With the construction of the Port of La Luz and Las Palmas at the beginning of the 20th century, the port lost importance until it disappeared.

Calle mayor de Triana

In the 80s of the 20th century it became pedestrianized and little by little it became an open-air shopping center with the same franchise stores that we find everywhere. With this it has lost its essence…

Even so, it is worth admiring the classical buildings located along the street.

In the surrounding streets we can find a multitude of terraces where to eat or have a drink while hanging out.

San Telmo Park

The park is located on the historic site of the northern wall of the city and the first pier of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Two elements stand out in the park. The first is the Hermitage of San Telmo.

The first hermitage was founded in the 16th century and was destroyed in 1599 during an attack by the Dutch corsair Pieter van der Does. The church was rebuilt in 1604.

It is famous for having one of the most beautiful altarpieces on the island.

The other notable element is the modernist kiosk installed in 1923. It is the work of the architect Rafael Massanet y Faus.

Today it is a cafeteria where you can sit and have a drink watching the people go by in their chores.

Gran Canaria

Get to know a bit of history in the Castillo de Mata

The Castillo de Mata or Cuartel de Alonso Alvarado is a military fortification on the old city wall. The engineer Juan Alonso Rubián was responsible for its construction in 1577.

It was badly damaged during the Dutch invasion of 1599. It was rebuilt by Francisco de la Rúa after the defeat of the Dutch. It received the name of Castillo de Casa Mata because its function was to guard the city wall.

On April 22, 1949, it was declared a Historic-Artistic Monument. It served as accommodation for the forces of the artillery corps of the Spanish army until 1997.

In 2002 the original cubelo was found during some archaeological excavations. After this, in 2015 a museum of the history of the castle and the city was inaugurated.

Hours: Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Saturdays and first Sunday of the month from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Price: Free.

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Granada: Practical Guide

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Content:

1. How to get to Granada

Flight

Federico García Lorca Granada-Jaén Airport

Granada has the Federico García Lorca Granada-Jaén airport (yes, it is also the Jaén airport… almost 100 km from this city) located about 20 km from the city.

We can get there in three ways:

Transfer service:

Bus:

On bus line 245. the price is €3 each way and the last stop is the city’s congress palace. The schedules are a real gibberish since they are adapted to the few flights that the airport has. You can check the schedules on the official website of the Granada Transport Consortium.

Taxi:

We can take a taxi at the arrivals gate of the airport and its price is between €30 and €35.

Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport

Since Granada airport is small and has hardly any international flights, another “secondary” airport to fly to Granada from is Málaga-Costa del Sol International Airport. This is located 135 km from Granada and has some direct buses from the airport to the city of Granada.

The bus leaves from outside the arrivals floor, the price is €12.21 and the journey takes approximately 2 hours, to the Granada bus station.

More information on the Alsa website.

Train

The Granada train station is located very close to the city center. It was inaugurated in 1874 and has Medium and Long Distance services, as well as High Speed.

After the arrival of High Speed to Granada, Renfe offers direct AVE connections with Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Malaga and Cordoba.

For schedules, prices and purchase of tickets, consult the Renfe website.

Bus

We can get to Granada by bus from almost anywhere in Spain and from some European countries. The bus station is located in the northern district of the city, about 3 km from the city center.

To get from the bus station to the center we can take bus lines 5, 21 and 33 next to the station exit. The ticket price is €1.40.

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2. Transport

Granada is a very small city with a network of narrow and complicated streets for motorized mobility. All tourist spots can be visited on foot without problems.

Bus

The city has a relatively good bus service. The price of the ordinary ticket is €1.40.

We can also buy transport wallet cards at kiosks and tobacconists, with which the price per journey drops to €0.82. These cards are really convenient, because they can be recharged on the bus itself, paying the driver directly.

The lines that we will use the most are surely the 33 that runs through the entire center of the city and the C30 that goes from the center to the Alhambra.

More information on the official website of Transportes Rober.

Metro

The Granada metro has a single line that crosses the city. It is quite useless as it does not reach any tourist spot. Maybe we can use it to go from the bus or train station to our hotel. The price of the ordinary ticket is €1.35 and with the wallet card, the same as for buses, €0.82.

More information on the official website of the Metropolitan of Granada.

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Granada

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Granada, in Andalusia, the city where I was going to spend a season and that has become 17 years. Here I will be exchanging information on tourist sites and little-known corners for those who want to come and visit the city.

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Practical Information of Granada

What to see in Granada

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Granada: Short History

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Granada is the capital of the homonymous province, located in the south of Spain in the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada, at the confluence of four rivers, the Darro, the Genil, the Monachil and the Beiro. It is located 738 meters high, about 40 km from Sierra Nevada, the roof of the Iberian Peninsula, with the Mulhacén peak at 3479 meters and 70 km from the Mediterranean coast.

Old Age

It is believed that in the Monachil area, about 7 km east of today’s Granada, there was already an important settlement of the Argaric culture (2300-1500 BC). At the end of the Bronze Age in the Cerro de los Infantes, in the present Pinos Puente, there was also a human settlement between 800 and 700 BC. which later became an important Iberian settlement called Ilurco.

The oldest remains that have been found were those of Iltuir, an Iberian oppidum dating from the 7th century BC. on the top of the San Nicolás hill, on the right bank of the Darro river, in what is now the Albayzín neighborhood.

Between the 5th and 4th centuries B.C. C. the apogee of the Iberian culture takes place that gives place to the consolidation of important urban centers, like the one of Iltuir and Ilurco, that dispute the domain of the Vega of Genil River.

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Roman Empire

Between the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. It is renamed Iliberri and is included in the area controlled by the Bastetanos and, later, by the Carthaginians.

After Carthage’s victory over Rome in the First Punic War (264-241 BC), Hamilcar Barca and his son-in-law Hasdrubal take control of the entire Guadalquivir valley in 237 BC. But after the defeat of the Carthaginians in the Second Punic War, it is the Romans who take control.

Around the year 190 B.C. the Roman general Lucio Emilio Paulo Macedónico was defeated in Ilurco. 10 years later, Tiberio Sempronio Graco conquers the entire area and Iliberis became part of the Roman Empire, although through an agreement. From then on, with the acceptance of César as a municipality of Hispania Ulterior, it was renamed Municipium Florentinum Iliberitanum. Later it was included in Baetica and, finally, around the first century AD. C., incorporated into the Conventus Astigitanus.

Muslim Era

After the decline and disappearance of the Roman Empire, and the formation of the Emirate of Córdoba between the 8th and 11th centuries, the city was practically uninhabited. It is believed that there was only a small population center around the Hisn Garnata fortress, the name by which the ancient Ilíberis was known in Muslim times, built on the remains of an Ibero-Roman oppidum, used by Sawwar ben Hamdun as a bulwark in front of to the rebellion of the muladíes (880-918).

Between the years 712 and 1012, the important population center was Medinat Elvira, at the foot of Sierra Elvira between the current municipalities of Pinos Puente and Atarfe, which became one of the most important cities in al-Andalus, being the capital of the Coria of Elvira.

The city Zirí

After the formation of the Taifa Kingdoms, between 1010 and 1025, Zawi ben Ziri as-Sinhayi (المنصور الزاوي بن زيري بن مانادو), Berber chief of the Zirid dynasty and founder of the Taifa of Granada, produced a massive relocation after the assault, fire and ruin of the city of Ilbira and its main mosque. These settle in the center of the Albayzín hill, known as Alcazaba Cadima (al-Qasba Qadima), demolishing the remains of previous settlements.

The Almoravid and Almohad city

In the Almoravid era, which goes from the years 1090 to 1147, the urban structure of the city changes very little. The Almoravids expanded the walled enclosure, opening entrance gates such as the New Gate or bāb al-Ziyad; or the Monaita or Bib-Albunaida Gate, which are still preserved today; as well as the Torres Bermejas.

In the Almohad period, from 1147 to 1269, the structure of the city did not change much either. Some important buildings are built such as the Dar-al-Bayda palace, today the Cuarto Real de Santo Domingo; the Alcázar del Genil or Qasar al-Sayyid and the cemetery located next to Puerta Elvira or maqbarat al-faqth Sa’ad ben Malik is expanded, which today occupies a large underground car park.

Nasrid Kingdom

With the arrival of the Nasrid Kingdom during the second half of the 13th century, the city grew steadily, so the defensive walls of Nayd and the great Rabad al-bayyazin, to the north, had to be expanded.

The city is organized into six walled districts and two extra-mural neighborhoods:

  • Al-Casba Cadima: the Old Fortress, at the top of the Albayzín hill, where the Royal Palace of the Ziríes was located, which continued to be the residence of the Nasrid monarchs until the beginning of the 14th century. It was divided into the neighborhoods Harat Alcazaba, to the north, and Rabat Almufadar, to the south.
  • Al Casba: Located to the south of Al-Casba Cadima, surrounding it from the east and west, reaching the Darro river. This was part of one of the most populated neighborhoods, Rabad Badis, in which was the palace of Dar al-Horra, which is preserved today.
  • The new city: Located to the south of the previous districts, on both banks of the Darro and on the southwest corner of the Albayzín hill. It was made up of a large number of neighborhoods, and some of the most important buildings in the city were located there, such as Alhondaq Gidida, the Corral del Carbón still standing; or Jima el-Kebir, the Great Mosque, now disappeared.
  • Albayzín: In Muslim times it referred exclusively to the suburbs located to the north of the city but, over time, its name ended up being used to name the entire hill where the Zirids settled.
  • Medina Alhamra: The palatial city of the Nasrid monarchs located on top of La Sabika hill, on the left bank of the Darro river. Its construction was started by King Muhammad ibn Yusuf ibn Nasr (محمد بن نصر‎), taking advantage of the existence of an old Zirid fortress. His son Abû `Abd Allâh Mohammed ben Mohammed (Muhammad II) erected most of the palace areas. For the second half of the fourteenth century it is already a real city.
  • The southeastern neighborhoods: Outside the city walls, there were two different neighborhoods: Rabad Arrambla occupied the area known as Birrambla; and Rabad el-Necued, which was located at the southeast end of the wall, on the right bank of the River Genil, in what is now the Vistillas de los Ángeles.

Kingdom of Castile

In 1491 the Castilian army entered the Vega de Granada and laid siege to the city. On November 25, the Capitulations are signed in Sant Fe, in which a two-month period was agreed for the delivery of the city. Before expiring that term, on January 2, 1492, Boabdil, the last Nasrid sultan, delivered the city.

With the capitulations, the people of Granada could continue to practice their religion freely and publicly, their properties would be respected and the validity of Islamic law in disputes between Muslims would be maintained, creating the figure of mixed judges when it came to disputes with Christians. The kings name Hernando de Talavera, Isabel’s confessor, first archbishop of Granada.

In 1499, Fray Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros, the queen’s new confessor and Archbishop of Toledo, began a harsh campaign of forced conversions, with the confiscation and burning of books, the imprisonment of alfaquíes, and inquisitorial proceedings. This policy generated serious riots in the Albayzín after the conversion of mosques into churches. After this, the Catholic Monarchs took advantage of these events to declare the Capitulations null and void and order a first expulsion of the Moors and the confinement of the rest in a ghetto located in Bib-Rambla.

During the War of the Communities of Castile (1520-1522), Granada remained faithful to Carlos I and the Captain General, the Marquis of Mondéjar, was in charge of dominating the situation.

During the 16th century, Queen Juana I of Castilla (the crazy one) and, later, her son King Carlos I, invested large sums in the maintenance and repair of the Alhambra and other buildings of interest, which facilitated the survival of of this architecture. The Royal Chapel (1505) is also built, in which Kings Isabel and Fernando are buried in 1521; the Royal Hospital (1511); the Cathedral and the Palace of Carlos V, inside the Alhambra enclosure, a tome that doesn’t even hit glue. The guy stayed in glory.

Contemporary Era

On January 28, 1810, the French troops of General Sebastiani occupy Granada. They stayed here until September 16, 1812. They carried out numerous fortification works in the surroundings of the Alhambra and the Castle of Santa Elena. They also developed some urban works such as the landscaping of the Paseo del Salón and the Bomba and the Green Bridge over the Genil River, located at the end of those, although to raise this they topped the tower of the Monastery of San Jerónimo. Before leaving the city, they destroyed several towers of the Alhambra walls and other buildings that had military use.

After this begins a time of economic and political decline, which improves in 1868 with the rise of the sugar industry. Added to the arrival of the railway, it facilitates the promotion of commerce and a new urban development. Numerous buildings from the Muslim era are demolished to build the Gran Vía and the Darro river is arched giving rise to Reyes Católicos street.

Granada in the 20th century

With the economic bonanza a significant population explosion occurs, doubling the population of the city in just 40 years. But, between 1926 and 1940, all the sugar mills in Granada were closed, causing a serious economic crisis. This fact led, on July 20, 1936, to a military conspiracy against the Republic, rising up and taking control of the city.

The outbreak of the civil war leaves Granada as an isolated insurgent zone between areas controlled by the Republican government, which gives rise to a large number of arrests and political executions (García Lorca among them): 3,969 people were shot between 1936 and 1956 on the walls of the Granada cemetery.

The serious impact of the war, added to the loss of the industrial fabric and the exclusion of Granada from the areas supported by the National Industry Protection Law of 1939, caused the city to stagnate economically and regress in its demography.

After the war, Granada became one of the cities with the lowest income in the entire country, becoming practically a university city. In the last third of the 20th century, a powerful tertiary sector developed thanks to tourism.

On April 19, 1956, the second most important earthquake in the history of the capital occurred, known over the years as the Albolote earthquake.

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Spain

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On this page you will find information about our trips through Spain. Also a lot of information about Granada, the city where I live and my travels around the country.

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Index:

  1. Andalusia
  2. Canary Islands

Andalusia

Canary Islands

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Gran Canaria

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Gran Canaria, the island where I was born, grew up and lived until I was 23 years old. Here we will describe everything you need to know about this island.

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Roque Nublo

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Roque Nublo is a rock formation of volcanic origin about 80 meters high. It is located in the center of the island, in the municipality of Tejeda. Its highest point is 1,813 meters above sea level and it was formed more than 10 million years ago. It was during the second cycle of volcanic eruptions, one of the three that gave origin and formation to the island.

For pre-Hispanic inhabitants of the island, the Roque Nublo was the sacred meeting place for religious rituals and to worship Acorán, the main deity of the Gran Canaria aborigines.

In 1987 it was declared a natural area and in 1994 a Natural Monument included within the Nublo rural park.

Next to Roque Nublo there are two smaller ones called El Fraile (The Friar) and La Rana (The Frog).

Hiking to El Roque.

There are numerous trails to climb to the rock. The best known is the “Camino del Nublo” (path of El Nublo), just over 3 km round trip.

The trail starts from the car park that we find on the edge of the GC-600 road. It is located in a place called “la Degollada de La Goleta”, at an altitude of 1,579 metres.

Parking.

The trail is all uphill (one way), relatively smooth, although it has several steeper slopes that can take a lot of effort for people in poor shape. Even so, it is a fairly simple path to walk with the whole family and it is well signposted.

Of course, wear appropriate footwear and not go in flip flops like some brave people who do not love their feet.

The vegetation that we can find along the route is, above all, the Canarian pine (Pinus canariensis) with which the area was repopulated between the 40s and 50s of the 20th century.

The rest of the vegetation is made up of thickets such as the yellow broom, the white sage or the wallflower of the summit, among other species.

Shortly after the middle of the road we have a path that can hardly be seen that leads to the base of the friar.

El Fraile

Shortly after we have one of the very hard slopes, it is almost a wall, but it is very short. It goes up to the Degollada del Roque Nublo, at 1,709 meters high.

At the end of the climb we take a little air to take the last arreón to the plateau where the Roque Nublo and La Rana are located.

The last climb.

We climb the last hill and, finally, we are at the base of the rock.

Roque Nublo

The landscape from here is a real wonder.

Roque Bentayga.

The rock can be skirted but it is very dangerous.

Here we end our visit to the spectacular Roque Nublo. We start the way down again slowly so as not to fall.

How to get to Roque Nublo.

From Las Palmas de Gran Canaria we take the GC-23 ring road. We take exit 8 towards Vegueta / Tafira / Telde / Airport, entering the GC-3.

About 7 km later we take exit 4 towards the GC-4 motorway towards Tafira.

At the end of the GC-4, at the roundabout we take the first exit onto the GC-15 towards La Atalaya / Santa Brígida. Here the curves begin.

About 18 kilometers later we have to take the detour to the GC-600 road towards Cueva Grande / Pico de las Nieves / Roque Nublo.

About 11 km later we arrive at the Degollada de La Goleta car park. In total 57 km and about 1 hour and a million curves of route.

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Roman Village of Salar

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Roman Village of Salar is a small town with population of about 2,600 located in the Loja region, west of the province of Granada, about 35 minutes from the capital.

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It is believed that its name comes from the romance “Sall”, from the Latin “Sallere” (salt) and its meaning would be “rough, rough terrain, with many ravines”.

The area was already inhabited during the Upper Neolithic, in which remains of the Acheulean culture have been found. It would later be occupied by the Romans (which is what we are going to focus on).

Then it would be the Arabs who would populate the area until the conquest of the Christians on May 29, 1486 by Hernán Pérez del Pulgar y Osorio. The Torreón del Salar is preserved from this period.

Roman Village

The remains of the Roman villa were found in 2004 while the land was being excavated for the construction of a wastewater treatment plant.

The archaeological excavation began in October 2006 and continues today, as it is believed that around 10% of the town has been excavated. Numerous truly spectacular Roman mosaics have been found, as well as a statue of a 2nd century Venus pudica that will remain for display in the municipality.

The town stands out for the ostentation in the decoration of its mosaics, authentic works of art and in the Venuses, sculptures of great beauty that surprise for their state of conservation and in the archaeological discovery.

History of the village

Its construction dates from between the 1st and 4th centuries and it was located near one of the most important Roman communication routes in the Betica province, which, in turn, was one of the most important provinces for exporting wheat, oil and wine. .

During its period of greatest splendor, between the 1st and 3rd centuries, its inhabitants made their status and economic power clear by building a truly luxurious villa with a peristyle.

Visiting the village

Entering the large tent we find ourselves in the center with the triclinium, which was the dining room and the most important room of the house in which banquets and parties were organized. The room is paved with a spectacular polychrome mosaic of plant and geometric motifs, while the baseboards of the walls were covered with marble plates and opus sectile compositions.

The bad thing is that a large part of the mosaic was destroyed by the action of the excavator shovel that worked on the construction of the water plant.

Roman Village of Salar Granada

At the east end of the triclinium was the peristyle fountain. The exact shape of this fountain cannot be confirmed, but it is believed that it had a monumental fountain in the center and was surrounded by an interior garden. There was also a semicircular space in front of it, like an exedra, with mosaic paving, which could have functioned as a viewpoint into the landscaped courtyard.

There was also a perimeter channel, of opus signinum, which is attached internally to the walls that define this peristyle, and which collected rainwater, which fell from the roofs of the surrounding corridors, to store it in a possible deposit that would be found under the monumental fountain.

Roman Village of Salar Granada

To the west of the triclinium is the access to it. In front of this we find the eastern corridor of the peristyle, which connects it with the triclinium. The flooring of said corridor is covered with a magnificent figurative mosaic depicting marine scenes, while the walls were decorated with frescoes. In it, the figure of a Nereid riding on a kethos or sea monster stands out, quite well preserved. The Nereids were the princesses of the Mediterranean and personify the fertility and grace of the sea.

Roman Village of Salar Granada

Here we can also find the vaulted room, whose function is unknown and which is barely preserved.

We leave this tent and enter a slightly smaller one to the west. This part is even more spectacular than the previous one.

It is the front of the villa, the entrance. Here we find a space attached to the south of the first room, which opens onto the western corridor. The mavimento is decorated with a black and white mosaic with various framed motifs surrounded by a border, the result of a subsequent reform.

Next we find the western corridor. In it we find throughout its length a spectacular polychrome mosaic wonderfully preserved with hunting scenes, in which plant elements of the landscape are interspersed with leopards, wild boars and horseback riders.

Roman Village of Salar Granada
Roman Village of Salar Granada
Roman Village of Salar Granada
Roman Village of Salar Granada

Here we also find part of two other rooms equally richly decorated with black and white mosaics, and surrounded by decorative borders.

The spectacular decoration dedicated to the residence of the Dominus of this town indicates the economic power and the preeminent social position of its inhabitants.

The truth is that the villa is the most spectacular of the Roman villas that I have visited in Spain and perhaps in Europe. And, disinterestedly, I have to say that we can only visit 10% due to lack of funding and that, the more visitors it has, the more money there will be to continue digging and one day be able to contemplate it in its entirety. Who knows the treasures hidden in the enormous layer of earth that covers it.

General information

How to get there:

The Roman villa of Salar is located 48 km from the center of the city of Granada, about 40 minutes by car. To get there we must take the A-92 motorway towards Malaga. We take exit 197 towards “Salar – Alhama de Granada” and follow the A-4155 road for approximately 1 km. The entrance to the villa is well signposted.

If we come from Malaga, we find it about 78 km, 55 minutes by car from the center of Malaga. To do this we must take the A-45 motorway towards Granada. After about 33 km, take exit 114 towards Granada. We go along the A-92 motorway for about 45 km until exit 197. We go along the A-4155 road for about 1 km until we reach the entrance to the town.

Visits to the Village

There are 3 types of visits to the village:

Guided visit to the interpretation center and the town: the archaeological site is visited: Villa Romana de Salar and the Villa Romana de Salar interpretation center. Includes guided tour and entrance.

Hours: Wednesday to Sunday, at 9 and 12. Duration: 2.5 hours. Price: €3 ($3.30).

Semiprivate Excursion: Villa Romana de Salar from Granada: In it you visit the interpretation center of the Villa Romana. Walk through the town of Salar. Archaeological site.

Hours: Wednesday to Sunday at 11. Duration: 5 hours. Price: €69 ($76) per person. Maximum 15 people.

Private visit to the Roman Villa of Salar: in it you will visit the archaeological site: Villa Romana de Salar and the Villa Romana de Salar interpretation center. Interpreter guide of the Villa, with Official Tourist Guide and tickets for the Villa meeting point and Interpretation Center of the Villa de Salar.

Hours: at 9 and 12. Duration: 2.5 hours. Price: between 1 and 3 visitors: €120 ($133). Between 3 and 10 visitors: €170 ($188).

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