Salobreña, with about 12,800 inhabitants, is a village in the province of Granada, on Andalusia's Costa Tropical. The old village, a tangle of white houses and steep lanes, covers a rocky hill rising above a plain once planted with sugar cane, a short walk from the sea.
History
Inhabited since antiquity, it was an important Phoenician and then Roman settlement. Under the Muslims it became a Nasrid fortress and a residence of the sultans of Granada, who also kept illustrious royal prisoners here. It passed to the Catholic Monarchs in 1489. For centuries its economy revolved around sugar cane.
What to see
- The 10th-century Arab castle, enlarged by the Nasrids, with towers, walls and views over the coast and the Sierra Nevada.
- The old village, with cobbled lanes, white houses and flowers, and the Brocal quarter.
- The 16th-century Mudéjar church of Nuestra Señora del Rosario, built on the site of the mosque.
- The viewpoints, such as El Postigo and Enrique Morente.
- The Archaeological Museum, in the old town hall.
Beaches
Salobreña's coast has several dark-sand and pebble beaches: Playa de la Guardia, Playa de la Charca, Playa del Peñón, next to El Peñón, a rock in the sea with a restaurant, and Playa de la Cagaílla. Beach bars serve fresh fish and espetos.
Food and festivals
Fried fish, grilled sardines, local tropical fruit such as mango and avocado, and Arab-style sweets with almonds and honey. The main festivals are the Virgen del Rosario, in October, and those in August.
Around and getting there
Motril, Almuñécar, the Alpujarras and Granada, about an hour away. Salobreña is about 70 km from Granada and 95 km from Málaga, linked by bus. See also Carchuna.