Velez de Benaudalla

The beautiful town of Velez de Benaudalla is located south of Grenada, on the road that connects this city with Motril and the coast of the province. Therefore, it is located in the last foothills of the Alpujarra Granada, in a plain bathed by the Guadalfeo river.

To this wonderful natural environment, which we will talk about below, adds a long history that sinks its roots in the Andalusian past. From this time, by the way, he has preserved a delicious pastry that we advise you to try and about which we will talk to you, but, mainly, several monuments. We are going to talk about all this and much more in this article about Vélez de Benaudalla.

The nature of Vélez de Benaudalla

As we have just told you, the plain where this Granada town is located is bathed by the Guadalfeo river, which, moreover, has created an imposing throat around. With meanders and karstic tuffs, it also offers you spectacular vertical cuts in the rocks.

But it is not the only natural wonder that you can visit in the area. A good part of its municipal area is made up of the Sierra de Lujar, which stands out, precisely, for its unique karstic relief. It also has impressive canyons and, above all, an enormous wealth of flora and fauna.

Regarding the first, you can find pine and holm oak forests, as well as different shrub species. Among them, the bramble, the juniper, the mastic or the rockrose. But the area has also been used for agricultural installations of olive trees, almond trees and vineyards. As for the fauna, it is a land inhabited by birds of prey such as the golden eagle or the falcon and by mammals such as the wild boar or the mountain goat.

As you may have guessed, you have beautiful hiking trails by the municipality of Vélez de Benaudalla. Between them, the one of the Torcas, which is circular, has a length of five kilometers and a low difficulty. You can also enjoy that of the Haza del Señor or Sendero de las Minas, which is more complex, since it measures twenty kilometers and travels through more difficult places.

Also, you can do the route of the Fuente del Algarrobo, which starts from the Plaza de la Constitución de Vélez and passes through the spring and the ravine that gives it its name. Or, finally, the one that takes you to the Vados Tajo, precisely, the spectacular cuts in the rock that form the Guadalfeo river, some up to one hundred meters high. And it also travels through the Chaparral and Escalate mountains. Also, if you like the speleologyYou have magnificent places in this area. For example, the cave of the Barranco de Iñate, with more than a kilometer and a half in length, or the round chasm, with about seventy-five meters deep.

On the other hand, between the municipalities of Vélez and Órgiva you have the imposing Rules Reservoir. Collects the waters of the southern slope of Sierra Nevada. If you like fishing, you can practice it in it, but not bathe. In any case, it forms a spectacular landscape.

In short, the surroundings of Vélez de Benaudalla are wonderful. But no less is the town, with its Old neighborhood, formed by streets of Arab layout with a special charm. Among these, those of Almendros, San Silvestre or Parradas. Likewise, the town of Granada has several monuments. We show you the most relevant ones.

The castle of the Ulloa

It is located, precisely, on the Arab Quarter, on a promontory that dominates the population. It is believed that it was built by order of Don Juan de Ulloa, lord of the town at the end of the XNUMXth century. However, everything indicates that before there was a Muslim fortress in the place that was used for construction.

It was a bastion that ended in ruins after the expulsion of the Moors and, later, with the French invasion. Therefore, it is only preserved from him a tower with seven irregular sides. This has a hexagonal floor plan and occupies an area of ​​almost two hundred and fifty square meters. Likewise, the height of its arches is about fifteen meters and it has two floors with several rooms each. Finally, a terrace crowns the building.

After being restored by the City Council, today it houses the Local Heritage Interpretation Center. You can visit it every Friday in July and August between XNUMX:XNUMX and XNUMX:XNUMX in the morning and between XNUMX:XNUMX and XNUMX:XNUMX in the afternoon.

The church of Our Lady of the Rosary

In the aforementioned Plaza de la Constitución you will find this temple built in the XNUMXth century on top of a previous one in the Mudejar style that was destroyed by fire. It was planned by none other than the famous architect Ventura Rodríguez, creator, among many other buildings, of the Liria Palace in Madrid and the façade of the Cathedral of Santa María la Real in Pamplona.

Therefore, the church of Nuestra Señora del Rosario is of neoclassical invoice, with the simplicity and elegance of forms inherent to this style. However, it presents an external curiosity: the tower is located in the center of the façade. In this there is a clock, but richer is the interior of the temple. Several equally neoclassical altarpieces stand out in it, the Tuscan order columns and a figure of the Immaculate Conception due to the Granada school of Pedro Anastasio Bocanegra.

The Nasrid Garden, another of the jewels of Vélez de Benaudalla

listed as Historical Garden in the assets of cultural interest of the Junta de Andalucía, this natural wonder still preserves the structure of the orchards from the Nasrid period. It is also known as Garden of the Sentidos for the amount of aromas and colors it houses. It is structured in two parts around water, the central axis of the place.

This comes through a ditch from the Nativity Walk, where there are three springs. But, in addition to watering the orchards, it gives harmony and sound to the whole with its flow and decorates it with fountains. As for the two parts that we mentioned, the first is a house that develops in three bodies around a central patio and the second is the garden itself.

Regarding this, it consists of three orchards and several garden areas in which there are aromatic and ornamental plants, fruit trees and horticultural products. It even has a vertical garden full of small caves. Also, in the center of the complex you can see an old mill. In short, it is one of the wonders that Vélez de Benaudalla offers you.

What to see in the municipality of Vélez

If the natural surroundings of the town of Granada and the monuments it houses are beautiful, the small towns in its municipal area are also worth your visit. Leaving Vélez on the road that goes from Bailén to Motril, you will find the interesting Oil Museum, where you will learn everything related to its cultivation and the ancient culture that has accompanied it.

The sample has an exhibition area, another heritage area, a conference room and a shop where you can buy the so-called "liquid gold" of the area. In it you will see the machines that were used in the past to press oil and many other curious tools. The facility has a winter schedule and a summer schedule.

The first is from 10 a.m. to 14 p.m. and from 16 p.m. to 19 p.m., while the second is also from 10 a.m. to 14 p.m. and from 17 p.m. to 20 p.m. In both cases it applies from Monday to Friday. On Saturdays it opens from 10 a.m. to 13.30:11 p.m. and on Sundays (only in winter) from 13 a.m. to 8 p.m. Regarding the rates, the entrance is free. But, if you want to enjoy added activities such as oil tasting, they range from 18 to XNUMX euros.

On the other hand, in the municipality of Vélez de Benaudalla you have the beautiful town of Lagos, an old mining town that responds to the characteristics of all the towns of the Alpujarra Granada. It is arranged in narrow streets framed by white houses adorned with an abundance of flowers. Even more unique is the hamlet of the Gorgoracha, since it is made up of several scattered farmhouses whose construction dates from the XNUMXth century and which were dedicated to livestock and agriculture.

Gastronomy of the Granada town

We end our tour of what to see and do in Vélez de Beanudalla by talking about its delicious gastronomy. We have already mentioned you the importance of oil that is produced in the area, but now we want to show you some typical dishes.

Among them stands out the fennel stew, a kind of stew that contains, in addition to this plant, broad beans and parts of the pig such as chorizo. It is also traditional gooseberry, a recipe of Arab origin. It has different vegetables, shredded cod, onion, olive oil and black olives and is served cold. No less delicious is the fritillo, which is prepared with meat and liver of veal or pork, pepper, onion and tomato, all, as its name suggests, fried.

Also, you can savor the baby goat cooked with garlic, crumbs and snails. As for the sauces, the typical overuse, which is made with garlic, olive oil, parsley and other ingredients. Finally, if you like pastries, we advise you to savor some delicious pestinos or some no less exquisite donuts.

In conclusion, we have shown you the best you can see and do in Velez de Benaudalla, one of the most beautiful villages in the Alpujarra. But we cannot finish without advising you that, since you are in the area, you should also visit Grenada, the capital of the province, a city as beautiful as it is full of legends.