Page 491 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

AND AL UCÍA  489

rise to more than 2,000 m
(6,560 ft). The Phoenicians
founded the first settlement
here, called Sexi, and the Romans
constructed an aque duct, the
remains of which can be seen
today. Almuñécar is now a
popular holiday resort.
Above the Old Town is the
castle, built by the Moors and
altered in the 1500s. Below it
is the Parque Ornitológico,
which has an aviary and
The castle overlooking the resort of Almuñécar on the Costa Tropical botanic gardens. The Museo
Arqueológico Cueva de Siete
camped here while laying siege Environs Palacios displays a vari ety of
to Granada, and this was the site In Vélez-Málaga, the ruins of the Phoenician artifacts.
of the formal surrender of the Fortaleza de Belén, a Moorish
Moors in 1492 (see pp60–61). fortress, dominate the medieval Environs
A Moor’s severed head, carved Barrio de San Sebastián. The ancient white town of
in stone, adorns the spire of the Salobreña is set amid fields
parish church. } Cuevas de Nerja of sugar cane. Narrow streets
Sited above a gorge, Alhama Carretera de las Cuevas de Nerja. lead up a hill to a restored
de Granada was named Al Tel 952 52 95 20. Open daily. Arab castle with fine views of
hamma (hot springs) by the Closed 1 Jan, 15 May. & the Sierra Nevada (see p491).
Moors. Their baths, close to
the spot where the hot water O Parque Ornitológico
gushes from the ground just v Almuñécar Plaza de Abderraman. Tel 958 63
outside town, can be seen in Granada. * 22,000. @ n Avda 56 17. Open daily.
the Hotel Balneario. Europa, 958 63 11 25. ( Fri, 1st Sat of E Museo Arqueológico Cueva
Loja, on the Río Genil, near each month. _ Virgen de la Anti gua de Siete Palacios
Los Infiernos gorge, is known as (15 Aug). ∑ almunecar.info Calle Cueva de Siete Palacios s/n.
“the city of water” because of its Tel 607 86 54 66. Open Tue–Sun. &
spring-fed fountains. Almuñécar lies on the Costa + Castillo de Salobreña
Tropical, so named because its Calle Andrés Segovia. Tel 958 61 03 14.
climate allows the cultivation of
c Nerja exotic fruit. Inland, moun tains Open daily. Closed pub hols. & 8
Málaga. * 18,000. @ n Calle
Carmen 1, 952 52 15 31. ( Sun.
_ Feria (9–12 Oct). ∑ nerja.org
This well-established resort,
built on a cliff above sandy
coves, lies at the foot of the
beautiful Sierra de Almijara.
There are sweeping views up
and down the coast from the
rocky promontory known as
El Balcón de Europa (the Balcony
of Europe). Along it runs a
promenade lined with cafés
and restaurants.
East of the town are the
Cuevas de Nerja, a series of vast
caverns which were dis covered
in 1959. Wall paint ings found
here are believed to be about
20,000 years old. Only a few of
the many cathe dral-sized
chambers are open to public
view. One of these has been
converted into an impressive
auditorium which has a capacity
of several hundred people. One of the succession of sandy coves that make up the resort of Nerja

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