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Andalusia: Costa Tropical
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The Costa Tropical is less known by tourists because of its rocky coast, but it is very popular with divers precisely because of its rocks and crystal clear waters. The coast was given the name Costa Tropical because you can grow tropical fruits there. The Costa Tropical is located south of Granada between Malaga and Salobrena. Its most famous cities are Nerja and Almunecar. Motril is situated on the Costa Tropical. It is where the Belgian king Baldwin I passed away. Below you will find an overview of the most important villages, cities and points of interest.
Nerja
With its rocks, coves and beaches, Nerja is typical of the Costa Tropical. Nerja has evolved into a tourist destination with all the appropriate facilities and nightlife. The white houses radiate a clearly Moorish atmosphere. You can visit the famous caves of Nerja nearby, the highlight of which are the murals, which are more than 20,000 years old. The enormous great halls with their stalactites and stalagmites are also very striking.
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Frigilliana
If you do tour the countryside of La Axarquia, don't neglect to include this village. It is typically Moorish and has an extraordinary character due to its narrow streets, flowered facades and azulejos (faience tiles).
Alhama de Granada
Alhama de Granada is a gorgeous Moorish village situated more inland. It is regarded as one of the most beautiful villages in Andalusia. It lies in between and on top of some mountains and does not only offer beautiful views; it also has hot water springs, for which it received much acclaim in the past.
Almunecar
As a tourist, you may think that this is the biggest city at the Costa Tropical, but nothing is further from the truth. Almunecar is very touristy, but only has 20,000 inhabitants. 20 kilometres from here we find Motril, which has twice as many inhabitants. There are many points of interest in Almunecar, such as a castle and its ruins, a botanical garden with a bird park and an archaeological museum. If you have some time, take a stroll past Salobrena. It is a charming village surrounded by sugar cane fields and gives you a unique view over the Sierra Nevada. It also has a castle.
Sierra Nevada
The Sierra Nevada is one of the most famous mountain ranges in Europe. Some of its mountain tops exceed 3000 metres. It is strange to see snow on the mountains in this hot region, even in the month of June. You can go for walks or mountain hikes, but you can also tour the mountains by car. There is a ski resort, several visitor centres and mountain cabins for hikers.
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Photo: © Photographer: Will Iredale | Agency: Dreamstime.com
Text: GVDV/RD - © AT-Europe bvba
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