Salobreña: what to see in a day, routes, beaches and castle

If you are wondering what to see in Salobreña, the essentials are concentrated in the old town, its viewpoints and the Arab Castle.

Mirador Enrique Morente, with views of the sea and Sierra Nevada, especially at sunset.

Mirador del Postigo.

The Brocal quarter, full of charm and Morisco heritage.

Arab Castle of Salobreña, with walls, towers, cisterns and archaeological remains.

Church of Nuestra Señora del Rosario, 16th century, Mudéjar style with a coffered ceiling, built on the site of a mosque.

Salobreña History Museum (Interpretation Centre), near the Castle, with models, archaeological pieces and audiovisual material.

Salobreña goes back more than 6,000 years. Settlement is recorded through materials found in the Capitán cave at Lobres and on the Salobreña rock, dated to the Neolithic. At that time the Peñón was an island, and sediment from the river Guadalfeo gradually joined that island to the bay until it formed fertile land.

In the Copper and Bronze Ages there are signs of human activity, and around the 8th century BC a period of splendour came with the Phoenicians. Later, Punic or Carthaginian trade gave Salobreña the name Selambina, which it kept in Roman times, when its strategic position facing the sea favoured activities such as farming, fishing, livestock and pottery.

In the Muslim period there are references to the castle and, in the Nasrid period, Salobreña became a leading medina, with notable agriculture and the cultivation of sugar cane as one of its historic features. After the fall of Baza and Almería, the coast passed to Christian rule, and the final expulsion of the remaining Muslims took place in 1568 during the rebellion of the Granada Moriscos.

A route with some steep slopes through the narrow, whitewashed streets of the old town, with viewpoints and picturesque corners. One of my favourites is the Mirador Enrique Morente, with views of the Mediterranean Sea and Sierra Nevada. The sunset from here is truly spectacular. Other essential stops on this route are the Mirador del Postigo, the Church of the Rosario, the Arab Castle and the Brocal quarter, full of charm and Morisco heritage.

A walk among cane fields, tropical fruit and the course of the river Guadalfeo, with views of the rock and the town. It is interesting to see the plantations of custard apples, avocados and mangoes. What I recommend most is doing it by bike, on foot or at sunset.

The length is variable, since everyone can walk as far as they like. It is very easy because it is all flat. Here you can enjoy the sea with a coastal walk along the beaches of La Guardia, El Peñón and La Charca.

A route along a country track towards the Monte de los Almendros, with views of the coast, the mountains and the castle.

A tour of bars and restaurants to try the local food of the Costa Tropical, such as fresh fish, migas and espetos, and also some tropical-fruit cooperatives.

It is the town's most emblematic monument. It was a fortress and a prison, and on the visit you can see walls, towers, cisterns and archaeological remains.

Opening hours 10:00 to 13:00 and 16:00 to 17:30, although they may vary in winter.

Price €4, and €2 for people with disabilities, over-65s, youth card holders and groups of more than 12.

A 16th-century church in the Mudéjar style with an Arab-looking tower. It was built on the site of a mosque and preserves a great Mudéjar coffered ceiling, a very useful visit for understanding the transition from Muslim to Christian rule.

Opening hours: Wednesdays and Fridays 9:00 to 11:00.

Free entry.

It is near the Castle. It is very small but very interesting, because it explains Salobreña's historical evolution from prehistory to the present day, with models, archaeological pieces, photographs and audiovisuals.

Opening hours: Monday to Friday 10:00 to 14:00 and 17:30 to 21:00.

Price €1.50.

The coastline and beaches route has a variable length, since everyone can walk as far as they like. It is very easy because it is all flat. Here you can enjoy the sea with a coastal walk along the beaches of La Guardia, El Peñón and La Charca.

The food of the Costa Tropical of Granada is very varied and unique in the country. You can enjoy fresh fish and seafood, and the climate allows exotic fruit and vegetables to be grown, such as avocado, mango, guava and passion fruit. The historic cultivation of sugar cane also stands out, along with the liqueurs made from it, such as Montero rum. Another must is the well-known, refreshing leche rizada (iced cinnamon milk).

If you follow the food and local produce route, the idea is to do it at midday with a tour of bars and restaurants to try products such as fresh fish, migas and espetos, and also tropical-fruit cooperatives.

Throughout the year, the Costa Tropical of Granada has a calendar of celebrations that shapes the character of these towns. The highlights are each town's patron-saint festivals, Holy Week and the seafaring festival of the Virgen del Carmen.

On the old town and Castle route there are some steep slopes, so it is best to take it easy as you walk its narrow, whitewashed streets and stop at the viewpoints.

If you do the river Guadalfeo and vegas route, it is an easy walk and the recommendation is clear: do it by bike, on foot or at sunset. Among cane fields and tropical fruit, the walk improves a lot when the sun goes down and the views of the rock and the town open up.

For the coastline and beaches stretch, the advantage is that it is all flat and the length is variable, so you can adjust it to what you feel like, walking along La Guardia, El Peñón and La Charca.

Salobreña is 65 km from Granada city and the drive usually takes 40 to 50 minutes on the A-44 motorway.

The most direct option is to combine the old town and the Castle, because that is where the narrow whitewashed streets, the viewpoints and the town's most emblematic monument are. Stops such as the Mirador Enrique Morente, the Mirador del Postigo, the Church of the Rosario, the Arab Castle and the Brocal quarter fit into that route.

There are five clear routes depending on your time: old town and Castle, river Guadalfeo and vegas, coastline and beaches, Monte de los Almendros and the food and local produce route.

The river Guadalfeo and vegas route. It is an easy walk among cane fields, tropical fruit and the riverbed, and it is interesting to see the plantations of custard apples, avocados and mangoes.

The coastline and beaches route is all flat and of variable length, and covers La Guardia, El Peñón and La Charca.

The Arab Castle of Salobreña opens from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 16:00 to 17:30, although this may vary in winter. Entry costs €4, and €2 for people with disabilities, over-65s, youth card holders and groups of more than 12.

The Church of the Rosario opens on Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00 to 11:00 and entry is free.

The Salobreña History Museum opens Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 14:00 and in the afternoon from 17:30 to 21:00. Entry costs €1.50.