Albuñuelas is located to the left of the River Santo Ravine, in an end of the Almijara Mountain range. Due to its altitude, from this town, beautiful pines and olive tree landscapes, sprinkled with spectacular passes can be contemplated. In such a majestic scene, and thanks to its weather, all type of sports related to nature can be practiced. Para-gliding, rock climbing, speleology or trekking are some of them. It has as well two hunting boundaries (greater and smaller) than extends throughout 7,500 hectares. Another note to stand out is its mines of lead, nickel and cobalt.
It is worth the trouble to go in the Albuñuelas Mountain range to enjoy places like the Fuente del Cañuelo, a site located 10 kilometres away from the town by the track that communicates with the road of Almuñécar. It has the legend that sometimes, when returning walking from the mountain range at dusk, a strange light, called “Light of the Rambla”, appears to the travellers and accompanies them until a mill located at the entrance of the town.
This town celebrates its popular and religious celebrations in August in honour of Nuestra Señora de las Angustias. The celebrations begin the 15th with the exit of this Virgin, San Sebastián and the young Virgin in procession. There is no lack of music at night and games in the day, and a fireworks spectacle as the finishing touch.
A few caves found near the town centre demonstrate that Albuñuelas was a human settlement during the Prehistoric period. At the Arab period it live a flourishing time and, according to what the chronicles say, its inhabitants offered serious resistance to reconquest of the Catholic Kings. It also had important protagonism with the moriscs, many of them were opposite to the rebellion of the XVI century although it did not serve to them to prevent its expulsion. Later, with the repopulation with old Christians coming from the Mancha, Albuñuelas reached its maximum splendour, as it testifies the documents found in the archives and the magnificent facades of some houses. As a black point of its history we can mention the 1884 earthquake that it caused 102 dead and the total destruction of 362 buildings. In spite of the time and the repairs, the damage of the cataclysm is still visible in some of their buildings.
The homemade cheeses and their stews of choto or goat, the olive oil and all type of products from the cultivated fields stand out. Traditional dishes like stews, migas or decollejas omelettes, as well as a delicious pastry making as they are the pestiños, buñuelos and twisted egg or anise rolls.
© Patronato Provincial de Turismo de Granada I Diputación de Granada
