Vegas del Genil is located in the metropolitan area of Granada, right to the west of the capital and located in an alluvial plain. Its traditional system of irrigated land inherited of the andalusí time defines the landscape of the town, with mother canals and the infinite branches of irrigation that fulfil its fields. It is surrounded as well by refreshing tree-lined avenues sprinkled with tobacco dryer warehouses. This town offers one of the bucolic landscapes of the province.
In January of 1976 it was officially constituted as town because of the union of the old city councils of Ambroz, Belicena and Purchil. In spite of its recent creation, Vegas del Genil is one of the towns where the primitive peninsular towns were based before, in particular, the turdulos. From them, other towns chose this space for its residence, like, the Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Romans. These last ones rose in Vegas del Genil one of the typical agricultural villas that supplied to the Granada’s Iliberis. This villa was baptized with the name of Bellicium (from where Belicena comes, "the place of the battle"), it is the first stable population founded on its district. However, there is not any archaeological vestige left of the history of these towns. In the Arab period it became a cortijada or farmhouse. When the Conquest concluded, Belicena was repopulated with Christians, whereas the Moorish population of Ambroz and Purchil stayed. But after the definitive expulsion of the Moorish, the three settlements were repopulated with families coming from Andalucia, Madrid and Zamora. The land was distributed by plots or luck. The birth of the core that constitutes the town at the moment was produced as a result of several cortijos and small villages in the XVIII century
The asparagus, the hot gachas and the pot of San Antón are typical dishes served in Vegas del Genil. The stuffed peppers and the rabbit to the lemon are also part of their traditional recipe book. Among their desserts, the soft twisted rolls, the eggs moles and in glory, the fried milk and the sweet flowers can be tasted.
© Patronato Provincial de Turismo de Granada I Diputación de Granada
