National parks & nature reserves

The Sierra de Huétor is a natural park not far from the city of Granada that has always been popular with locals. Its lies between 1100 and 1900 metres above sea level.

The area’s limestone soil has created incredibly beautiful landscapes with mountainous ascents, narrow ravines, steep cliffs, limestone quarries and streams. The karst formations such as the Cueva del Agua are particularly noteworthy. Water is especially important here as it shapes the landscape and gives life to the surroundings. As far back as Moorish times, water was taken from the Fuente Grande de Alfacar, via the Acequia de Aynadamar canal, up to the Albaicín.  And even today, it is channelled to the gardens and fountains of the Alhambra.

The Parque Natural Sierra de Huétor has many pine grove forests. It also has large patches of Holm oak forests, some gall oak groves and as well as oak and maple forests. It has a rich fauna, with a great variety of mammals including the mountain goat, the wild boar, the fox, the genet, the weasel and the wild cat. We have also found many birds of prey here such the golden eagle, the goshawk and the eagle owl. The involvement of the Recovery Centre for Endangered Species Las Mimbres has helped protect many of these species.

Area: 12,128 hectares