Monachil, province of GRANADA, Spain

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Monachil

Set in a fertile valley in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Monachil is only 8 km from Granada. Veleta Peak and the Sierra Nevada ski resort can both be found here.

Monachil consists of three urban areas: Monachil Town, el Barrio de Monachil and the Sierra Nevada Ski Resort (Pradollano).

The first habitants at Monochil date back to the Bronze Age (Argar Culture), occupying the area between 1,900 and 900 B.C. Numerous archaeological sites provide proof of this, the most significant being that at Cerro de la Encina, where a village and fort once existed.

La Encarnación Parish Church was built in 1501 during Granada’s period of transition to Catholicism after Muslim occupation. It is situated in Monachil’s Plaza Alta.

Of all the aristocratic mansions which existed in Monachil only the Casa del Molino remains. Moreover the Convent of the PP. Augustinos Recoletos has been in the Barrio de Monachil since 1912; it is a shrine to Saint Rita and a pilgrimage site.

Monachil offers visitors a large variety of spots of natural beauty and interest, largely due to the fact that most of the surrounding area is part of the Sierra Nevada National Park.

The countryside is dominated by water and the Monachil River particularly stands out for its beauty. It flows down from its source at Veleta Peak and through the town and consists of beautiful springs, pools, waterfalls and winding bends.

Near its source, next to the ski resort, is El Mirlo Spring, a beautiful spot where the river forms a series a small ponds where you can find trout.

But perhaps one of the most spectacular places in the whole of the Sierra Nevada is Los Cahorros gorge situated at only 2 km from Monachil. Its steep cliffs, tunnels, waterfall and famous suspension bridge, which is over 55 metres long, are a delight for all visitors.

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There are other walking trails in the Monachil area, for example at Los Llanos de Satajarda recreational area in the Sierra Nevada National Park, where there are barbecue facilities in a marvellous pine forest.

For the more adventurous types, Los Cahorros with its impressive steep cliffs is the ideal spot for rock climbing and El Purche area is one of the best sites in the whole of Spain for parascending.

Climbing Veleta and Mulhacén Peaks is also a possibility for mountaineering enthusiasts. September is the best time of year to do so. If you want to do this in an easier, more instructive fashion, some hostels offer shuttle buses right to the base of Veleta Peak. During the trip your guide will tell you about all of the flora and fauna of the area.

If you are looking for an adrenaline rush we recommend leaving from Pradallona and climbing both Veleta and Mulhacen Peaks in the same day.

Ski Resort

The Sierra Nevada Ski Resort (Solynieve) is situated in Monachil and is heaven for snow sport enthusiasts.

It is the southernmost ski resort in Europe and therefore receives the most hours of sunlight, yet it also outdoes the competition in terms of the quality of the snow, the altitude (from 3,394 metres at Veleta to 2,100 metres at Pradollano) and the size of the area in which you can ski, with more than 64 km of marked pistes.

However the Sierra Neveda resort not only offers winter sports, during the rest of the year there are also activities such as hiking, mountain biking or pony trekking; making this one of the most attractive ski resorts in Spain.