t Preparing to snorkel at Punta de la Mona, a cove on La Herradura bay
Blessed with a glorious climate and a varied landscape, ranging from marshlands to mountains, Andalucía’s great outdoors invites exploration. Surf on the Strait of Gibraltar, ski in the Sierra Nevada or cycle along reclaimed railway lines: the choice is yours.
t Preparing to snorkel at Punta de la Mona, a cove on La Herradura bay
Teeming with a colourful cast of fish, the headlands at La Herradura and the Parque Natural de Cabo de Gato are known for their scuba diving. The Federación Española de Actividades Subacuáticas will direct you to the nearest dive school (fedas.es).
The Sierra Nevada mountain range is perfect for walkers. For a challenging but extremely rewarding hike, scale Trevenque, known locally as “The King” due to the difficult ascent. If that sounds far too strenuous, try the Cañada Sereno, a family-friendly trail in the Sierra de Huétor Natural Park, northeast of Granada. See the Trek Nevada website for maps (treksierranevada.com).
Snow may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of sun-drenched Andalucía, but the frosty peaks of the Sierra Nevada are perfect for winter sports. As well as skiing and snowboarding, you can try out sledding, snowmobiling and snowshoeing. The beauty of skiing in the Sierra Nevada is that you can hit the slops in the morning and then warm up with a dip in the Med in the afternoon. The après-ski, based in the resort village of Pradollano, is pretty cool, too, with many students flocking here from nearby Granada.
The vast wilderness areas of Andalucía are home to a wide variety of creatures great and small. The Parque Nacional de Doñana is home to the elusive Iberian lynx; red deer and wild boar roam in the Parque Natural de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas; and Fuente de Piedra attracts thousands of birds from near and far.
If you prefer life on two wheels, then you’re in luck. Mountain biking, naturally, is popular in the sierras – take a tour with Cycle Sierra Nevada (www.sierranevada.cc). For something gentler, try one of Andalucía’s flat trails known as vías verdes (“greenways”). Check out the routes online (www.viasverdes.com).