Sierra Alhama - Costa Tropical route

Riding a motorbike is about more than getting from ‘A’ to ‘B.’ The important thing is to enjoy the trip and cover kilometres full of emotion, for the pure pleasure of it. And these are precisely the reasons for doing this route, which takes you from Granada to the Costa Tropical, an alternative, long and winding itinerary, offering a day brimming with sensations. It is for good reason that the ‘Ruta de la Cabra’ (Goat Route) is one of the most popular motorcycling routes in the area. It is notable for its demanding course and rugged scenery, a stunning route that clings to the mountains. The road is sometimes not in perfect condition, but the route always runs amidst magnificent scenery, with truly breathtaking views. A tremendous route and among the finest riding sessions.

You set out from the Nasrid city of Granada (stop 1) towards Las Gabias. After leaving behind the monumental city and the historic orchards of the Vega, you will enter plots cultivated with cereals and olive trees, where you are greeted by the countryside of the Temple. Upon reaching La Malahá, you will find a winding area where, in the shade and in winter, you will have to take care due to the possibility of ice. After a straight stretch and passing Ventas de Huelma, the road is winding again, with well-maintained tarmac and little traffic, rolling through fields of crops until reaching the village of Cacín. You leave the valley of the River Cacín on a road which is perfect for driving, with plenty of bends and good visibility, and which takes you to Alhama de Granada (stop 2), while offering a sensational panoramic view. A place which is famous for its medicinal waters, it is recommended that you visit the vantage points in the upper part of the village, where you can admire the deep gorges formed by the River Alhama.

From there, turn 90º southeast on the A-4150 and head towards the beautiful Los Bermejales reservoir and the village of Arenas del Rey (stop 3), on the northern edge of the Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama natural park. You will skirt the tail of the reservoir on a well-maintained road, with long, sweeping curves, until you reach Fornes and Jayena. From this point, the GR-3302 road ascends through pine forests until it reaches the Legionario stop (stop 4). This is the highest point on the route, rising to over 1,300 metres above sea level.

Here, at the junction with the A-5040, the main attraction of the route begins: a very long, slow, winding and difficult descent to the coast with irregular asphalt and gravel debris. The views over the ravine alongside you are almost hypnotic, with the Mediterranean always in the background. It is best not to hurry but to stop frequently and enjoy the scenery and the sight of the many paragliders soaring through the skies. There are many vantage points, each offering a unique view of the sierra, the white villages perched on the mountainside and the Mediterranean. An unmissable stop is the vantage point that lends its name to the route: the Mirador de la Cabra (‘Goat Vantage Point’) (stop 5). After going through a spectacular tunnel carved out of the rock, and passing dozens of motorbikes on the same route, you will see the village of Otívar, lying in the sunshine and gazing placidly out to sea. From the village, the road remains winding and steep, winding over steep ravines and justifying the meaning of its name.

On the way down, the tangled Mediterranean forest gives way to the lushness of the tropical crops and, after a few kilometres packed with bends, you will get a close-up view of the impressive marine horizon of the Costa Tropical. There, at the destination, you can enjoy the magnificent beaches of Almuñécar (stop 6) and exquisite cuisine by the sea. The culinary tradition is based on fish and seafood of the day, which are always present in its fish markets (shrimps, snapper, gilthead bream, sea bass, etc.), fresh vegetables and the tropical fruits that are the hallmark. You must not leave Almuñécar without trying its custard apples, mangoes, papayas and guavas; or the most traditional dishes, such as fennel stew, skate, either stewed or with lemon, seafood rice, clambake, sardine skewers and San Juan buns.

San Cristóbal beach, at Almuñécar. It is 1,050 metres long, 50 metres wide has earned a Q award for the quality of its waters. From the east, it closes in the Peñones de San Cristóbal natural monument.