Sierra de Almijara, Tejeda, and Alhama
Just behind the town and to the west lie the mountain ranges of Almijara, Tejeda, and Alhama. Since 1999, they have been protected as a natural park of around 40,000 hectares, distributed between the Málaga and Granada provinces. The highest point is La Maroma at 2,068 metres, and from the peaks, you can see out over the Mediterranean. The village of Otívar in the Río Verde valley lies partly within the park.
The mountains are pale limestone and marble mountains with pine forests, scrub, and deep gorges – this is where the canyoning trips in Río Verde take place.
Sierra Nevada
Further inland lies the Sierra Nevada with Mulhacén at 3,479 metres – the highest mountain on the Iberian Peninsula. It is the same mountain range you drive through on the way to Granada, and it has its own ski resort.
Why the mountains are important
The mountains are a major part of the explanation for why the Costa Tropical is the way it is: They keep the cold northern winds away, they send the rivers down towards the sea, and they provide the special alternation between sea breeze and mountain air. Read more in Climate and The fresh air.
