12 de September de 2023
The Granada UNESCO Global Geopark, located in Granada, is an impressive ecotourism destination framed in the center of the largest and most extensive steppe plateau in Andalusia. The Geopark extends to 47 municipalities and most of it is classified with some sort of natural protection, including seven natural parks and one National Park.
This is an unique destination in Europe that tells the story of the Earth. The badlands, an icon of the geopark, are the leftover of the fluvial modeling that keeps shaping the hills over time. Moreover, the largest fossiliferous finds of Quaternary vertebrates in the continent are found here, including the oldest human remains in Western Europe.
The geopark is an area of exceptional cultural value due to the abundance of archaeological and paleontological sites, troglodytic architecture, mining heritage and living traditions. Ecotourism is at its best in the Granada Geopark and we invite you to discover the destination through our accredited activity and accommodation companies. All our members are environmentally responsible and have implemented different measures to support the conservation of this unique protected area. Keep reading to make your visit unforgettable
Ecotourism experiences in the Granada Geopark
Highlighted experiences: astrotourism & hot air balloon flights
The Granada Geopark is one of the best spots in Spain to watch the starry sky at night. Turismo Astronómico de Granada is a company based in Los Coloraos Astronomical Complex, in the unique Gorafe desert, that offers astronomy and astrophotography activities and courses for monitors and guides.
Azimuth is a company that provides quality astrotourism and educational activities to bring science closer to all levels of society, making it attractive and accessible to all. These activities include guided sky observations and talks, day trips to viewpoints of astronomical interest or workshops in astronomy and astrophysics for all levels.
Another way to enjoy the skies is by joining a hot air balloon flight. Glovento Sur is based in Granada and offers private and group balloon flights over the Granada Geopark to enjoy the variety and vastness of the landscapes. The experience combines a guided flight over the most iconic views, depending on weather, and a beautiful breakfast back into Spanish soil.
Nature and cultural ecotourism activities
La Sagra Guías de Montaña, Ocio y Aventura is a guiding mountain, leisure and adventure company offering different activities and experiences, such as guided hiking or trekking, snowshoeing trails or via ferrata. During the activities, special attention is paid to safety, quality and environmental protection to ensure the best experience is created.
Goyo Garrido Adventures is a company that offers private and tailor-made ecotourism, active and cultural tourism activities and experiences. The most popular activities include 4×4 routes, guided hiking trails, visits to local wineries, canyoning, horseback riding, electric bike rental and guided tours to Guadix, Baza or the Tia Micaela Medieval Fortress Caves.
Green Walk is a company whose mission is to raise awareness of the geological and environmental heritage of the Granada Geopark. The offer of activities are based on discovering the different Quaternary formations and fossils, going through the traces of earthquakes and finding active faults, hot springs, impossible canyons or water trails.
Ecotourism accommodation in the Granada Geopark
Stay the night in authentic cave houses
Almagruz is a cave resort comprising a set of cave houses, a Troglodyte Habitat Interpretation Center and an old farmhouse turned into an ethnographic center. The cave houses offer all the comforts in a cozy atmosphere, providing an unique stay in these traditional caves made of local materials and ancestral techniques.
Cuevas la Granja is a rural tourism resort of 18 cave houses surrounded by peach and olive trees located in Benalúa, in the heart of the Granada Geopark. The site is hosted by Francisco and Ana, guardians of the cultural and environmental wealth of this impressive spot. The silence and perfect temperature in the cave houses and its architectural originality give the visitor a unique feeling of peace and tranquility.
Cuevas el Torriblanco is located very close to the Gorafe desert, in a unique spot of privileged views over Sierra Nevada and the Gorafe canyon. The caves have been carefully restored preserving the original structure and remaining perfectly integrated into the environment. They are self-sustainable as they generate their own energy whilst offering all the comforts for a perfect stay.
Cuevas del Tío Tobas are a set of 19 cave houses of approved quality and architectural singularity perfectly located at 60 km from Granada capital and 1 hour from the beaches of Cabo de Gata. The cave resort has a swimming pool, restaurant, cafeteria, meeting room, activities company and an exhibition-shop of handicrafts and gastronomy products from the region of Guadix.
Rural accommodation providers
El Molino de Morillas is an old flour mill converted into 6 apartments, surrounded by impressive landscapes of badlands in front of one of the most important archaeological sites of the Ibero-Roman culture, in Galera. The accommodation highlights its sustainable and bioclimatic architecture, beautiful gardens of orchards and fruit trees, streams and even waterfalls. This is a place perfect for families and for little getaways to dive deep in nature and disconnect from daily routes.
Hostal Labella is a lovely family hotel dating from 1989 with 11 rooms of wonderful views over the Palace-Fortress of La Calahorra and the Sierra Nevada natural area. The accommodation is perfectly located at the foot of the north face of the Sierra Nevada and 1 hour from the coast of Almería and the Alpujarras.
Cortijo Rural Bacares is a farmhouse converted into three rural houses (Bacares I, II and III) that holds the essence of the traditional house such as the corrals, haystacks or the pigsty. A lot of the original furniture has also been restored, which together with the themed designs and surrounding nature tell the story of this special farmhouse and its role in the town back in the days.
Signature ecotourism providers
La Casa del Desierto is a unique accommodation perfectly integrated into the natural environment of the Gorafe desert. This is a fully glazed and eco-design house capable of withstanding large thermal variations, that can reach up to 30º in a single day. It offers comfortable accommodation in a superb setting from which to enjoy the impressive views of the desert and the stars.
The Balneario de Alicún de las Torres is a fantastic spa with a hotel and outdoor thermal pools in the middle of nature and surrounded by megalithic remains. The Spa has been promoting therapeutic health through mineral-medicinal waters since 1920, offering holistic treatments, wellbeing and relaxation.
If you need help designing your next ecotourism getaway in the Granada Geopark, we recommend you to get in touch with Soloaventura Events, an activities company and travel agency specialised in putting together bespoke experiences and events in the area.
The Ecotourism Club in Spain – Soy Ecoturista groups together destinations and companies which guarantee, by fulfilling a series of requirements, their commitment to conservation and local sustainable development. That is why it has created its own brand “Ecotourist in Spain” and the website www.ecotouristinspain.com, where you can find protected areas, accommodation and companies which offer their tourism services, as well as experiences and activities committed to the preservation of the area in which they take place.