Enjoying the Central Southern Coast of Spain

While in Granada we though it would be a great idea to make a day trip and ride towards the coastal town of the Granada and Málaga. Angela had also mentioned that we would really enjoy a hike along the slot canyon and river of Rio Chillar.

Map of our day’s journey: We went from Granada, to the southern coast, and back again – 229 km (142 miles).

After a one-hour ride to our destination we were greated with…

…this disappointing news – PROHIBIDO! We were really looking forward to hiking the beautiful slot canyons and cool waters of the Rio Chillar. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, this area is now off limits. Darn you COVID!! Huge bummer.

Instead of letting it ruin our day, we decided to do some exploring of the nearby region. We started by walking south through the coastal resort town of Nerja

Nerja, Spain

Beautiful entryways seem to be the standard here in this region.

Even the mail slots are beautifully decorated with brightly painted tiles.

We came across a small cemetery with high walls surrounding it. A single entryway granted access to thousands of gravesites all beautifully looked after and decorated with silk flowers.

I liked this one the best. I love the simplicity of it and could easily imagine that Alberto was a decent, hard working man, who built thousands of projects for the local community and his family.

Many walls featured simple but colorful potted plants.

The seafront promenade had…

…high-end shopping boutiques…

…quaint and cozy beaches…

…incredible views from the Balcón de Europa…

…of the beautiful blue Mediterranean.

I ended up swimming for a bit in the cool Mediterranean Sea which did a great job of cooling me off since temperatures were well above 32°C (90°F).

After a cool dip it was time to head back to the motorcycles parked to the north.

Siesta was just starting so we had the beautiful streets all to ourselves.

“The center smiles at you!” How nice.

Having a great day despite the mandatory mask requirement. Here in Spain, it’s not a political decision that is debated or contested. We don’t necessarily like it, but we just accept it, and move on with our lives.

There was wonderful artwork throughout the streets…

…like this colorful stencil…

…bright and beautiful landscaped tiled porch…

…and elegant ceramic wall hangings.

Our time in Nerja wasn’t rushed. We just walked along and let our curiosity determine where we should turn. Before long we were back at the motorcycles and riding off to our next destination.

Riding near the mountain town of Frigiliana, Spain.

Hotel Los Caracoles

We came across this place by accident. We were just enjoying the ride along the picturesque and windy roads of the MA-5105 when we came across these unique shaped buildings. We decided to ride up the steep entrance and see what they were all about.

This is the restaurant located near similar shaped bungalow-type hotel rooms. If we didn’t already have a room for the night in Granada, we would have booked a room here. It was very quite and peaceful.

This inside of the restaurant with curved ceilings, walls,…

…and unique styled circular windows…

…that let in the great views of the nearby town of Frigiliana.

There was even a colorful parrot here!

Riding down the steep driveway from the restaurant.

Torrox, Spain

As we rode a little further south, we were treated to the…

…narrow streets of Torrox, and the…

…Plaza de la Constitución, with its hundreds of colorful umbrellas blanketing the fountain courtyard with shadows.

Castillo de San Miguel, Almuñécar, Spain

Our final destination of the day was Almuñécar and the Castillo de San Miguel.

The original fortifications dates back to 1st century B.C. where it was build during the Moorish occupation.

The castle changed hands during much of its lifespan – Phoenician, Roman, Arabs and Berbers, and then Christian Spaniards.

Since it was on a hill, it offered great views of the surrounding mountains and Mediterranean.

An attached museum showed artifacts from the Phoenician and Roman occupation.

The walls became a patchwork of material as each occupation added their own particular (lack of) craftsmanship or (lack of) style.

Great views of the surrounding Mediterranean to take in and enjoy.

The castle seemed to not have any visitors for some time. As we walked around we discovered that seagulls were becoming agitated and were mewing as they flew overhead.

It turns out they were concerned because they had young gulls nearby. They youngins couldn’t fly so they just did their best to hide by staying low to the ground.

I imagine, the seagulls made the best of the isolation of a castle over the last few months due to the COVID-19 quarantine in March. With no human visiting the castle walls, I’m sure it was a perfect place to lay their eggs and enjoy some peace and solitude.

Returning to Granada

Whenever we arrive home after dark it’s either because we had a great day or a difficult day. Today we ended up having a great day!

---

Join us next blog post as we make our way to the charming Spanish city of Cordova…

Thanks for reading our travel blog. If you would like to help support future travel writing and videos please consider joining us at: https://www.patreon.com/viajarmoto