An itinerary connecting Granada and Almeria, following an ancient story

Andalusia is preparing a new long-distance tourist route that aspires to connect the famous Granada Alhambra with the Adra coast by following the final journey of Boabdil. Designed as a cultural, heritage, and natural project, the itinerary will link 32 towns in the provinces of Granada and Almeria, offering an accessible and immersive experience that combines history, scenery, and land through one of the most symbolic episodes of southern Europe. The Boabdil Route is not just a geographical path, but a narrative journey spanning centuries of history and a diversity of landscapes rarely found in a single destination. This itinerary begins at the Granada Alhambra, a universal symbol of Nasrid splendor, and gradually unfolds towards more intimate and natural surroundings, where the mark of that past remains evident in paths, villages, and traditions. From the metropolitan area of Granada and the fertile Lecrín Valley, the route ventures into the Alpujarra, a land of mountains, ravines, and white villages that preserves a unique cultural identity, with trails rich in history, centuries-old irrigation channels, and landscapes inviting exploration on foot or by bicycle, making travel an essential part of the experience. Each segment proposes a measured transition where the historical narrative blends with observation of the environment and direct contact with the territory. The route continues through the so-called Upper Alpujarra, a succession of small villages perched on the slopes of Sierra Nevada and its Almerian side. In this final section, the route becomes atmospheric: it is the stretch that looks back on the refuge before exile, a more arid and open landscape that anticipates the encounter with the Mediterranean Sea. The journey culminates in Adra, a coastal enclave from which Boabdil departed for Melilla with part of his court before continuing to Fez, symbolically closing the passage from one world to another.

Hiking route in the Sierra Nevada mountains, with the town of Quéntar in the background © Shutterstock

The Boabdil Route thus invites you to discover Andalusia from a different perspective: less monumental and more territorial, more leisurely and more connected with history and landscape. A journey that transforms movement into experience and the past into a way of understanding the present, promoting sustainable tourism development and territorial cohesion. Location Andalusia is located in the south of Spain, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, and borders Portugal, Extremadura, Castile-La Mancha, and Murcia. It has international airports in Malaga, Seville, and Granada, a high-speed rail network, strategic ports (Algeciras, Malaga, and Cadiz), and an extensive motorway network.