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Starting at the mouth of the Rio Verde and heading inland as far as Otívar is Almuñécar's Tropical Valley, a densely cultivated area of fruit orchards and market gardens.

The rich alluvial valley floor is thick with chirimoyos, or custard apple trees, while the surrounding terraced hillsides are mostly avocado or mango plantations. As the valley narrows and rises around Jete, you'll also notice the pink fruit of the nispola, or Japanese Medlar Pear, being cultivated as well. (For more info see our guide to Subtropical Fruits.)

First stop is Torrecuevas, an outlying district about 3 km out of town where you can still see one of the surviving stretches of the Roman aqueduct, clearly visible beside the road.

Once you've crossed the river and are heading upstream, you'll come to a gasoline station. 200 metres further on, there's a small chapel cut into the rock on the far side of the river. It's here that the water for the aqueduct starts on its journey towards the town almost 7 km away and so, not surprisingly, the chapel is dedicated to the Virgen del Agua..

Passing through the small agricultural village of Jete, the road starts to climb more seriously into the hills until it reaches Otívar, capital of the local municipality. This is a popular eating spot for those from the coast, especially on weekends and there's a reasonable choice of restaurants for you to choose from at the top end of the village.

One kilometre out of the village and there's a turning to Lentejí which you reach after a further 7 km of twists and turns. Don't expect too many modern comforts in this simple but historic village. Just soak up the atmosphere, take in the wonderful views and clean mountain air, and meet the friendly people. After taking a wander through the small maze of backstreets you'll probably welcome a refreshment and a tapa or two at the cave bar back on the main street.

Heading back to the junction above Otívar, you can continue to follow the road up the pass towards Granada for another five or six kilometres until you come to a dirt parking area and track leading down the valley to the left. This goes to the Junta de los Ríos, an area of steep ravines, rock pools and waterfalls which form a delightful respite from the summer heat. However, you will need a 4x4 vehicle to descend the track safely. Specialist excursion and sports agencies are available in Almuñécar which can arrange guided visits or 'canyoning' trips down through the watercourse.

See our Area Closeup / Tropical Valley for further descriptions of the valley.

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