Arenas Del Rey: Nature Park, Reservoir and History

History and Culture

La Resinera was formerly a resin distillation factory that became one of Spain’s largest turpentine production facilities.

The La Resinera information point is located in the two former buildings on the factory site: the chapel and the school.

It is located in the heart of the Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara y Alhama Natural Park, on its Granada side.

The connection between the factory site and the nature park is immediately evident at La Resinera in the places mentioned: the former chapel and former school both belong to the historic factory site, while the information point is also located within the protected area.

The ruins of the former settlement of Arenas del Rey preserve the remains of the cemetery.

The foundations of its parish church, San Sebastián, have also been preserved.

The Church of San Sebastián is a basilica-style temple from the late 19th century.

Thus, remains of the former settlement and a church building from a later period stand side by side at this site. The megalithic dolmen is located next to the reservoir.

It was moved and rebuilt stone by stone to prevent it from sinking into the reservoir’s waters.

Poblado del Embalse was built in the 1960s and is located next to the dam.

It is a unique example of functional architecture integrated into the landscape.

The Ermita de San Isidro is surrounded by lush gardens.

Other places include Fornes, Zagra, Pinos Genil, Benamaurel, Huétor - Santillán, Lobras, Quéntar and Zújar.

Routes Through Water and Rock

The Route de los Tajos de los Bermejales uses suspension bridges.

They are used to cross sections with difficult terrain.

Along the river, the route features rock formations shaped by erosion.

Pools, waterfalls, and cascades are also part of its course along the river.

Thus, on this route, the constructed crossings of the suspension bridges alternate with landscape features shaped by the river and erosion. Difficult terrain, rock formations, and various water features are explicitly part of its course.

The route along the Río Cebollón follows the riverbed.

For the most part, it runs through the water and through an almost untouched natural landscape.

The Cueva del Linarejo is considered a nature reserve and tourist attraction in Arenas del Rey.

Visitors to the Cueva del Linarejo can explore formations of stalactites and stalagmites.

Inside the cave, the focus is therefore on the dripstone formations, while its designation as a nature reserve describes its classification in Arenas del Rey.

Reservoir and Nature Observation

The Pantano de los Bermejales circular route includes a section from the dam in the direction of Arenas del Rey.

Various waterfowl can be observed in their natural habitat along the circular route.

The route therefore connects the area around the dam with the direction of Arenas del Rey and also allows visitors to observe various waterfowl in their natural habitat.

The clear waters at Poblado del Embalse invite visitors to swim, fish, and enjoy water sports.

At Poblado del Embalse, the settlement’s functional architecture integrated into the landscape meets the clear waters at the dam.

For the overarching travel overview: Granada.