Pinos Genil: Trails and Tram History

The approved SL-A 393 “Agua que Fluye” circular trail has two starting points: it can be started in the Los Pinillos area or directly in the town centre of Pinos Genil. City bus route 33 connects the town with Los Pinillos, from where the local trail can be started. This means that the same circular trail can be joined at two different points in the town without changing the route.

Trails and Walks

The SL-A 393 trail follows the historic route of the Sierra Nevada Tramway, combining it with a riverside walk and a route through the old town of Pinos Genil. “Agua que Fluye” is accessible. The trail is suitable for Nordic walking and for children aged three and over. It is also dog-friendly. These features also describe the trail as a walking route whose course includes historical connections, the riverside and the town centre.

The guided “Discovering Berta Wilhelmi” route is a three-hour interpretive walk through the town centre and along the local SL-A-393 trail. It is moderately easy and fully accessible. The route therefore connects the town centre with the aforementioned local trail. Its three-hour duration and classification as moderately easy directly indicate the time required and the difficulty level of this guided tour.

Tram and Culture

The restored former railway station building houses the Centro de Interpretación del Tranvía de la Sierra. In this cultural centre, visitors can learn about part of Granada’s history through the Sierra Nevada Tramway and its key figures. The building’s historical use remains recognisable as part of its present-day cultural function.

The Centro de Interpretación del Tranvía de la Sierra offers a guided tour lasting approximately one hour. The centre also features a working model that recreates the tram’s route as it travelled through Pinos Genil. The tunnels of the disused Sierra Nevada Tramway line are remarkable remnants. The tour, model and tunnels thus point to different ways in which the former railway line and its history remain visible in the town.

Historical Sites

The parish church of Santa María Magdalena was built in the 16th century in the Mudéjar style. It was constructed on the site of a former Muslim mosque. The church thus combines its 16th-century construction date with an earlier sacred site and the Mudéjar style.

Alto del Cerro de la Cruz is known for its magnificent views. Fábrica de la Luz was the first hydroelectric power station in the province of Granada. From 1898 until its closure in 1978, it supplied Granada and the surrounding areas. These dates mark the facility’s long historical period of operation and its subsequent closure.

Fábrica de Papel del Blanqueo belonged to Berta Wilhelmi. It included a hydroelectric power station as well as extensive agricultural operations. In El Blanqueo, Berta Wilhelmi introduced mobile beekeeping, thereby modernising honey production throughout the province of Granada. The site is consequently associated with industrial activity, agriculture and the development of beekeeping.

Festivals and Getting There

The festivities in honour of the Virgen del Rosario and San Roque take place on the first weekend of August. Intercity bus route 390 runs from Paseo de los Basilios directly to the centre of Pinos Genil. For a stay in Pinos Genil, a hotel in the town can provide a practical base.

Other places: Guájar-Alto, Alquife, Cortes De Baza, Bubión, Salar, Montejícar, La Taha, Algarinejo

To the main travel overview: Granada.