Top things to do in Granada
Monachil, Granada
Don’t wait for spring to come to you. Grab your pack and escape to these sunny trails in southern Spain.
Monachil is a village located 4.9 miles away from Granada city, being really close to Sierra Nevada National Park. This village is very popular for nature lovers and snowboard and ski practitioners.
Do you want to discover the beautiful nature around Granada city? Then, here are three hikes for reacquainting yourself with the sun, shaking off winter’s rust, and basking in some epic scenery—sans crowds.
1. Sulayr first stage walking tour
Hikers will find something to love on the Sulayr trail, a 186 miles walking trail divided in 19 stages around the Sierra Nevada National Park. However, only the first stage crosses Monachil. Above all, this section of the tour surrounds the Monachil river and it is one of the best places to hike this spring near Granada.
By doing this tour, you will be able to enjoy the attractive views of the Sierra Nevada mountains, as well as the beautiful flora of the place. At the end, you can enter the botanical garden of La Cortijuela, where you will find more information about the vegetation of this place.
- Location: Monachil, 6 miles south of Granada city.
- Total distance: 9 miles
- Hike time: 4-5 hours (total)
- Difficulty Rating: Moderate
- Total ascent: 3,250 feet
- Highest elevation: 6,500 feet
- Best For: Exploring a paramount scenery
- Dogs: Unleashed
Finally, as an interesting fact of this route, you may be wondering, why is it called Sulayr? Well, it comes from the Arabs, which used this word to refer to the Sierra Nevada mountains.
If you want to learn more about this beautiful place just book the hiking tour here.
2. Cerro de Huenes guided hiking tour
Beat the spring rush with this walking tour. In fact, it follows an ancient path created for the reforestation of the Cerro de Huenes. This trail passes primarily through the Sierra Nevada National Park, and surrounds its most important mountain peaks. The best seasons to do this route are spring and autumn. However, if you go in winter, you will find a very beautiful snowy landscape.
Our favourite trail to scope the mountains? The 8 mile-long Cerro de Huenes trail.
Elsewhere along the loop trail, hikers can count on views of Sierra Nevada mountains, as it goes across the different peaks of the national park. It starts in the small village called La Zubia. Cerro de Huenes is majestic in all seasons, but it is best enjoyed in early spring. You will encounter impressive landscape in our second of the best places to hike this spring near Granada.
- Location: Monachil, 6 miles south of Granada city.
- Total distance: 8 miles
- Hike time: 3-4 hours (total)
- Difficulty Rating: Moderate
- Total ascent: 1,300 feet
- Highest elevation: 5,747 feet
- Best For: Exploring a fantastic scenery
- Dogs: Unleashed
3. Los Cahorros loop
After months of frigid temperatures, you may have forgotten how good it feels the sun in your skin. If so, the remedy is a few days in southern Spain. Indeed, this tour is one of the most popular hiking trails in Granada region. This is because of its natural beauty, due to the flood of the river basins, creating amazing caves, walls and rock formations over the years. This trail is perfect for a family vacation with an easy path. You will have to cross waterfalls, natural rock pools, caves, and narrow tunnels. Furthermore, one of the most well-known characteristics of this tour is the different suspension bridges that you will have to cross in our third of the best places to hike this spring near Granada. Indeed, this tour will show you one of the most beautiful landscapes of the Andalusian region.
- Location: Monachil, 6 miles south of Granada city.
- Total distance: 6 miles
- Hike time: 3-4 hours (total)
- Difficulty Rating: Easy
- Total ascent: 2,200 feet
- Highest elevation: 3,782 feet
- Best For: Exploring an outstanding scenery
- Dogs: Unleashed
Embrace guided tours
When you travel abroad with a guided tour, you immerse yourself in local culture and meet new friends.
One of the best ways to get your bearings as a traveler in southern Spain is by signing up for guided tours, especially if you want to get out of the crowded cities and into the countryside. Our half-day or full-day trips can get you to places that are often too difficult to get to on your own, with the added safety of a local guide by your side.
Inspired? Check out our small-group hikes in Granada mountains.
