Fuente del Lobo

Prepare for lots of tramping: Fuente del Lobo is well-placed for waterside walks along the Genil river, as well as hikes around the wider Sierra Nevada National Park, and as the park has been designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, its lands are also a splendid spot for birdwatching and wildlife spotting. Sierra Nevada National Park is home to the highest peaks of the Iberian peninsula (Mulhacén and Veleta), so skiing is a particularly popular pursuit around these parts in winter. The ski resort of Pradollano a 30-minute drive away has 121 marked runs beginning almost at the summit of 3,395 metre-high Veleta; there are cross country routes and a separate snowboard area (home to Spain's longest half-pipe), plus a kids' snow park and a slope especially for families to ski together on. In summer, Pradollano keeps three of its 22 lifts open, as the station becomes a mountain bike park crisscrossed by around 30 kilometres of trails. Weeks’ worth of sightseeing, shopping and sampling local cuisine are over in Granada, half an hour’s drive away, which is filled to the gills with monuments from various eras. Its most famed landmark has got to be its Alhambra palace and the Court of the Lions, but others to tick off the must-see list are the Royal Chapel of Granada, the Arc of Elvira and Granada Cathedral. Another sight worth a look is the city’s science park, for spectacular views from its 50-metre observation tower.