Cuevaaked's Blog

Hi, recently a visitor asked if we could list daily activities that they could follow.  To this end we have put together some suggestions based on a 14 day stay in this area.

Arrival: The day of arrival anywhere is a time to get the shopping in, get settled in your new surroundings and relax.  Travelling is very tiring, so take it easy and read through the literature that is made available in the apartment.  This may lead you to making your own list of activities or confirming your choice of  using the suggestions supplied.

For those of you who are more energetic and eager to explore (and depending on your time of arrival here) may decide to take a leisurely walk to the Pizzeria which is located only minutes away from Cueva Aked.  This fabulously located restaurant offers a range of Pizza’s cooked in wood ovens (usually olive wood) and an extensive menu that includes meats and fish, cooked using traditional Andalucian recipes.  The grounds are superb and if you are here at the right time of year, eating outside in the courtyard is a must.  The original part of the restaurant was completely fashioned out of the rock by the owner and on chillier nights the cave offers a snug place to enjoy a meal.  Little Spanish is spoken, so take a phrase book.  The track that leads to the pizzeria is dark, so a torch would be handy, but if it is a cloudless night the stars will look amazing as there is little light pollution.

 

 

Day 1. The Baza Tour.  As you are in Baza you might as well start with a tour of this ancient town.  There are many areas of the town that hold their own magic.  Once the town was split into areas denoted mostly by those who lived there; the Moorish Quarter, The Jewish Quarter. What the visitor sees today is a town that is starting to understand the spleandour its historical past holds and it is beginning to demonstrate its determination to hold onto that heritage. This can be seen immediately by the recent work done to preserve the ancient Moorish Baths, that are some of the best examples in the whole of Andalucia.

The discovery of the Dama de Baza (a statue, or urn, found in the ancient town of Basti, just outside of the present day Baza) in the 1970′s shows the skills of the people who inhabited this region thousands of years ago.  The local museum has many exhibits showing the various occupations of Baza through the ages and if that doesn’t interest you visit the museum if only to see the ceiling in the outside courtyard and the upstairs room…enough said.

Day 2. Visiting the mountains.  Baza sits within the Altiplano, a plain that is surrounded by sierra’s.  Each sierra has its own uniqueness that has to be experienced to be understood and enjoyed.  As Cueva Aked is on the edge of Sierra Baza, this is a great place from which to start.  The Sierra can be experienced either by car or by foot.  There are three ways to enter Sierra Baza by car, one is to take a track that leads up the mountain and reaches the very top.  The views along this track are breathtaking and there are many places you can stop and just take in the scenery.  If you do get high enough a stop at the natural cave is a must.  The temperature change as you approach the entrance to the cave is extreme, whatever time of year you visit. Keep a lookout for wild deer and wild boar as well as eagles, falcons and buzzards.

The second way up Sierra Baza is by road, but this will only take you a little way up the mountain to the visitors centre, which is at Narvaez.  There is a small museum there that will give you some history into the past of Sierra Baza.  There is also a good bar and restaurant.  Opening times can change throughout the year, so timing your visit there is important.  The road to Narvaez is located off the A92 as you head towards Guadix and Granada.

The third way is also by car and takes you on a road from near Caniles and heads over a pass towards Escular and Abla.  This pass goes between Sierra Baza and Sierra de la Filabres.  The road is very winding and again the views are amazing.  There are many recreation centres just off this road and as with the whole of Sierra baza there are many BBQ areas set up for the visitor.

If you are here between October and May you can take food to cook on one of the many barbecues but you will need to take your own coals and utensils.  Otherwise you can just take a picnic.  Many locals use these areas, especially in the summer when the forest provide some relief from the high temperatures.  Although the temperatures in summer can get high the humidity here is very low which makes it all the more pleasant to enjoy the heat.

Day 3. Hot Springs Day. This area of Spain has a great deal of seismic activity deep underground. This is mainly caused by the continent of Africa and Europe colliding.  One advantage of this, since at least Roman times has been the hot springs that abound in the area.  They are great places to go and relax and many profess to being great healers of all kinds of aliments.  Some cost to get in (a couple of euros for a whole day) others are free.  The two nearest that provide quite different experiences are Banos de Zujar and Cela.  Banos de Zujar offers a circular restaurant and bar that provides stunning sunset views across Embalse de Negratin.   Cela is very popular with the locals and has many restaurants and bars surrounding it.  Both offer the capability to replenish the body after the arduous task of soaking for so long in warm, naturally heated water.  If one hot spring is enough for a day, we suggest you go to Banos de Zujar as it is the nearest and follow this by a trip up Cerro de Jabalcon .  This local hill provides amazing views down almost the entire 10 Km’s of Embalse de Negratin and the ride to the top is NOT for the faint hearted.

Day 4. Hiking day.   Your trip up Sierra Baza by car will have provided you with an overall idea of the layout of the landscape.  To really get to grips with the local area you need to put on those walking boots and hike.  From Cueva Aked you can set off in many directions.  some will take you out into the plain (which, surprisingly is not as flat as it may look from the top of sierra Baza), others will lead you along dry river beds and some will take you up gorges.  Most walks are signposted, but don’t be afraid to wander off the main tracks and explore.  In the natural park of Sierra Baza the local walks are shown by a red and white stripe on a rock, a tree, a log, a post, the floor…Keep your eyes peeled.  Look out for the big variety of  lizards you’re likely to spot along the way and take binoculars.  A good rest at a good viewing point can be used to take advantage of spotting distant deer and other animals that you wouldn’t normally get so close to.

 

Day 5.  Day at the lake. A day at the Lake (Embalse de Negratin) is a must.  Whether you want to simply open a folding chair, spread a towel on the beach, rest in the sun, swim and dive in the warm lake water, explore as you walk, eat lunch at a beach side restaurant, the local lake is a delight.  For those who like to take good photographs the light at the lake can be amazing.  Feed the fish that will swim between your legs, watch the varied water birds that visit the lake and enjoy peace and quiet.  the lake is so vast, with so few visitors it is easy to find your own secluded area.

Day 6.  Lake Tour. Having sampled the wonders of Embalse de Negratin you might like to take a lake tour and discover the beauty of the other lakes in the area.  Embalse de Bolera offers a fantastic restaurant that overlooks the lake.  There are also many walks in the area.  One leads to an amazing gorge view where two rivers meet.  Another follows a stream that has many pools, rewarding the hiker in warm weather with cool dips and eventually leading you to a waterfall.

Lake Portillo is the gateway to the mountain town of Castril make for a day of adventure that you will never forget.  The town of Castril has an amazing walk that takes you along the edge of the river, along a suspended wooden walkway that clings to the edge of the gorge, over a metal suspension bridge, through a cave (it gets momentarily pitch black, but you quickly see the light at the end of the tunnel) and on to visit a converted mill that in summer offers good food and drink and in winter a place to rest your bones.  If this sin’t enough the walk goes on through olive and almond groves in stunning countryside.  If you’re not ‘Laked out’ by this time you can go on to Embalse de San Clemente, before turning round and coming back via a different route to Baza.

Day 7.  Horse Riding Day. Baza is and has been for many hundreds of years a centre for horse training.  The famous Andalucian breed of horses are magnificent to watch as they are put through their paces by some of the most skilled riders in the world.  Every year a horse fair (Feria) is held in Baza (around the end of August.  In 2010 it was on the 28th August).  Horses are brought from far and near to perform in a purpose built arena.  So, it’s not surprising that horse riding is popular in the Baza region.  There is a stable close to Cueva Aked where horses/trekking  can be hired.

Day 8. Cave Tour Day.  One of the main attractions of this whole area is the thousand year old abodes built into man made caves.  Some are purely cave homes, some are part cave and part house.  Both have provided good, cheap housing for locals at least since the time of the Moors.  The caves make interesting, quirky homes, but with all the mod cons you’d expect in a house just built.  Our cave offers us regular temperatures, so it feels warm in winter and cool in summer.  This saves tremendously on heating and the need for air conditioning.  The caves also offer challenges to the D.I.Y.er as most respond in their own peculiar way to the materials being used in renovation and decoration.  Many say Yeso (the local plaster) is the material to use, we have found our cave responds better to the use of lime render, which we make ourselves.

In Baza there is a whole region that is given over to cave living, but as this is being written the area is being re-vamped, so here are some suggestions of areas to visit to experience cave living.  If you took our suggestion on the first night and the Pizzeria was open, you will have already seen a small cave in use, but there is more to come.

The small village of Bacor where caves nestle amongst hills, close to the Lake Negratin.

No more than a twenty minute drive towards Granada leads you to Guadix where you can take a tour of the cave area and visit cave museums.  They cost little to visit and give the visitor a good insight into how cave living was in the past.  Just near Guadix is the village of Purullena and the cave museum half way down the main street (Cueva Inmaculada) is well worth a visit.

In Purellana you can buy artifacts and souvenirs that have been made the very clay that was dug out of the caves.  Great presents for those back home.  If you have access to Google go to maps and type in Purellana, Spain and you’ll see some fascinating pictures of this area, which is also just as famous for its intiguing rock formation caused by thousands of years of weathering.  Again, if you have access to Google Maps you can look up Guadix and see examples of this astonishing area, but as is always the case, you can’t beat experiencing it first hand.

Day 9. Beach Day. If the beaches at Lake Negratin didn’t quite do it for you on your ‘Day At The Lake’ and you still want the taste of salt in your mouth, then Cueva Aked is well positioned to reach a number of coastal destinations.  The nearest coast, from a time of driving point of view, is Almeria.

But you can easily combine this with a visit to the Wild West in the morning and the beach in the afternoon.  Yes, you read correctly, The Wild West.  On the way to Almeria you drive through the only designated desert in Europe and at Tabernas there is Oasys.  This has a Wild West Town set out and many Spaghetti Westerns were shot there.  Even today the site is sometimes used as a film set.  You can even witness the re-enactment of a western scene as cowboys perform, riding horses and shooting guns.  You can visit the saloon and see Can-Can-Dancers along with many other activities around the town.  The atmosphere is amazing and you’ll be transported back hundreds of years to feel how people lived in the deserts of the Wild West.

Oasys also has a zoo which is laid out across many acres and provides you with views of some of the most endangered animals, such as the white rhino.  There is a train that will take you some of the way around the grounds to give your feet a rest and there are many places to stop and have a coffee, buy lunch or eat your own packed lunch.  The Cactus Garden is also worth a visit, but be honest, like me you never knew there were so many extraordinary cacti with so many different names !  At the end of your visit you are rewarded by a swimming pool that has flumes, sunbeds and a bar.

In the afternoon set off for Almeria and enjoy the Mediterranean on some of the best beaches offered.  Almeria is a bustling town and many Spaniards from as far afield as Madrid flock there in the heat of August to enjoy their annual holidays.   Just round the corner from Almeria is Agua Dulce (Sweet Water).  The port here is surrounded by bars and restaurants and as darkness falls this area takes on a new dimension offering everything from romantic water side dinners to disco’s and dancing.

Day 10.  Cycling day. At Cueva Aked you can hire bicycles.  There are many delights to visit, irrespective of the direction you head.  Just cycling up the mountain is a great pastime for the locals here and every evening they can be seen working their way steadily up and down the gradients.  For the more relaxed kind of cycling,  head for the plain.  It isn’t quite as flat as it looks from your apartment at Cueva Aked, but it’s a lot flatter than Sierra Baza!  So, there’s a challenge for the serious mountain bikers among you.  Riding amongst the olive and almond groves is a delight.  In the spring time the scent from the almond blossom fills the air and it’s wonderful to breath fresh, unpolluted air.

Day 11.  A Day In Granada. Most people who visit want to visit Granada and who can blame them.  It’s about 105 Km from Cueva Aked and driving at a moderate speed it takes about an hour to get there.  Please remember that though there is a great deal to do in Granada, it cannot all be done in a day.  Many visitors to Cueva Aked go to Granada each time they visit and concentrate on doing something new each time.  we would suggest you do the same.  here is a list of some of the things to do.

1.  Visit the Alhambra, grounds and palaces, in the day.

2. Visit the Alhambra, grounds and palaces at night when it is candle lit.

3. Visit the Water Park.

4.  The Science Museum.

5.  The Cathedral.  An awesome, stunning piece of architecture.  Take your time and just absorb that history!!

6.  Shop in the Souks (Arabic markets).  Take tea (there’s lots of tea with almost every taste you could imagine) and enjoy a Hooka in the Teteria’s (tea bars).

6.  Go shopping in the busy apartment stores.

7.  Take a drive from Granada up the the ski village (about 40 minutes from central Granada).

8.  Visit the Albayzin (the oldest residential part of Granada, which was once the place the palace falconers lived) and the Sacromonte (gypsy) area where you can see traditional flamenco dancing in the caves.  Visit the remains of the old Moorish baths and visit the museum. (European residents and students get in free to the museum, as long as you have identification).

9.  Visiting the graves of Ferdinand and Isabella the Christian Royal family that won Granada from the Moors.

10.  Visit the Mirador San Nicolas and watch the sun set and the lights brighten as the Alhambra fades into the darkness.  The view is as romantic as it ever gets.  Then wander into the Albayzin and sit in a square for the evening and enjoy the Spanish atmosphere, be serenaded by passing Flamenco guitarists and enjoy Menu del Dia, a 3 course meal, which at the time of writing this in August 2010 cost 7.50€ per person.  BARGAIN !!

11.  Follow the tapas trail (in Baza there is no such trail as all the bars do tapas of some kind, which is usually free or at a very low cost.  Expect to pay a little bit more in Granada).

I could go on and there are many other parts of this stunning city that deserve a mention and a visit.  For the purposes of this itinerary I will imagine you are visiting the Alhambra during the day to see the grounds and the palaces.  It is worth booking in advance.  Go to http://www.alhambra.org   .  A recent visitor to Cueva Aked, in August went for the day and got a ticket for the grounds and the palaces and paid only 12€.  BARGAIN !!

Day 12. White Towns Tour. Andalucia is famous for its brilliantly white towns and villages.  They seem to jump out at you from the hills and mountains where many perch, somewhat precariously, inviting you to sample their individual communities, bars and restaurants, but they all hold the same warm welcome to visitors.  Many of these towns have fantastic views and it’s a good opportunity to try your hand at some photography.  The locals generally don’t mind.  Also try some of your Spanish, you will be surprised at the reaction you get as you suddenly find yourself drawn into conversation with people who are strangers, but suddenly don’t seem to be.  Take your swimming costume, if you like a swim.  Most have their own swimming pools that are open in the summer and entrance is either free or just a few euros.   If swimming isn’t your thing settle down and try some of the local fair in the bars and restaurants that will be full of locals enjoying Menu del Dia or a relaxing drink at Siesta time.

Day of  Departure. If you are taking a late flight and have time to spare before setting of to the airport, then ask us and we will advise as to what you might be able to visit on your way to the airport, whether this is Almeria, Alicante, Murcia, Malaga or Granada.