• Region: Andalucia
• Provinces: Granada / Málaga
• Declared a Natural Park: 1999
• Park surface area: 40,663 hectares
• Z.E.P.A

Points of interest

The parkland of Sierras de Tejeda Almijara y Alhama is limited in the south east by the Mediterranean sea and rises in craggy mountains towards the north west. 52% of the park is in Granada province with 48% in Málaga province. The combination of altitudes and from sea shore to the peak of La Maroma at 2,080m encourages a diversity of vegetation, including some endemic species.

Promo video from the Sedella town hall in the Sierras de Tejeda Almijara y Alhama natural park.

The Axarquía

The geological structure of the Axarquía changes between limestone giving rise to dolomitic marble, quartzite and gneiss, which each hold different plant ranges. When the marble is eroded by the weather a very fine white sand is left.

The area in Málaga province is known as Axarquía and the famous cave of Nerja is situated here. Read about Nerja here.

Canillas de Aceituno area is also replete with natural caves, the main one being the Fajara, four kilometers away, with tunnels as long as 500m in length.

Find a hotel in the Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara y Alhama

Wine, pine, charcoal and raisins

Resin extraction from pine tree trunks and charcoal made from partially burning felled or pollarded trees are traditional land uses. Irrigated land is used to grow vegetables, citrus and fruit trees.

There are also vineyards and almond groves and many any farmhouses have areas for drying out the raisins. Traditional crafts products of marble and esparto grass can also be found in the area.

Flora

The exposed high, rocky slopes hold what is known as the hedgehog zone due to the low level prickly plants including Vella spinosa, Prunus prostrata, Erinacea anthyllis, Astragalus granatensis, Echinospartum boissieri, Hormathophylla spinosa and Genista lobelii.

On the upper slopes of the sierras is Mediterranean woodland with Junipers, Cork, Holm, Gall and Pyrenean oaks. At one time dense areas of Yew tree (Taxus baccata) grew but have been cut back to allow more grazing. The remaining ones are the best example in Andalucia and the furthest south on the Iberian Peninsular.

Some of the plants that grow on the dolomitic sand are Toadflax (Linaria amoi), Knapweeds (Centaurea bombycina and Centaurea prolongi), Wallflower (Erysimum myriophyllum), Kidney vetch (Anthyllis tejedensis), Hippocrepis eriocarpa, Fairy foxglove (Erinus alpinus), Silene boryi subsp tejedensis, Butterwort (Pinguicola submediterranea), Hieracium texedense, Purple columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris), Saxifrage (Saxifraga erioblasta), Draba hispanica, Andryala agardhii, Odontites longiflora, Milkwort (Polygala boissieri) and Iberis grossi.

The shrubs and undergrowth include Dwarf fan palm (Chamaerops humilis), Maytenus senegalensis, Osyris quadripartita, Cneorum tricoccum and Boxwood (Buxus balerarica). Characteristic of the coastal zones are, Whitebeam (Sorbus aria), Amelanchier ovalis, Cotoneaster granatensis, Adenocarpus decorticans, Quercus pyrenaica and Acer granatense.

Fauna

There are large numbers of Spanish ibex which have made an excellent recovery in numbers since hunting of them has been strictly controlled. Another success story is the Red squirrel which only arrived in recent years but has already spread to both extremes of the mountain range.

Most noteworthy are the population of eagles including Golden, Bonelli’s, Booted and Short-toed eagles, other raptors are Peregrine falcon, Goshawk and Kestrel. Listen out for nocturnal Red-necked Nightjar and Nightjar.

Also in the area

• Once a famous Moorish stronghold, the town of Alhama de Granada has hot sulphurous spa waters which reach over 44C.
• Nerja cave was discovered in 1959 and is 4,823 metres long. The lower galleries are open to the public. There are 8 or more halls with the largest being The Hall of the Cataclysm which is more than 100 metres long and 50 metres wide and over 30 metres high. Wall paintings found inside the caves date from the Paleolithic and post-Paleolithic periods while skeletal remains and artifacts show that they were inhabited from about 25,000 BC up until the Bronze Age.

Guided tours and excursions in the area of Sierras de Tejeda Almijara y Alhama

Information/Visitors Centers

La Resinera (Turn off the GR-SO-16 road between the villages of Arenas del Rey and Fornes at the signposted exit for La Resinera. The facility is further along the this turn-off, about half way (approximately four kilometres) between the two villages.)

The impressive mountainous massif of the Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara y Alhama Nature Park is marked by the whitish colour of the abundant marble existent in the area. The sandy soils produced by the decomposition of the marble provide the perfect habitat for the cluster pine (pinus pinaster sub mesgensis). This species thrived so much that its resin became a lucrative source of income for the local population, so much so that the factory opened in the area by the Unión Resinera Española only closed its doors in 1975.

The Botanical Garden of Detunda (Nerja Cave) can be found next to the Cueva de Nerja, in Maro, a small village close to the town of Nerja.

Visitor information centre in Sedella. (Address: c/ Villa del Castillo nº 1, Sedella)

This visitor centre is located in the town of Sedella and is a particularly well suited place to discover the values of the Sierras of Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama Natural Park, as well as the role this unique protected space plays within the Network of Natural Areas of Andalusia.

The centre also features an interactive model, a lookout window and different types of museum displays; these elements make it possible for visitors to learn about the living beings in the natural park by giving an overview of its different landscapes, from the lowlands to the rough mountain peaks which are constantly being whipped by the wind.

The audiovisual room plays a short documentary on the nature of the park which complements the information concerning the colonisation of this territory. The documentary highlights the most important historical moments, the traces of which still remain thanks to the rich historical and cultural heritage that these places possess.

El Saltillo de Málaga: A Thrilling Bridge Between Villages

Connecting the picturesque villages of Canillas de Aceituno and Sedella, the El Saltillo trail features one of Spain’s longest hanging bridges. Suspended over the Almanchares River, this trail offers adrenaline-pumping views of the gorge below, paired with the beauty of the Sierra de Tejeda, Almijara, and Alhama Natural Park.

Getting There

Canillas de Aceituno is conveniently located just a 50-minute drive from Málaga, making it an excellent day trip destination. Public buses connect Málaga to nearby Vélez-Málaga, but having a car provides far greater flexibility, especially if you plan to explore other charming towns in the area.

Or, try this guided tour option from Malaga

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clive

I’ve been living in this lovely area of Western Andalucia for the last 20 years or so and dedicate most of my time to the running of English language tourist information websites for the towns of Cádiz, Ronda, Grazalema, the famous or infamous Caminito del Rey, and also Wildside Holidays, which promotes sustainable and eco-friendly businesses running wildlife and walking holidays in Spain. My articles contain affiliate links that will help you reserve a hotel, bus, train or activity in the area. You don’t pay more, but by using them you do support this website. Thankyou!