Discover Iznalloz

With the Cueva del Agua, several named trails and historic buildings, Iznalloz offers different starting points for planning a trip. Its natural and cultural heritage can be explored through specific places and routes. If you are looking for a hotel in Iznalloz, you can consider whether cave landscapes and trails or architecture and history should be the focus of your stay.

Natural landscape and Cueva del Agua

The Cueva del Agua opens on the southeast slope of Cabezo del Asno in the Sierra Harana. It lies within the municipality of Iznalloz at an elevation of about 1,750 metres. The cave is one of the notable karst formations in the protected ZEC Sierra de Arana, which covers 20,010 hectares and also extends across Iznalloz.

The eastern section of the Cueva del Agua contains extensive crystal formations and the Laguna del Glaciar, which is nearly 14 metres deep. The cave’s passages form a labyrinth. Excavations show human use from the Eneolithic and Argaric cultures through the Roman and Arab periods to the present day. Geological formations and a long history of use thus coexist in the cave.

Between Cogollos Vega and Deifontes, a steep access road climbs for about 6 kilometres to the Cueva del Agua. As road conditions can change, it is best to check them before setting out.

Trails and their different destinations

The trail to Mirador del Sotillo is designated as a circular route. Its stated length is 1,876 metres, it takes about 30 minutes, and its difficulty level is moderate. This route is therefore described with both an estimated time and a difficulty rating.

The El Sotillo area lies about 5 kilometres southeast of Iznalloz; access is via the Carretera de la Sierra. The El Sotillo Museo Micológico trail starts there and ends at a museum dedicated to mushrooms. This route is defined by a specific destination, while the trail to Mirador del Sotillo is primarily a circular route with a stated duration and difficulty level.

The Las Corzas-La Melera trail leads to Pico de las Víboras, at an elevation of 1,428 metres. There is a viewpoint there with a 360-degree field of vision. The route passes through varied vegetation and an area of ornithological interest. The views, plant life and birdwatching offer different points of interest here than the mushroom museum at the end of the El Sotillo Museo Micológico trail.

Castle and parish church

The history of its buildings is also part of Iznalloz’s character. The Castillo de Iznalloz preserves the remains of two attached towers, two large bastions and a substantial section of the former rammed-earth wall. The surviving parts convey an impression of the former fortification without reducing the castle to a single architectural feature.

The parish church of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios was designed by Siloé. Construction began in 1549, with Juan de Maeda, a pupil of Siloé, and the sculptor Alonso Hernández contributing to its construction. The castle and church thus provide an architectural and historical focus alongside the cave and trail themes.

Plan your stay around your interests

When looking for a hotel in Iznalloz, your trip’s different interests can be a useful starting point. The cave and the named trails offer a range of nature and excursion themes; the castle and parish church provide insight into the town’s built heritage. You can also choose between a circular route described by its duration and difficulty, a trail that ends at a museum, and a route with a viewpoint and ornithological interest.

Discover more destinations: Trevélez, Colomera, Pinos Genil, Cijuela, Pórtugos, Murtas, Los Balcones, Soportújar.

For the wider travel overview: Granada.