Embalse de Cubillas

The Embalse de Cubillas covers 194 hectares between the municipalities of Albolote and Atarfe, about 15 kilometres north of central Granada. Built in 1939 and operational since 1955, it dammed the Cubillas and Colomera rivers for irrigation and flood control. The earthfill dam holds a shallow body of water — maximum depth around 20 metres — creating gentle-gradient shores suited to walking, fishing and birdwatching. On clear days, the outline of Sierra Nevada rises to the south beyond the water, with the Mulhacén (3,479 m) as a visual reference from the reservoir banks.

The University of Granada runs the Cubillas Nautical Campus, a leading watersports facility in the province. The campus is organised into four zones: teaching and management, sports and nautical, environmental and dining. Available activities include dinghy sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, dragon boat, pedalos and rowing boats. Beyond the university grounds, active tourism companies add zip lines, climbing walls, archery and slackline on the reservoir's fringes. The combination of water and land activities makes the area a full-day destination for families, school groups and stag parties.

The reservoir's birdlife is among the richest in Granada province. Over 60 bird species have been documented, including great cormorant, grey heron, mallard, lapwing, little ringed plover and several warbler and reed warbler species. The reservoir serves as a staging point during migrations and a nesting area for some resident species. Predominant fish are carp and trout; foxes, genets and badgers appear along the banks, especially at dusk. Vegetation includes pines, poplars, willows, tamarisks, reed beds and Mediterranean scrub with rosemary, thyme and rockrose on surrounding slopes.

The reservoir sits between Sierra Elvira to the west, the Colomera and Harana ranges to the north, and the edge of the Vega de Granada to the south. The Cubillas river flows 22 kilometres downstream from the dam to meet the Genil, a Guadalquivir tributary. The proximity to Granada city — under 20 minutes by car via the A-44 — and the range of activities make the reservoir a gathering point for those seeking open air without straying far from the city. The afternoon wind descending from Sierra Nevada ripples the water surface and provides stable sailing conditions, a detail local windsurfers know well.