Getaways and things to do in Natural Park of Sierra de Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama

The Sierra de Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama rises between the provinces of Málaga and Granada as a limestone barrier separating the Costa Tropical from the interior. Its highest crests, Tejeda peak (2,065 m) and La Maroma (2,066 m), are the rooftop of Málaga province and can be reached from trails that start at sea level just 15 km away in horizontal distance. This extreme altitudinal gradient, from subtropical beaches to high-mountain scree, generates an unusual diversity of habitats within a protected area of 40,662 hectares.

The massif's geology is almost entirely calcareous, with dolomitic marbles that water has shaped over millions of years. The result is a highly expressive karst landscape: sinkholes, dolines, poljes and caves punctuate the surface, while an underground hydrological system feeds springs such as those at Maro and the Chillar river. The ravines descending toward the coast are narrow and deep, cut through white rock with vertical walls exceeding 200 metres in places. The Chillar river, flowing between calcareous tufa and pools of transparent water, has become one of Andalusia's best-known aquatic hiking routes. In summer, the water running over the limestone barely covers the ankles for most of the route, yet the canyon walls provide shade through the middle of the day.

The south-facing slope, oriented toward the Mediterranean, has a markedly thermomediterranean character: dwarf fan palms, carob trees and prickly pears dot the lower hillsides, while maritime pines cover the middle belt up to 1,200 metres. Above this, Portuguese oak woodlands and broom scrub give way to high-mountain grasslands and scree slopes where the Sierra Nevada violet (Viola crassiuscula) reaches its westernmost distribution limit. On the most wind-exposed ridges, bare white marble reflects sunlight with such intensity that it resembles snow out of season. The Spanish ibex is the park's emblematic species, with a population exceeding 3,000 individuals spread across the massif. They are a constant presence on the mid- and high-mountain crags, where adult males are easily spotted during the autumn rut.

Bonelli's eagle, golden eagle and Eurasian eagle-owl nest on the massif's cliffs, and the trumpeter finch, a species with very restricted European distribution, has one of its most stable Iberian populations on Almijara's southern slopes. Butterflies are another highlight: the sierra hosts over 120 species, including several Baetic endemics such as Polyommatus golgus.

The towns surrounding the massif preserve the Mudéjar and Moorish architecture of the Axarquía and Costa Tropical. Cómpeta, Frigiliana and Nerja lie on the Málaga side; Alhama de Granada, Jayena and Arenas del Rey on the Granada side. Frigiliana, with its cobbled streets and whitewashed facades, has been recognised as one of Spain's most attractive villages. The cuisine reflects the dual influence of mountain and coast: oven-roasted kid, migas with pork belly, Cómpeta Muscat wine and fried fish at beachside chiringuitos. Nerja, at the foot of the sierra, is the most common base, with direct access to both beaches and mountain trails.