The Sendero del Agua runs through the protected Sierra Nevada area and is closely linked to historic irrigation channels, springs and washhouses. If you are interested in the historical use of water, Válor offers a tangible starting point for exploring it.
Route F connects Válor with the Fuente de Las Primeras Aguas and starts near the town centre. The approximately 1.5-kilometre stretch of the GR-7 between Válor and Nechite follows the service path of the Acequia del Lunes. The two routes offer different points of reference: for Route F, the spring as the destination and the start near the centre are important; for the GR-7, it is the approximate length and the route along the acequia. This lets you choose between a route with a specifically named spring as its destination and a trail section with a stated length.
Riverside Landscapes and Views
Alto de San Juan, a 2,788-metre-high peak, lies on the northern municipal boundary. The Río Nechite rises in the Sierra Nevada and has stands of holm oak and riverside vegetation on its middle slopes. The Río Válor flows from the local peaks of the Sierra Nevada through steep sections, some bordered by cliffs. Its gallery vegetation consists mainly of willows and poplars.
On the right bank of the Río Válor, the Castaño de la Cebadilla, more than 200 years old, grows on a rock. It is one of the largest chestnut trees in the municipality. The Mirador de La Jarea offers a different view of the landscape: it consists of two threshing floors arranged on terraces and affords views across large areas of the Sierras de la Contraviesa, Gádor and Nevada.
Historic Places and Buildings
Casa de Abén Humeya dates from the 16th century and belonged to Fernando de Córdoba y Válor, known as Abén Humeya. He was the first leader of the Morisco Revolt in La Alpujarra from 1568 to 1570. Iglesia de Válor was originally built in the mid-16th century and preserves the oldest camarín in La Alpujarra. The Ermita de la Virgen de Lourdes is also in the town centre, with a small cemetery attached to its south side.
Castillejo de Válor preserves the remains of the walls of a fortified settlement from the early Islamic period, which was inhabited from the 9th to the 11th century. Barrio de Cantarranas is a medieval quarter dating from the 10th to the 15th century. Its surviving features of the comarca’s medieval Muslim architecture include porticoes, tinaos and adarves. The two sites therefore represent different periods of medieval settlement and building history.
The Vía Crucis de Válor consists of wrought-iron crosses on the façades of various houses and is one of the few Stations of the Cross in the comarca that still retains original elements. Tajo de las Ventanas is a medieval group of caves carved into the rock, connected to the former castle above. The caves may have been used to store grain.
The Puente de la Tableta lies on the GR-7 stretch between Válor and Yegen. The Moorish bridge is built of reddish bricks and has a single, slightly pointed arch. It can be reached from the western side of Válor or from the Ermita de la Virgen de Lourdes.
Traditions and Event Dates
A performance of Moros y Cristianos takes place in Válor on 15 September, based on the revolt of the Granadan Moriscos at the end of 1568. Check the dates before your trip. Every year on 25 December, people parade through the streets with their instruments during the Baile de las Ánimas, collecting donations for the patron saint festivals. The popular festivals at Fuente de Cuesta Viñas are also an annual local tradition: people from Yegen and Válor celebrate there on 25 July and 15 August.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Chauchina, Huétor Tájar, Belerda, Gójar, Atalbéitar, Velilla-Taramay, Láchar, Alpujarra De La Sierra
Go to the main travel overview: Granada.
