Valle de Lecrín

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The Lecrin Valley (Spanish: Valle de Lecrín, Spanish pronunciation: [ˈβaʎe ðe leˈkɾiŋ]) is a comarca in the center-south part of the province of Granada, Andalusia, southern Spain. This territory borders the Vega de Granada to the north, the Alpujarra Granadina to the east, the Costa Tropical to the south, and the Alhama to the west.

Lecrin Valley
Valle de Lecrín (Spanish)
Location in the province of Granada and Andalusia.
Location in the province of Granada and Andalusia.
CountrySpain
Autonomous communityAndalusia
ProvinceGranada
CapitalDúrcal
Municipalities
Population
 (2006)
 • Total22,497
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)

Lecrin derived from Arabic Iqlim, meaning "gateway": this refers to a small area of land situated between the villages of Mondújar and Talará, which controlled the access to the vast coastal areas of sugar production in Moorish times.

The Lecrin Valley consists of eight municipalities, of which the most populous is El Padul, and the largest is Albuñuelas, the latter being also the least populated. On the other hand, the municipality with the smallest area is Villamena. Its traditional and historical capital is the town of Dúrcal.

Apart from Dúrcal and Padul, agriculture and farming remain the principal occupation with pine, citrus, almond, olive and grape as the main crops. In more recent times, it has become a destination for Spanish and international holidaymakers looking for a quiet holiday amongst the orchards, but with easy reach to the Moorish city of Granada and the Costa Tropical.[citation needed] It is also an increasingly popular destination for walkers, bird watchers, cyclists and artists.

The Lecrin Valley is known for its verdant landscape (due to the melt-water run off from Sierra Nevada) and its views to lake Beznar and up to the Sierra Nevada mountains, its walks, birdlife and spring colours.[citation needed]

Map of the Lecrin Valley.

Municipalities

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This comarca consists of the following municipalities:

Municipality Area (km2) Population (2023)[1][2] Density (/km2) Council (2011) Capital Parishes
 
Albuñuelas 140.05 785 5.61 Albuñuelas La Loma
 
Dúrcal 76.63 7,233 94.39 Dúrcal Marchena
 
Lecrín 40.49 2,258 55.77 Talará Acequias, Béznar, Chite, Mondújar, Murchas and Peloteos
 
Nigüelas 30.93 1,228 39.70 Nigüelas
 
El Padul 89.15 9,436 105.84 El Padul El Puntal
 
El Pinar 38.01 867 22.81 Pinos del Valle Acebuches and Ízbor
 
El Valle 25.84 936 36.22 Restábal Melegís y Saleres
 
Villamena 20.18 986 48.86 Cozvíjar Cónchar
Total 461.28 23,729 51.44

Road access

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Tin Bridge, in Dúrcal.
 
Church of Santa María la Mayor, in El Padul.

Halfway between the city of Granada and the Costa Tropical, this comarca is traversed from North to South by the A-44 (Bailén-Motril) motorway, which serves all municipalities with the following ways out:

  • 144: El Padul, Otívar.
  • 153: Cónchar, Cozvíjar, Dúrcal, Albuñuelas.
  • 157: Dúrcal, Nigüelas.
  • 159: Lecrín, El Valle.
  • 164: Pinos del Valle, Lanjarón, Béznar
  • 169: Ízbor-Acebuches.

Other notable roads are: N-323, an old road that connected Bailén with Motril, connecting the cities of Jaén and Granada with the coast; A-4050, popularly known as Carretera de la Cabra, which links the mountain port of El Suspiro del Moro with Almuñécar to the west; and A-348, which connects the entire Alpujarra Granadina with the highway.


References

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  1. ^ Estimate at 1 January 2023. National Statistics Institute (Spain)
  2. ^ "Granada: Population by municipality and sex. (2871)". INE. Retrieved 29 September 2024.

36°59′N 3°34′W / 36.983°N 3.567°W / 36.983; -3.567