The Sierra de las Nieves National Park is located in the heart of the province of Malaga. It is a unique area of great scenic value and great contrasts. It is considered a Biosphere Reserve, necessary for the protection of its natural values and for the promotion of tourism. In this place you will find peaks of almost 2,000m high, up to 1,500 types of plants, the main protagonist is the Spanish fir and emblematic animals such as the mountain goat and the golden eagle, all this together with the white villages of the area with which you will be impressed. Grâce à ce lien, vous pouvez trouver les horaires du Free Tour à Malaga.
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What to see in the Sierra de las Nieves National Park
Some of the places you should not miss in the Sierra de las Nieves are the summit of the Torrecilla, this is the peak of this national park with 1919 meters above sea level, it will be a great challenge for hikers who will be rewarded with incredible panoramic views of Malaga. Another place to visit is the Peñón de los Enamorados, this is a rock formation of difficult access from where you can see the mountainous landscape of gall oaks and Spanish firs.
The Tajo de la Caína is the third place on this list that you must visit in the Sierra de las Nieves. This is a vertiginous limestone cliff, which is situated almost 1,400 metres above sea level, being an excellent viewpoint of the natural park. The Pinsapo de la Escalereta is a magnificent specimen of Pinsapo, due to its age, the great shade it offers and its 26 metres in height.
The Cueva del Agua is a cave that offers one of the most picturesque images of the natural park, and from inside the cave there is a very original perspective, with a leafy forest of Spanish firs as a frame.
Another place not to be missed is the convent of Las Nieves, which was of great importance and where there is a comfortable rural house, being very close to other recreational areas and the starting points of many hiking trails.
A unique experience that you can enjoy in the Sierra de las Nieves is the apiflora, it is not every day that you get into a beekeeper’s suit and get to know in situ the curiosities of these little friends. See the bees at work while they collect the honey, going in and out of the hives.
Finally, we recommend the Turón River, considered an ecological reserve. You must see its spectacular waterfall, located just after its source, and the Acequia del Molino, the stretch of the river that runs alongside the town centre of El Burgo, which invites you to take a dream walk at any time of the year.
Prices and opening hours
The visit to the park is free and the opening hours are 24 hours a day, although you can do activities such as walking routes for 10 euros per person with a duration of 2 hours and 30 minutes. 4×4 routes enjoying one of the last forests of Spanish firs in the world with a duration of 6 hours and 30 minutes for a price of 180 euros per vehicle. Cycling routes along the green river for 60 euros per person for 5 to 7 hours or to watch the incredible sunsets for 70 euros per person with a glass of cava, with a journey of 3 to 4 hours. You can also opt for a bird watching experience for five hours for 8 euros per person, getting to know everything and spotting the magnificent birds that live there, explained by experts for 5 hours. Buy your tickets for the Guided Tour in Malaga here.
How to get to sierra de las nieves national park
From Malaga by car you should take the A-357, first, and then the A-354, which connects with Casarabonela and Alozaina, or the A-355 towards Coín and from there to Monda and Ojén or to Tolox and Alozaina on the A-366. If you are coming from Marbella, take the A-355, which leads to Ojén and then connects with the rest of the villages, or the A-7176, which leads to Istán. From Ronda, on the other hand, take the A-366 towards El Burgo and Yunquera. Furthermore, the Pablo Ruiz Picasso International Airport (Malaga) as well as the AVE María Zambrano high speed train station are only forty minutes away from two of the towns that serve as gateways to the Sierra de las Nieves, Monda and Casarabonela.
To get there by public transport you should take the L-607 or M-344 bus line or the C2 train line.
Curiosities
- The Sierra de las Nieves is well known for its large extensions of Spanish firs but you should know that the Spanish fir is not the only tree endemic to these mountains, there also grow gall oaks that are adapted to the low temperatures and the presence of snow during the winter.
- El Torrecilla is not the highest peak in the province of Malaga. This merit belongs to the summit of La Maroma, located in Sierra Tejeda.
- The Sierra de las Nieves Nature Reserve does not owe its name to the fact that for much of the winter its high peaks are covered by a white blanket, but to the snow trade, which gave rise to its original name, Sierra de la Nieve.
- Miguel de Mañara, a historical figure from 17th century Seville, who inspired José Zorrilla to write his play ‘Don Juan Tenorio’, spent six months in the convent of El Desierto de las Nieves, in El Burgo.
