Alhama de Granada is located in Granada province, approx. 55 km. southwest of the capital, Granada. The distance from Velez-Malaga and Torre del Mar is about 50 km. From high-way E15/A7 you take exit 272/Velez-Malaga and drive north through the Zafarraya Pass, and from here take the road northeast directly towards Alhama.

Alhama de Granada is located approx. 850 m above sea level and has approx. 6000 inhabitants and is initially created and named by the Arabs. Al-hama means “bath, hot springs” in Arabic, and it was also the Arabs who created the city and built the thermic baths houses. The hot water from the springs were said to be healing, and people came from all over to get cured of their illnesses.

The hot springs are found about 4 km from the center of Alhama. A huge poplar avenue covers and protects baths, and an indoor pool from the 1200 century, is very special and well preserved. There are pools with hot water, and sections where guests can rest and relax.

Underneath derive the oldest hot spring in Alhama de Granada, and there is public hot springs where you can just jump in and get warmed. The tourism to these hot springs is an ancient foundation in Alhamas economy, and to this day it is still the city’s main attraction. The city and the area have, like so many other Spanish cities in Andalusia, numerous prehistoric relics and stories. An indescribably beautiful scenery with canyons with high and steep rock walls, created by the river Merchant’s violent power. There are prehistoric ruins on the riverbank as far back as the Stone Age. The town has been occupied by Napoleon’s troops in 1810, and has been hit by a major earthquake in 1884.

So Alhama is definitely worth a visit, partly because of the many amazing prehistoric relics and buildings, and not least because of the hot springs.