Niguelas, beautiful historic village in Andalusia above a large ravine.

by Marjolein Zijlstra

This beautiful little village lies above a ravine, barranco in Spain, a short distance from the capital Granada.
Niguelas is located in a nice and quiet spot and well worth a stop if you are in the area. Park on the edges of the village and then walk towards the historic church. Then enjoy the beautiful lovely little square and the buildings around it, the trees, the greenery, a little water. Sit for a while on the pretty cast-iron bench, left or right next to the church's main entrance, and wander through these beautiful surroundings in thought for a while. In Moorish times, Niguelas belonged to nearby El Padul , however, it was then called Niwalas. The Moorish influence of that time is still present here and there, like the gardens at Casa-Zayas, the Moorish gardens there are worth a visit, and of course the old but small centre with that beautiful old church from the second half of the XVIth century.
Walking from the village down to the gorge where local agriculture still takes place, and on the other side up again to the right along plots of old almond trees, you walk towards what is probably the oldest olive mill in all of Spain. Hidden among the greenery an old small restored building bears that honour. This place first appears in historical writings in 1572. In short, all worth a visit to enjoy what Andalusia has to offer.