What you should know about Lanjarón

Do-it-in-a-Day Edition

Lanjarón (Granada, Andalucía)

From where can I plan this day trip? Málaga, Granada, Jaén (and pretty much anywhere in Andalucía depending on how long you are willing to travel)

What is it? Lanjarón is a beautiful pueblo in the Alpujarras region of Granada’s Sierra Nevada mountains. It might ring a bell as you’ve likely seen its name on bottled water in Spain, especially here in Andalucía, where it’s a popular brand. One of Lanjarón’s most basic attractions is, in fact, the crystal clear, refreshing water that comes from the mountains (filtered) through to public fountains all throughout the town! Locals will genuinely make a day to Lanjarón with large jugs of water to fill up and take home with them, it’s that good!

How to prepare ahead of time: Especially for a day trip, Lanjarón doesn’t require much planning ahead. If you are in Granada, it is an especially easy spur-of-the-moment trip as buses to the town take less than an hour and are available approximately 9 times a day. There are also no attractions that attract huge crowd or require ticket purchases ahead of time. Simply plan ahead in terms of what you will wear as the temperature in a town at this altitude will be cooler no matter what time of year you visit!

How to get there: Car or bus

As previously mentioned, bus options from Granada are plentiful and relatively quick (generally one hour, with a number of stops along the way). Options are also available from other Andalusian cities, like Málaga and Jaén but, with a number of stops, they can get a bit lengthy. Unless you are traveling from Granada, a car is probably the most convenient and time-effective. There are some free public parking lots and spaces.

Pro-Tip: As you’re heading up a mountain, be prepared for some twists and turns which might make you a bit carsick. I’m personally prone to motion-sickness and don’t feel the greatest when I head further up into the mountains, but this particular trip seems to be the perfect length (at least for me) to arrive and get out of the vehicle before it really gets bad.

Recommended time of year to visit: Because of the cooler temperatures, Lanjarón makes a great day trip in the summer if you plan to explore the town itself (Water Museum, Honey Museum, olive oil tour, restaurants, general wandering around the quaint streets). Probably best during the spring and fall if you plan to do some hiking, like the Ruta de los Pilares trek. Of course, you can easily turn this in an overnight or weekend trip if you’re in the mood for something low-key. Lanjarón is by no means a happening city, but it’s a lovely little getaway (as well as perfectly located if you’d like to get to know other towns in the Alpujarra as well)!