The gateway to Granada’s mountainous Alpujarra region, Lanjarón bubbles over with poetry as well as the mineral water that made its name.

*Lanjarón’s Placetilla Colorá is home to one of many fountains (also called pilares) dotted throughout the town, where you can enjoy its excellent drinking water.*

“What an admirable place. You should come to visit this paradise. I have found curious romances and tales,” Federico García Lorca wrote about Lanjarón on a 1924 postcard to a friend.

The Spanish writer made repeated visits to the town in the 1920s and ‘30s. His mother, Vicenta, suffered from health problems, and her doctor advised “taking the waters” of the Capuchina spring, one of the town’s several sources of mineral-rich water derived from snow melt in the Sierra Nevada.

Her family accompanied her on these visits, and Lorca was captivated by the area’s rugged natural beauty and the music and folklore of the local Romani gypsies, inspiring him to write some of his poetry collection Romancero gitano (Gypsy Romance) here.

Lorca wasn’t the only creative beguiled by Lanjarón. Virginia Woolf, Salvador Dalí, Bertrand Russell and the composer Manuel de Falla were among those drawn to its therapeutic waters and bohemian atmosphere, and in the late nineteenth century, the writer Pedro Antonio de Alarcón described the town as a “poet’s dream”.

That literary heritage is a visible one - Lanjarón’s 20-plus drinking water fountains are adorned with snippets of poetry, many of them by Lorca.

*A drinking water fountain with a fragment of Lorca’s poem Romance sonámbulo.*

Spain’s capital of water

Known as el pueblo del agua (the town of water), Lanjarón’s fortunes have been moulded by water since the time of al-Andalus, when the region’s Berber rulers built a series of irrigation channels that cleverly “seeded” the water from melting snow in the high peaks of the Sierra Nevada into aquifers, allowing it to be “harvested” in the dry summer months.

This charming animated video by Spain’s Geological and Mining Institute shows how this system works, and the benefits it has for the region’s ecosystem as a whole. NB: you can turn on translation for the subtitles via the settings wheel at the bottom of the video.

Called acequías de careo, these channels still irrigate the terraced hillsides surrounding the town. Even when they’re not visible, you’ll often hear the sound of running water - either from the acequías or the Lanjarón river. I found this particularly noticeable from the vantage point of the town’s medieval castle ruins.

*The view from Lanjarón’s castle, looking back towards the town and over the terraces built into the hillside*

Today, the water the town is most famous for is the bottled kind. The Capuchina spring was discovered in the late 18th century, followed by several more. In 1818, analysis of six springs in the area found them to be of “medicinal mineral quality”, and the commercial bottling process began in 1830 under the brand name Lanjarón.

Now owned by the French group Danone, the company employs around 200 people in the town and produces 305 million litres of water a year.

What to see and do in Lanjarón

Balneario of Lanjarón

*Lanjarón’s historic balneario is located on the main street into the town*

The town’s balneario (spa) was built in 1928 and used to be part of the same company as the mineral water brand. It was sold in 2005 and now belongs to the RelaisTermal group.

The historic grandeur of its architecture is complemented by a modern, minimalist interior with a range of a therapeutic and beauty treatments on offer. Shoud you just want to enjoy a good soak, the Aquatherma circuit - the largest facility of its kind in Andalucía - has a series of hydrothermal areas ranging from jacuzzis to saunas and dry heat cabins, hot and cold toning pools, heated recliners, and even a “swim-up” (well, wade-up) water bar, where you can relax on a hydromassage bench while sipping a selection of the town’s mineral waters.

*Hydrating inside and out in the Balneario de Lanjarón*

A 60-minute session costs €32 for adults, €20 for children (6-12 years) and there are multi-session vouchers at discounted rates. Be sure to book in advance as the capacity is carefully managed to prevent overcrowding.

The spa closes for a few months over the winter, typically between mid-December and mid-March - check their website or Instagram for the exact dates closer to the time.

Walking and biking trails

The countryside surrounding the town has plenty to offer lovers of the outdoors.

*The path from Parque del Salado to the Castle is an easy and well-shaded one*

One easy route, suitable for families with young children, is the 1.57km path from the Parque del Salado to the town’s medieval castle. Beginning at a playground area, the walk passes through a eucalyptus forest and follows the path of a stream called the Barranco Salado on a gentle slope downhill.

The small castle sits on an isolated peak overlooking the town and is free to enter. Originally an Andalusi defensive structure, it dates from the 12th-13th century but most of what remains of it today was built during the later Christian era.

To see more of the landscape around Lanjarón, the route Acequías de Aceituno y Cecarta is a 5.8km loop that begins at the town hall and passes by two of the aforementioned irrigation ditches, as well as centuries-old chestnut trees and the recreation area Huerta de las Monjas, a good spot to stop for a picnic (there is also a drinking water fountain here).

Picturesque streets and plazas

Placeta de Santa Ana

With its lush greenery, curved window frames and historic communal outdoor laundry (lavadero), this pretty plaza is a must-do. Stop here for a while to breathe the jasmine-scented air and enjoy the tranquility.

Plaza de la Constitución
The administrative heart of the town, this plaza is notable for its impressive central water feature with sculptures of an elderly couple resting at the water’s edge and children playing in the fountain. The sculpture of the elderly lady shows her holding a vasera, a traditional wicker basket that snugly holds a drinking-water glass.

Long before the days of toting a refillable water bottle everywhere, the townspeople of Lanjarón were staying hydrated on the go thanks to the skills of their artisan basket-makers (wicker goods are one of the town’s specialty crafts).

Barrio Hondillo
The oldest part of the town centre, this neighbourhood is characterised by architecture that dates from Andalusi times. Look out for the tinaos - also called portales - entrance tunnels with low, wood-beamed ceilings that lead from the street into inner sanctums full of plants. If you walk along Calle Hondillo you’ll come across several of them.

Some of the most emblematic ones are open to the public (remember to visit respectfully), and entering these quiet and beautifully decorated spaces feels very much like stepping back in time to medieval Spain.

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Fuente de la Placetilla Colorá
Shown in the photo at the top of this page, this was my favourite plaza - the combination of the green-shuttered windows, sunlight filtering through the overhanging tree branches and the vivid blue of the fountain created a serene and beautiful effect.

Calle Variante
This road along the lower part of the town is worth strolling along at sunset, a great time to enjoy its views over the soaring cliff-face known as the “Tajo Colorao”. This orange-tinted limestone ridge is the site of a planned walkway, zipline and via ferrata that sounds like a thrillseeker’s dream.

Museums

I didn’t make it to the town’s Museum of Honey on this trip, but I did get to visit the Museum of Water. An innovative architectural project that was built on the site of an old slaughterhouse and opened in 2010, the museum is a series of airy spaces dedicated to the history of the spa, the bottled water brand, the acequías and the natural environment that supports all this water-based activity.

I also enjoyed the display of posters advertising the town’s annual Water and Jamón Festival in June, which coincides with the Fiesta of San Juan - a saint’s day marked by fire and water in communities across Spain. With its giant town-wide water fight, Lanjarón’s version of this popular celebration certainly sounds like a lot of fun.

The museum is pet-friendly and has a kids’ activity room, making it ideal for a family outing.

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Eating, drinking and shopping

We’re in Granada province here, which can only mean one thing when it comes to tapas - the tradition of receiving a free one with your drink is alive and well. We were impressed with the generous free tapas that came with a round of drinks at Bodega González (pictured below), a traditional bar-restaurant in the centre of town that’s popular with locals and visitors alike.

My favourite meal in Lanjarón was at Restaurante Asador el Carbón, which is renowned for its grilled and roasted meats but which also served a delicious and unusual salad of tomatoes, mackerel, avocado and pistachio ice-cream (sounds odd, but it really works) alongside more traditional fare such as sopa alpujarreña (Alpujarra soup), a rich savoury broth with a poached egg floating in it.

The pizzeria Picciriddru is another solid option (and a close second for my favourite meal - their burrata-topped pizza was a winner).

Looking for a souvenir? You’ll find plenty of food-based options such as local honey, chestnuts and jamón. Along with the aforementioned wicker crafts, the other classic choice is a jarapa, a thick woven textile that can be traced back to Andalusi times. These are often surprisingly affordable, and - as the sign below suggests - they have multiple uses around the home.

Where to stay

As a legacy of its long history as a spa town, Lanjarón has a good range of accommodation options. We stayed at the 3-star Hotel Andalucía, which is particularly well-equipped for families - it has some apartment-style suites that are also pet-friendly.

Highlights of our stay here were the garden with its water feature and topiary pergola (particularly enchanting at night) and the two-course à la carte breakfast, extremely good value at €6 per head. The hotel also has an outdoor swimming pool.

*The garden of the Hotel Andalucía at night: dreamy*

At the more luxe end of the budget, the Balneario has its own 4-star hotel on site, a great option if you’re looking for a spa-themed break. If you want to retrace Lorca’s footsteps, you could stay in the same hotel he did - the 1-star Hotel España.

Getting to Lanjarón

By car
Lanjarón is a 45-minute drive from both Granada city and the coast, which makes it a handy base for exploring Granada province - from the beaches of the Costa Tropical to the mountains of the Sierra Nevada range.

By Air
The nearest airports are Granada (56km) Málaga-Costa del Sol (133km), and Almería (155km).

By public transport
Lanjarón doesn’t have a train station, but there is a regular and affordable Alsa bus service from Granada (journey times from 52 minutes to 01:30h, typically around €5 each way).

I stayed in Lanjarón courtesy of Turismo Lanjarón and the Ayuntamiento of Lanjarón, on a blogtrip organised by Bloguera Viajera.

Lanjarón: a spa break in Spain’s town of water