Lanjarón

Map of Lanjarón

Upcoming events in Lanjarón

Today (Sunday, Jan. 20th 2008)
Fiesta San Sebastian/
In 6 weeks (Saturday, Jun. 21st 2008)
Festival of Saint John/

Most famous for its mineral water, which is sold throughout Spain, Lanjarón is situated in the Western Alpujarras around 50 kilometres from the city of Granada itself.

Although there has been a town on the site of modern Lanjarón since Roman times it is during the rule of the Moors that Lanjarón first came into its own. During its seizure from the Moors by Fernando the Catholic on route to Granada, local folklore tells that Lanjarón’s ruler threw himself from the castle tower to avoid surrender to King Fernando and Queen Isabel. Some years later King Fernando was obliged to return to Lanjarón again during the Moorish uprising to quash the rebels due to the ferocity of their attack. Today the ruin of the Moorish castle still rises over the town guarding the dramatic Lanjarón gorge.

These days Lanjarón is considered fortunate not only because of it’s spring which supplies the famed mineral water but because it is seen as the door to the western Alpujjaras and the Mediterranean coast. This makes the town inviting for both serious walkers and more leisurely tourists. The spring also supplies Lanjarón’s spa which came to prominence during the 19th century when people from all over Europe flocked to enjoy its waters. The spa is still in operation today and offers a wide array of treatments including Jacuzzi baths, underwater massage, jet and circular sprays, inhalation, steam, mud baths, massage, reflexology, electrotherapy and lymphatic drainage.

Aside from the mineral water, Lanjarón also boasts a number of shops selling a wide variety of local products such as ‘jamon’, the dry cured Spanish ham popular throughout Andalusia, cheeses and wines. Jamon is also the focus of Lanjarón’s festival on 23rd June where the abundance of water and jamon is celebrated by a water fight at midnight along the town’s main street!

Written by: Costa Tropical Internet