La Zubia

La Zubia is an Andalusian town in the province of Granada (Spain), situated about halfway between the Vega de Granada and the Sierra Nevada. It borders the municipalities of Cájar, Monachil, Dílar, Gójar, Ogíjares and Granada.

La Zubia is part of the Sierra Nevada Natural Park .

The name La Zubia comes from the Arabic ‘az-Zuwia’ which means ‘withdrawal’, or ‘hermitage’. We can assume that this was first a place where a retired Muslim holy man lived, and at least during the Nazarite era, a place of pilgrimage. Shortly before the Christian conquest La Zubia had more than a thousand inhabitants.

In 1491, following a battle between Arabs and Christians, Queen Isabel the Catholic was in serious danger of being captured, and apparently managed to avoid this by hiding in a grove of laurels. In commemoration of this fact, and its happy outcome, the Catholic Kings built the convent of San Luis el Royal, which was destroyed in 1843. (only the church now remains).

After the expulsion of the Moors in the sixteenth century it was repopulated by Christians from the lands of Castile.

Today's La Zubia is a dormitory town for Granada, and is also heavily involved in industrial and commercial activities, and in services for the city of the Alhambra.

Monuments

Iglesia Parroquial (Parish Church, XVI century).
Archbishop's Palace.
 Banos Arabes. (Arab baths)
Iglesia del Santuario (Sanctuary Church, XVII century).

Remains of the Cueva de la Paloma and del Moro (remains of Neolithic, Bronze and Carthaginian eras).
Cueva de la Vieja (Bronze Age necropolis).
Remains of a Roman settlement.
Arab baths (with a barrel vault.)
Laurel de la Reina .

Gastronomy

Cuisine based mainly on typical local products. Some of the most popular dishes are migas, patatas a lo pobre, casseroles and rice soup. Among the meat dishes are - rabbit cooked with garlic, while the lamb ‘segureño’ is prepared and baked in the oven. Try also the almond cakes, donuts, muffins and ‘alfajores’, a type of candy or cake which varies from region to region.

Directions
From the ring road in Granada or Ronda Sur, head for Sierra Nevada, Alhambra, and then take the exit for La Zubia.

Distances