Vegas del Genil

The municipality of Vegas del Genil is formed by the union of Ambroz, Belicena and Purchil, and is situated in the central part of the Vega de Granada (province of Granada). It borders the municipalities of Granada, Churriana de la Vega, Cúllar Vega, Las Gabias and Santa Fe .

This Granada town grew from the coming together in 1976 of three former municipal areas, with separate Ayuntamientos, those being Ambroz, Belicena and Purchil, three villages which grew up in the eighteenth century from the union of several cortijos (farmsteads) and hamlets. Of the three, Belicena ("the place of battle"), was the first to have a stable population, and was built by the Romans as a typical agricultural town that supplied the granadina Iliberis. After the Reconquista, it was repopulated with Christians, whereas the populations of Ambroz and Purchil remained Moorish until the final expulsion of the Moors. Settlers also came from other regions of Andalusia, Madrid and Zamora. As a whole, Vegas del Genil is part of the metropolitan area of the city of Granada and is to be found just to the west.

The town hall of Vegas del Genil sits in Purchil.

Monuments

Cortijo de San Antón
Cortijo de San Ignacio
Cortijo de Aro
Cortijo Cristo de los Canas  
Casería Casa Blanca (country house)
Huerta de Santa Maria (orchard)
Iglesia Parroquial de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios (parish church)
Puente del Frances (bridge)

Gastronomy

Typical dishes of this town are asparagus, las gachas picantes (a kind of spicy stew) and casserole ‘San Antón.’ Also forming part of the traditional recipes are stuffed peppers and lemon flavoured rabbit. Among their sweets, you can try donuts, ‘huevos moles’, ‘leche frita’ and ‘flores en dulche’.

Directions
Leave Granada and follow signs to Purchil.

Distances