Río Nacimiento

Why visit Río Nacimiento

Río Nacimiento is a quiet inland valley in the west of Almería province, following the river of the same name between the northern face of the Sierra Nevada and the Sierra de los Filabres. Five small municipalities, Abla, Abrucena, Fiñana, Las Tres Villas and Nacimiento, line the old route between Guadix and Almería, surrounded by almond and olive terraces, poplar-lined riverbanks and dry hills. From the valley floor the snowy summits of the Sierra Nevada fill the horizon in winter. It sees few visitors, which suits travellers who enjoy slow village life, mountain walking and the high, open landscapes of eastern Andalucía.

Main attractions in Río Nacimiento

Abla is known for its Roman mausoleum, a rare survival from the town’s past as a staging post on the road between the coast and the interior. Fiñana, once a Moorish stronghold, keeps the remains of its alcazaba above a compact old quarter. Abrucena is the gateway to the Almería side of Sierra Nevada National Park, with forest tracks and footpaths climbing towards the high ridges, ideal for hiking, mountain biking and spotting ibex and birds of prey. Las Tres Villas joins the old villages of Escúllar, Doña María and Ocaña near the Granada border. Traditional food here is mountain fare, such as migas, cured pork and stews, with almonds and olive oil from the terraces, and every village marks its patron saint with a summer fiesta.