A little over half an hour from the centre of Granada is a town that is becoming increasingly popular among locals and visitors from outside the province. Its spectacular scenery, monuments and hiking route attract dozens of people every weekend, especially in spring and autumn. We are talking about Moclín, a great tourist attraction located in the Poniente Granadino.

Moclín is a historical treasure, both inside and outside its town centre. The town is crowned by its castle, more than a thousand metres above sea level and built in the 13th century. The hillside that supports it has a double fortification: one at the bottom and another at the top next to the wall and the castle itself.

It was built to defend the Nasrid Kingdom and was also called Hins Al-Muqlin (from which the name of the town itself comes), which means fortress of the two pupils, since it was originally a castle between the borders of Granada and Castile. During the period of conquest, the castle was taken by the Catholic Monarchs in 1486 and since 1931, it has been a Site of Cultural Interest and has been declared a historical-artistic monument.

However, for some, this medieval splendour pales in comparison to the area’s prehistoric remains. The cave paintings are the site’s crowning jewel. They appear in caves and natural shelters such as in the Cañada de Corchera cliff, in the Las Vereas shelter, as well as in the Bermejas Caves, the Malalmuerzo Cave and the shelters of La Solana and Las Canteras.

Furthermore, in Tózar, an annex of Moclín, visitors come across a huge archaeological complex of more than 1,000 square metres with rock-cut tombs and dolmens.

The nature and the stunning landscape of the region are another of the great attractions that draw visitors to this area. In particular, the already famous Gollizno route, a classic among lovers of hiking and the countryside. Few are the weekends when the town's residents do not encounter new visitors, many of them from other areas of the province, who come to walk along its paths and enjoy the spectacular views.

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