Iznajar – the largest lake in Andalucia

Wednesday, 30 June 2010 13:13

Written by Editor

Written By Jean Joss

In the valley of the river Genil, hidden among seemingly endless rolling hills covered in olive trees,  lies Lake Iznajar, an inland “sea”  about thirty kilometres long. The small hill town of Iznajar, was originally a prehistoric settlement, flourishing in the eight century after the invasion of the Moors in 711AD when a castle called “Hins Ashar” was built on the highest point.

Today it has been transformed by the creation of the lake. Driving from the south, the approach roads swoop down into the valley and across the bridge underneath the town itself which perches high above on its rocky promontory, earning itself the title Mirador del Genil.

Cross over the bridge and turn  right climbing up the hill into the village itself.  At the top there is limited parking at the Mirador across the lake, a “must” for photographers.  If (like me) you prefer not to drive through the narrow pueblo streets,  take the second turning on the right after the bridge, park at the bottom and walk up to the top. Parts of the fortified town walls can be seen in the old streets below the ruins of the Moorish castle.

The Iglesia de Santiago is worth a visit, as are the labyrinthine lanes of the Barrio del Coso in the older part of the town.  Particularly attractive (and a complete surprise) is the tiny Patio de las Comedias adorned in true Andalusian fashion with masses of blue plant pots lovingly watered each day by the ladies living there.

Turn left over the bridge and you may find Valdearenas Beach. In earlier years this was a long stretch of sand but this year, after the torrential rains of the winter, the water level has risen so high that in early June the beach had disappeared completely. And tracks used by the fishermen had vanished.But if you can't walk or swim on the beach then you can at least visit the newly opened  Hotel Rural Caserio de Iznajar which has a swimming pool, relax on its terrraces  – and take photographs from this side of the lake too!

HOW TO GET THERE

Leave the Sevilla-Granada autovia at the Salinas junction (Junction 1 on the A-92M) and follow the A-333 past Villa Nueva de Tapia to Iznajar).