Offering stylish suites with free WiFi, Apartamentos Aguas de Viznar is an imposing buiding in the traditonal village of Viznar, 8kms from the historic centre of Granada. The nearby Natural Park of the Sierra de Huétor is perfect for activities such as hiking, mountain biking and rock climbing. The ski station of the Sierra Nevada is less than an hour´s drive away. Aguas de Viznar´s self-catering apartments feature open plan kitchen/living rooms with modern décor, parquet floors and private bathrooms. Living areas include sofa, breakfast bar, and flat-screen TVs. Five of the six apartments sleep four people in one double room and sofa bed. Fireplaces and small balconies are available in some apartments. The magnificent split-level loft sleeps six in three rooms and boasts a wonderful outdoor terrace for al fresco dining, with incredible views towards the Sierra Nevana and the city of Granada. All apartments have central heating and air conditioning. Well-equipped kitchens offer hob, fridge, microwave, coffee machine, and kitchenware. Bathrooms have showers and a hairdryer. Bed linen and towels are provided. Bars, supermarkets and the municipal swimming pool of Viznar are all within easy walking distance, as is the Natural Park of the Sierra de Huétor. The larger town of Alfacar is a short drive away, while the historic centre of Granada, the Alhambra Palace and the Science Park can all be reached in less than half an hour.

Originally from Italy, I came to Andalucia from London with my husband in 2006 to found an ecological hotel near Castril. The success of this venture led to an offer to manage the apartments here in Viznar. I love to recommend activities and experiences that my family has enjoyed over the years and to help keep guests as comfortable as possible. Granada is a fabulous city with world class attractions and I love the fact that we also have a natural park for nature lovers within easy reach of the apartments.

The municipality of Víznar nestles in the foothills of the Sierra de Huétor Natural Park, a prime location for all kinds of outdoor activities, including climbing, cycling routes and hiking. The visitor centre Puerto del Lobo offers information about all the available activities and routes and is only 15 minutes´ drive into the park from the apartments. Closer still is a jungle gym in the pine trees (Aventura en los Arboles) which kids of all ages will love. Also popular are thematic or guided tours, such as the one which takes in the Civil War-era trenches and gun emplacements which still dot the park, or recounts the last steps of Granada´s most famous son, the poet Federico García Lorca, who was executed on the road between Víznar and Alfacar. Just around the corner from Aguas de Viznar is the Palacio del Cuzco, built at the end of the 1700s and used as a summer residence for the archbishops of Granada. Although it is closed to the public, its delicate Italianate frescoes can still be glimpsed through windows in the high walls that surround the building. Viznar is famous as the "bread basket of Granada" for its traditional bakeries, so it is fitting that its most emblematic eatery, El Horno de Viznar, showcases a monumental oven, used these days to bake suckling pig and other delicacies. Handy for accessing the delights of Granada city, which are many and varied, the charming town of Viznar offers a spectacular vista on the city and a valuable change of pace and the laid back, sleepy and traditional feel that small Spanish villages exude. Viznar is easy to get to and away from yet offers plenty of possibilities for outdoor fun and exploration. It really does offer the best of both worlds!