Vélez de Benaudalla: what to see, where it is and how to get there
A 16th-century garden, a castle above the gorge and a river valley between the Sierra and the sea — in a village most people only drive past on the way to the coast.
✓ Facts checked on 8 November 2026
Where it is
The village lies in the Guadalfeo valley, inland from Motril, at an altitude of about 70 metres. Its municipality covers some 79 km² and also includes the hamlet of La Gorgoracha, about 5 km to the south on the way to Motril.
The southern end of the A-44, the motorway that comes down from Granada, is here — which makes Vélez a natural crossroads between the city, the mountains and the coast.
How to get there
By car, take the A-44 from Granada towards the coast; Vélez de Benaudalla is where the motorway ends. Granada airport (Federico García Lorca) is the nearest airport.
Coach services link Granada and the Costa Tropical. Check the current timetables with the operator before you travel, as routes and stops change.
The Jardín Nazarí
Long described as a Hispano-Muslim garden, the Jardín Nazarí was shown by studies carried out in 1995 to date mostly from the 16th century: an adaptation of earlier orchards that kept the Arab irrigation system. The estate is walled on all sides except the one that drops to the natural gorge.
The Ulloa castle
After the conquest of Granada, the Catholic Monarchs granted Vélez de Benaudalla to Rodrigo Fernández de Ulloa, Chief Accountant of Castile, in reward for his service to the Queen. The castle that bears his family’s name has walls about two metres thick, two storeys and a crenellated terrace on top.
Walking through the village
La Placetilla is a small square with a fountain at each end, both feeding a narrow stone basin. The parish church holds an Immaculate Conception attributed to Pedro Anastasio Bocanegra, a painter of the Granada school.
The village name is usually explained as “valley of the son of the servant of God”, from the Arabic.
Nature: the Guadalfeo and the Rules reservoir
The mountains around the village rise to about 1,500 metres. Upstream, the Rules reservoir, completed in 2003 on the Guadalfeo river, lies within the municipality.
Is Vélez de Benaudalla worth visiting?
Yes — for half a day on its own, or as a quiet base. The garden and the castle are unusual for a village of this size, and you are within reach of the beaches of the Costa Tropical, the Alpujarra and Granada.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Vélez de Benaudalla?
In the province of Granada, Andalusia, in the Guadalfeo valley inland from Motril, at the southern end of the A-44.
How do I get from Granada to Vélez de Benaudalla?
By car on the A-44 towards the coast; the village is where the motorway ends. Coach services also run between Granada and the coast — check current timetables with the operator.
Where can I stay in Vélez de Benaudalla?
Rincón Salvaje is a two-bedroom holiday duplex in the village, for up to 4 guests, bookable on Airbnb and Booking.com.
Sources · Facts checked on 8 November 2026