A few minutes walk downhill from Villa Tranquila, is the pretty, timeless, whitewashed village of La Garnatilla, of Moorish origin with it`s Mineral water Springs, still used today and ancient Washing Basins, nestling among the terraced hillsides of olives and almonds.
The Church bell still rings as it has done since the eighteenth century.
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| Circa 1700 |
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| A refreshing drink of Natural Spring Water |
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| Village Wash Basins |
There are no shops in the village and the bar closed after the death of the last proprietor and didn't reopen. These days of course, provisions are brought to the village not by donkey cart but by modern vans.
Fresh bread, fish, meat, vegetables, gas etc. and there is a mobile library once a week. Now and again a whole village shop on the back of a lorry arrives in the village square and sets up to trade for the day.
Life passes slowly here, relaxing and restful away from the stresses of
modern life.
The bus from Motril arrives early in the morning dropping off the agricultural workers then leaves with the villagers wanting to go to the market or Motril shops and brings them back in time for a late lunch and the afternoon siesta, then leaves again for Motril but doesn't return until the following morning.
The Patron Saint of La Garnatilla, San Cecilio, is honoured by a Fiesta held over the last weekend in the month of July every year. The saint is carried high around the village in a procession along with the Virgin Mary on the Sunday evening at the end of the weekend.
Sunday lunchtime is celebrated with a giant paella free to all and visitors are especially welcome.
Walk the wild flower covered hills in the Spring to see the rare orchids.
Stroll through the almond and olive groves and forget the rest of the world
for while.
