Located at the foothills of this mountain range, the Sierra del Chaparral that divides this area from the Guajar valley, lies a fertile valley that is still to this day a region rich in agricultural and wine production. From east to west the villages of Lobres, Molvizar and Itrabo can be reached either from the N323 Granada road just out of Salobreña or from the Tropical valley side over the hills behind Jete. The newly extending motorway connection, the A-7 coastal route, will eventually pass through the valley to connect Almuñecar on to Salobreña and beyond; work which is estimated to take a further 40 months to complete one of the final motorway links in the Mediterranean motorway network connecting Portugal with Italy.

Lobres is a typical Andalucian village, a mix of white washed houses and narrow streets. Most recently there has been a sympathetic growth of small town house communities on the outskirts of the village that offer affordable housing in a rustic style. Ideal for the those looking to move from the towns or to re-locate to sunnier climes. The village is famous not only for its 16th century church of “La Iglesia de San Antonio” with baroque alter piece; but also for the discoveries made at the Cueva de Capitan. The Captain’s cave, just on the outskirts of the village, was where archeologists and historians discovered remains of a Bronze Age and Neolithic community that existed in the area. Today the artifacts are displayed in Granada city’s archeological museum.
The village is also famed for its local food with speciality dishes such as roast goat (choto), gachas colores (a form of oatmeal porridge) and snails. Fruits widely grown in the area included avocados, sharon fruit, chirimoyas and mangos. Popular with both the Spanish and the foreigner tourist; the area is ideal for those looking for reasonably priced houses just a 10 minute drive from the golf and the beach.

Molvizar is located a further 10 minutes drive on from Lobres through the foothills. This typical village offers very narrow winding streets where many white washed houses hug alongside the hillside as the one-way road (single file in places) leads up to the main square where the town hall and the 18th century church of “La Iglesia de Santa Ana”. The church is home to Molvizar’s patron saint, and every July 26, Santa Ana is celebrated with a 5 day fiesta that includes a mix of both catholic and Moorish cultural history. Taking place between July 23 to 28 the village marks several events not only by processions but also by re-enacting the battles that occurred between the Moors and Christians in the 1470’s.
In 1238, during the Nasrid Dynasty Moorish rule, Molvizar was included in a local census for the Salobreña area, and was then called “Molbicar”. During the short lived French occupation in the early 19th century the hills around the village were occupied by resistance forces who opposed Napoleon's placement of his brother Jose I to the Spanish throne. Most recently the village has flourished from its fertile slopes ideal for cultivating a rich selection of produce all year round and also the upsurge in rural tourism attracting many to the area.
Cooking and wine making too have played an important part in the traditional life of the village; with foods such as almond soup, mango jam, goats cheese and black puddings easily available in the local shops and bars as well as various local sherry style wines.

Itrabo, with a population of a little over a thousand is delightful village where narrow streets follow the path of mountain streams up to the foot hills of surrounding cultivated land. Historians believe that Itrabo had its first recorded settlement during the Phoenician occupation; part due to its proximity to Almuñecar and Salobreña and also for the rich supply of natural spring water. By the 12th century the Moors had begun to shape the countryside and the community even more, and their knowledge of water channeling and irrigation systems certainly assisted in the wider cultivation of various crops and vines. With the conquest of the Nasrid kingdom in the 15th Century, the Catholic Kings not only expelled the Moors but also encouraged the depopulation of many similar communities in the area, not just Itrabo but the Gujares, the Lecrin and the Alpujarras all saw a dramatic fall in their village communities.
Since the late 1980s however, with agriculture and trade expansion the villages are again enjoying an up-turn in their economy as the arrival of foreign workers for fruit picking and the growth of tourism has encouraged the need for more and various housing. Most recently there have been several new developments offering affordable housing, apartments, hostels and residential holiday accommodation in Itrabo.
The most significant building in Itrabo is perhaps its church, “La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen” is set just up the hill from the main town square where the local market is held on Mondays. Next to the 17th century church the hermitage of the “Virgin de la Salud” is home to Saint Carmen’s icon; and which is paraded around the village at festivals – held in February and August.
In April the village celebrates a week long fair that promotes local food and wines; with many visitors coming from all over the Costa Tropical to sample the years fare. For those new to the village it is worth exploring the avenues on foot and to take a step back in time and to explore some of the local sites including, a village wine press and the covered public washing area where natural cool spring water flows through the channels as the local women chat and beat their clothes clean.