Alhama de Granada
Ten minutes drive from Santa Cruz. This Moorish town is steeped in history. It has a beautiful church and narrow winding streets to lose yourself in. Alhama has a market day on Fridays when the town gets very busy. There are plenty of small supermarkets, bazaars, and lots of tapas bars and restaurants to watch the world go by from.
Just outside of Alhama is the Balneario. You can relax for free in volcanic heated water which is believed to have healing properties. You can also pay to use the hotels hot water pool or luxury spa with massage and mud bath.
Massages and Turkish baths are also available at El Ventorro the other side of Alhama.
Loja
Forty minutes drive from Santa Cruz. A bustling town with lots of shops to visit but still keeps the spanish tradition of an afternoon siesta closing time as do most of the towns in Andalucia. There is a train station here, allowing you to link to all the major cities in Spain.
Antequera
Fifty minutes drive from Santa Cruz. This town is filled with a number of seventeenth century churches and magnificent architecture flourishes. There is also a sturdy Moorish alcazar castle dominating the hillside above the historic quarter, and a historic bullring with a nice restaurant.
Outside of Antequera, there is a wolf park which is a fantastic opportunity for the family to experience these rare wild animals up close. Guided tours around the park are available in English at certain times of the day.The El Torcal mountain which looms over the town, has a fantastic natural park of wind carved rock formations at it's peak. There is a car park up at the peak, and some gentle circular walks, as well as fantstic views down towards the coast.