Alpujarras Granada, Spain tourist guide

Granada villages Alpujarras

The mythical Alpujarras, an extensive area which includes parts of the provinces of Granada and Almería, and its neighbour to the north, the geologically young Sierra Nevada, are good examples of this beauty. It only takes an hour and a half on the comfortable motorways to go from the year-round snow in the mountains to the warm Tropical Coast.

Las Alpujarras, the last Moorish refuge and formely one of the least rediscovered areas for tourism, is today well-known in all its beauty; the white villages perched on the sides of the mountains with their typical terraced architecture; houses with tall chimneys; grapevines; and inside, where legs of ham are cured and pork is dried; and the shadowy countryside with its backdrop of snow.

The villages are peaceful, from Lanjarón, the regional port with its famous spa, to the well-known Capileira and Trévelez, the highest villages in spain. Nor must we forget the lovely areas in the part belonging to Almería, such as Luajar and Ohanes, which are rich in edible grapes.

Enjoying a meal in the Alpujarra is a pleasure for those who love traditional cuisine. The specialities are based on the products of the land. To mention just a few, puchero de hinojos (fennel-flavoured stew), truchas con jamón (trouts stuffed with cured ham), potaje de castañas (chestnut stew), gachas (local porridge), estofado de conejo (rabbit stew), gachas de ajo "quemao" (garlic porridge), perdiz en escabeche (partridge in a pickled sauce) and tasty pork products, especially cured ham from Trévelez, which has its own certificate of origin. Of course, any meal should be accompanied by the local wines, known as "Vinos de la Tierra" from the Contraviesa - Alpujarra area.

The Pradollano area, the winter tourist complex which is becoming increasingly popular, is comprised of 2,500 hectares suitable for skiing, and some excellent facilities which are in continual expansion: 36 slopes and half a dozen routes, 2 cable-cars, 10 chair-lifts , 7 ski-lifts and other facilities.