English
Nederlands
Français
Deutsch
Español
Discovering Andalucia: Las Alpujarras
The cities of Andalucia are exceptionally beautiful but, if you are more interested in living in the countryside, in a finca or a cortijo, the Alpujarras is a wonderful area to consider, especially if you like walking.
Sandwiched between the Sierra Nevada to the north and the Mediterranean to the south, this is a hilly region, full of stunning scenery, incredible wildlife and beautiful pueblos blancos (white villages). Most of the towns are small, and offer a very different lifestyle to the larger cities, yet even the most remote are only an hour or two away from Granada and Malaga.
High above sea level, here you will find some of the best walking country in the world. Try heading up to Trevélez (at 1470 metres, the highest village in Europe) or Capileira then walking down their valleys, admire the incredible views of the Sierra or, on a good day, of the sea and then, when your muscles are screaming from the exercise, head to the spa town of Lanjarón for a relaxing massage or to the administrative, Orgiva, for its more cosmopolitan bustle and still-free tapas.
If you want to find out more about the Alpujarras, try reading Chris Stewart’s accounts of his life over the past twenty years, living on a sheep farm outside of Órgiva:
The Almond Blossom Appreciation Society
And to really understand the Alpujarran way of life and its remoteness, even in relatively recent times, read Gerard Brenan's excellent and sometimes astonishing South from Granada, which describes his life during the seven years he spent in the region in the 1920s. In 2003 the book was made into a Spanish film, Al Sur de Granada, worth watching for the scenery, even if you don't understand the dialogue.
