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Self
Guided Walking in the Alpujarra |
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Self
guided walking trip: 8 days/ 7 nights
Granada - Finish: Capileira
moderate/ intermediate
Start any day for self-guided
tours (min. 2 pax)
€469 per person sharing
(min. 2 participants)*
€105
*A supplement may be asked for if the chosen
date coincides with Spanish bank holidays
(like 30 April-3 May, 6-14 October, 1-4
November, 2-10 December).
• 7 nights accommodation in double room with breakfast, with private shower/WC
or bathroom
• Luggage transfers each day
• Entrance to the Alhambra Palaces and gardens
• Documentation (cultural information & description of the routes with detailed
information and original map) all the necessary information provided (a map of
the Sierra Nevada 1:40.000 with the route marked, full descriptions of each stage,
cultural and useful information about the region, a city map of Granada, monuments
opening hours, suggestions where to have dinner or to have some tapas… ).
From 2008, it is possibility to use a portable GPS with the uploaded
tracks to follow the itinerary (deposit required). |
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The Alpujarra
is a region of mountain villages to the
south of the Sierra Nevada Mountains,
which nestle in sheltered valleys and
gorges running down towards the Mediterranean
Sea. Its terraced farmhouses have a year
round supply of water from melting snow
above, giving the area the appearance
of a high altitude oasis. This area is
perfect hiking terrain with beautiful
hikes between the snow and the Mediterranean
where you will discover the southern
slope of the Sierra Nevada. The English
writer Gerald Brenan lived for a couple
of years and even had Virginia Woolf
as a guest.
Here we invite you to enjoy a week of intermediate
level hiking staying in peaceful family
run hotels in three different villages.
You will spend your first night in Granada,
with its old Moorish quarter of Albayzín
(UNESCO World Heritage Site). Then you
travel with public transport to the Alpujarra,
you start in the village Trevélez
(the highest at 1,470m) which is famous
for its ham-curing. The second village
you stay in is Busquístar, which
means “hidden Moorish paradise”.
It is one of the best examples of typical
Alpujarra architecture. Bubión is
the last village you will stay in on this
hiking tour. It is situated in the Poqueira
valley, at some 1,300m above sea level.
The Poqueira valley, carved out millions
of years ago by the Poqueira river in its
descent from the year round snow melting
above to the sub-tropical coast to the
south, is spectacular for its contrasting
landscapes. Here you will also spend two
nights and have the chance to visit the
villages of Capileira and Pampaneira on
your last day of hiking, before your return
to Granada.
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For more information or e-mail us at info@govisitireland.com
Day 1: Granada
You arrive to the historical city centre where you will find your hotel and all
the documentation (map and information of Granada, map and route description
for the hike, cultural information). In the afternoon you will visit the Alhambra,
a complex of fortress, royal palaces and gardens. It is one of Europe’s
most visited monuments and you will see why… Built in the 14th/15th Centuries
it survives in almost perfect condition to this day. At night you can try the
famous “tapas” and perhaps discover some traditional flamenco…
Day 2: Transfer (by public bus) Granada – Trevélez
After breakfast you still can have a stroll through the delightful streets of
Granada before taking a local bus (they are modern and comfortable) to Trevélez
(at 10-12 or at 17 o’clock). The journey takes about 3 hours, but the time
will fly watching the landscape change as you leave Granada and climb up into
the mountains to penetrate the inaccessible lands that were the last stronghold
of Granada’s Moorish population.
Day 3: Trevélez – Trevélez (along Trevélez
river)
The first part of the hike climbs high above the village of Trevélez (approx.
2,000m). After about three hours you cross the river for the first time. From
there you follow the course of the river back down to the village. This river
is rich in trout and on your return you could try a specialty of the area: trout
with cured ham. 5 hours, 14 km
Day 4: Trevélez – Busquístar
Today you walk to your next destination, Busquístar, passing through an
oak forest, accompanied by the alluring scent of thyme, oregano and lavender.
In Busquístar you stay in an old restored village house, once the residence
of the village notary. Enjoy the stunning views of the valley from the balcony
of your room. 5 hours, 14 km
Day 5: Rest Day in Busquístar
During your rest day you could go for a gentle walk in search of the ruins of
an ancient mosque, or perhaps you would prefer to go on horseback… You
will also have a description for another full day hike!
Day 6: Busquístar – Capileira
From Busquístar you pass through most of the villages of the “Taha”,
passing through horse chestnut forests and terraced fields, whose network of
Moorish irrigation channels, built in the 10th-11th centuries, function to this
day. Finally you get to a stone outcrop from where there is a magnificent view
of the whole Poqueira valley, crowned by the majestic peak of Veleta (3,391m).
From here you head zigzagging down to your destination, Bubion. 4 hours, 13 km
Day 7: Capileira – Capileira
Your last hike takes you into the deep, steep Poqueira valley, passing through
the picturesque villages of Capileira and Pampaneira. These are two of the most
famous villages of the Alpujarra for their instantly recognizable architecture
and for their local crafts (especially hand-woven clothe, fabrics and carpets).
Not to mention the typical Alpujarra cuisine. 4-5 hours, 9 km
Day 8 Capileira – Granada:
Early in the morning or in the afternoon you head back to Granada by bus (more
or less 2 hours). Make the most of the ride to enjoy scenery unique in Europe
as you wind through the mountains.
You can also extend your stay in Granada and get to know it in depth!
Optional:
Extra night Granada: 84 euros double room with breakfast buffet.
GRANADA
Granada was first settled by native tribes in the prehistoric period, and was
known as Ilbyr. When the Romans colonised southern Spain, they built their own
city here and called it Illibris. The Arabs, invading the peninsula in the 8th
century, gave it its current name of Granada. It was the last Muslim city to
fall to the Christians in 1492, at the hands of Queen Isabel of Castile and her
husband Ferdinand of Aragon.
www.esp.andalucia.com/ciudades/granada/home.htm
One
of the most brilliant jewels of universal architecture is the Alhambra, a series
of palaces and gardens built under the Nazari Dynasty in the 14th C. This mighty
compound of buildings – including the summer palace called Generalife,
with its fountains and gardens - stands at the foot of Spain's highest mountain
range, the Sierra Nevada, and overlooks the city below and the fertile plain
of Granada.
At the centre of the Alhambra stands the massive Palace of Charles V, an outstanding
example of Spanish Renaissance architecture. Other major Christian monuments
found in the city are the Cathedral, including the Royal Chapel where Isabel
and Ferdinand lie buried, the Monastery of La Cartuja and many churches built
by Moorish craftsmen after the Reconquest, in Granada's unique "mudéjar" style.
For information about visiting times, tickets etc click
here.
The hill facing the Alhambra is the old Moorish casbah or "medina",
called the Albaicin, a fascinating labyrinth of narrow streets and whitewashed
houses with secluded inner gardens, known as "cármenes". The
Plaza de San Nicolas, at the highest point of the Albaicin, is famous for its
magnificent view of the Moorish palace.
The Sacromonte hill, which overlooks the city from the North, is famous for its
cave dwellings, once the home of Granada's large gypsy community.
The name Granada is ancient and mysterious. It may mean "great castle",
for the Roman fortress which once stood on the Albaicin Hill. When the Moors
came here, the town was largely inhabited by Jews, for which they called it Garnat-al-Yahud
- Granada of the Jews. The Jews are said to have been one of the first peoples
to settle in Spain, even before the Romans. For more interesting facts about
Granada click
here.
TREVELEZ
This village (the highest at 1,470m) is famous for its ham-curing.
The high mountain air and the area’s own special bio-climate during the
curing process (at least one year) give the ham its special taste. This ham is
exported all over northern Europe and even to Japan. During your stay you shouldl
visit one of these famous “secaderos” where they will explain the
whole process in detail.
BUSQUISTAR
Today you hike to Busquístar, which means “hidden Moorish
paradise”. It is one of the best examples of typical Alpujarran architecture,
especially in the use of “launa” (a special type of clay found in
this area) in roof construction.
CAPILEIRA
Located in the Poqueira ravine, between the Mediterranean coast and
Sierra Nevada, Capileira has a special charm, typical of the towns that are on
Alpujarra's route.
Capileira has the typical appearance of the towns of the region of Alpujarra,
Granada, with houses that have been adapted to the rugged terrain and the local
climate, situated on narrow streets where the visitor can see the vestiges of
the town's Moorish past. These cubic houses, are generally two storeys high,
with a flat roof. In the city centre we find the Pedro Antonio de Alarcón
Ethnological Museum, which exhibits the popular customs of the region of Alpujarra,
and the church of Santa María la Mayor, from the 18th century.
Accommodation
Whenever possible on our tours, we use welcoming accommodation with a personal
service offering a good level of comfort (heating, hot water, bar/restaurant,
etc.) and quality cuisine (based especially on traditional regional cooking).
Where the possibility exists we also choose establishments with architectural
interest, which fit in with their surroundings (converted farmhouses, cave houses,
refurbished mills, country houses and rural lodges, etc.), and, again wherever
available, we use accommodation offering services related to the cultural and
adventurous spirit of the routes (thermal baths and massages, cultural entertainment,
etc.).
Given that tours tend to run through rural areas, the client/traveller should
accept that occasionally it may not be possible to choose exactly type or style
of accommodation ideally desired. In any case, the minimum services of any establishment
should include:
• Bathroom with standard facilities including bath or shower
• Heating and hot water
• Restaurant/Cafeteria facilities within the establishment or close by within
the
village (500m from hotel)
• Beds with clean sheets and warm blankets
Climate
Andalucia is Spain’s warmest region. It has average yearly temperatures
of 17 degrees centigrade around 600mm of rainfall and some 3,000 hours of sunshine
with long hot summers and short mild winters.
Getting there (to Granada)
Most common way is to fly to Malaga from Shannon & Dublin with Ryanair or
from Cork & Dublin with Aer Lingus for our Irish clients.
If you arrive via Malaga:
A taxi from Malaga to Granada costs €150 (at night and during weekends you
will have to add an €20 surcharge – the transfer can be booked beforehand
and the driver will expect you with a sign and your name at the airport)
Taking the bus from Malaga to Granada:
You first need to get to the bus station either by taxi (€20 – €25
) or take the Bus No. 19 that leaves right in front of the arrival hall – it
leaves every half an hour, takes about half an hour and costs €2.
Malaga bus station – Granada bus station (1 hr 45 min, 9 €)
daily departures: 7:00, 8:00, 9:00, 10:15, 12:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00,
18:00, 19:15, 20:00, 21:00
From the bus station in Granada to the hotel it will be around € 8 , or
take
the bus Nš. 3 or 33 to the city center, get off at the second stop ‘Gran
Via’.
Check schedules, prices and possible changes on www.alsinagraells.es
For further transport information please contact us on 066-9762094
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