HIKING THROUGH THE ALPUJARRAS

The Alpujarra is a region of mountain villages to the south of the Sierra Nevada. They cling to deep valleys and gorges that runsouth towards the Mediterranean. Their terraced farmlands have a good supply of water all year round thanks to the melt waters of the high mountains, giving the area the appearance of an alpine oasis. This is perfect hiking terrain.

Culturally the area is fascinating. It has more than 50 villages that were the last stronghold of the Moriscos (Muslims from Granada forced to convert to Christianity).

Our proposal is a week of easy level hiking, staying in peaceful family run hotels in three different villages. The first of these (the highest, at 1,470m) is Trevélez which is famous for its ham-curing. From Trevelez you will hike to the second village, Busquístar, which means hidden Moorish paradise, one of the finest examples of traditional Alpujarran architecture. Then we walk to our next destination, Capileira, the last village we will stay in on this hike. It is situated in the Poqueira valley, at some 1300m above sea level. We sill spend two nights in the spectacular Poqueira valley, visiting villages like Pampaneira and Bubión on the last day's hiking before our return to Granada. You will visit Granada ant its Alhambra palaces on the first day of this tour, but maybe you would like to stay one more night to enjoy this lively town.

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WALKING "SOUTH FROM GRANADA"

This vast view of mountains, valleys, villages and distant sea lay spread out like an illustration of the features of the world in a child's geography book The English writer Gerald Brenan was perhaps Andalusia's last romantic traveller, and "South from Granada" is one of his best known works. It deals with the landscapes and way of life in and around the Alpujarra village that was his home: Yegen. In the spirit of the writer, and with the unmistakable backdrop of one of the region's most emblematic villages, you will make a thoroughly active visit to this part of the Alpujarra. Located on the southeastern foothills of Sierra Nevada, below the San Juan peak (2,786m) and flanked by the Mecina and Valor rivers, Yegen is a high, peaceful village (at 1,000m) with mild weather. It lies between the provinces of Granada and Almería, enjoying spectacular views and allowing us to imagine the sea that lies hidden behind the Contraviesa mountains to the south. Here you will experience two or three days of true communion with the landscapes, peoples and trails of the Alpujarra.
Live the Journey: Alone, with family or friends, you will do two hikes on this tour: One is long, with wonderful views of the high Sierra, and the other is shorter, but packed with delightful spots amidst cultivated land and untouched landscapes that will let you get to know this village from every angle. Furthermore, your accommodation there will make you feel truly at home and you will sample delicious cooking. There is also the chance to visit a ham curer in Mecina Bombarón and peruse the photographs of 'El Dinamarca', a devoted lover of this village for the last 50 years.

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Walking South from Granada

This vast view of mountains, valleys, villages and distant sea lay spread out like an illustration of the features of the world in a child's geography book
The English writer Gerald Brenan was perhaps Andalusia's last romantic traveller, and 'South from Granada' is one of his best known works. It deals with the landscapes and way of life in and around the Alpujarra village that was his home: Yegen. In the spirit of the writer, and with the unmistakable backdrop of one of the region's most emblematic villages, you will make a thoroughly active visit to this part of the Alpujarra. Located on the southeastern foothills of Sierra Nevada, below the San Juan peak (2,786m) and flanked by the Mecina and Valor rivers, Yegen is a high, peaceful village (at 1,000m) with mild weather. It lies between the provinces of Granada and Almería, enjoying spectacular views and allowing us to imagine the sea that lies hidden behind the Contraviesa mountains to the south. Here you will experience two or three days of true communion with the landscapes, peoples and trails of the Alpujarra.
Live the Journey: Alone, with family or friends, you will do two hikes on this tour: One is long, with wonderful views of the high Sierra, and the other is shorter, but packed with delightful spots amidst cultivated land and untouched landscapes that will let you get to know this village from every angle. Furthermore, your accommodation there will make you feel truly at home and you will sample delicious cooking. There is also the chance to visit a ham curer in Mecina Bombarón and peruse the photographs of El Dinamarca, a devoted lover of this village for the last 50 years.

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White Villages Tour

Between the provinces of Malaga and Cadiz, set in dreamy landscapes of interwoven peaks and valleys, you will find the "Pueblos Blancos" (White Villages) of the Ronda and Grazalema Mountains. These villages constitute gems of popular Andalusian architecture, lodged between the deep green of their valleys and the rocky grey of the mountains. Discover a region and a people forged over the ages in these idyllic, hidden spots.

This gentle Pueblos Blancos route (mainly on quiet country roads) will lead us to the heart of the region, dropping down from the lofty heights of the Ronda Mountains towards the plains of Cadiz to come to rest on the coast, in Puerto de Santa María.

We set out from the ancient city of Ronda (one-time home to writers like Cervantes or the Czech poet Rainer María Rilke) with its gorge, mountains, and famous bullring (Spain's oldest). From here we will discover many of the "Pueblos Blancos": Arriate, Setenil de las Bodegas, Torre Alhaquime, Olvera. From there we take the old "Vía Verde" (disused mountain railway - now reconditioned for cycling) to Puerto Serrano. Then to Villamartín, Bornos and finally Arcos de la Frontera, a whitewashed farmstead set into an impenetrable peak above the Guadalete River, a splendid viewpoint over the Jerez countryside. Jerez de la Frontera and Puerto de Santa María provide the perfect epilogue to a journey packed with pleasures including famous wines and bright sunshine on the beaches of Cadiz Bay.

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