The Natural and National Parks of
Sierra Nevada/ Las Alpujarras
Andalucia, Spain

The SIERRA NEVADA, rises to a height of 3480 metres, is the highest mountains in Europe after the Alps and are snow-capped for most of the year.

To the south, the Sierra Nevada massif slopes steeply down it is less than 50 km to the coast (Costa Tropical). It is this orientation that gives rise to the very special landscape of the ALPUJARRAS, blessed with sun, yet rich in water; green and fruitfully cultivated for centuries. Its remoteness until relatively recently means that much of the tradition and originality of this region of Andalucia has been retained

The area was declared a National Park in January 1999. Within its 86,208 hectares, live a wide variety of unique plant species and increasingly rare wild animals. Mountain goats and many kinds of birds of prey, from eagles to eagle owls, can be seen. 

The beauty, clear air and tranquillity of the Alpujarras have inspired many writers and artists Gerald Brenan and Chris Stewart among them .
Breath-taking views stretch in every direction . To the north, the snowy peaks of the Mulhacen and Pico de Veleta (3480 + 3390m); to the east and west the summits of the neighbouring Sierras of the provinces of Almeria and Malaga, many over 2000m high. To the south, the sea and on clear days beyond that to the distant peak of the Moroccan Rif, 200km away.
Fruit, nuts, vegetables and vines grow on the terraces that line the mountain sides, watered by the ancient irrigation system of acequias, inherited, like the distinctive architecture, from the Moors . After the surrender of Granada, many found refuge here for a further 100 years and it was they who gave the area its name. Characteristic of the Berber style are the flat-roofed, whitewashed houses with their sombrero-topped chimneys, set along narrow winding streets and passages.

Life in the villages is calm and cosy. Flocks of sheep and goats still pass through on their way to the pastures and the old men comment on life from the shade of the trees in the squares.
At the same time, the area is perfectly prepared to cater for visitors, with plenty of bars and a wide variety of restaurants that offer everything from the traditional cured ham to vegan cuisine. Products made by local weavers, potters, artists and artisans are on sale direct from their workshops or in the small shops in the villages. The Alpujarras remain free from mass tourism, the way of life evolving, but retaining its own unique flavour.