| 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.
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