A Guide To The Local Area

Sierra Nevada

The Sierra Nevadas are snowcapped for much of the year and offer skiing from November until May. Being less than two hours drive from the coast it really is possible to spend the morning skiing and the afternoon sunbathing on the beach.

The ski resort of Sol Y Nieve is the most southerly ski resort in Europe . There are 60 kilometres of pistes catering for all abilities and 20 summits of over 3,000 metres above sea level. Being located so far south temperatures are often slightly higher than in other European resorts. On certain runs snow cannons are used to supplement natural snow. Sol y Nieve is small in comparison to other European resorts, however there is plenty to do in the evenings, the Spanish having a reputation for being ‘night owls'. The resort benefited from hosting the World Ski Championships in 1996. Most visitors come down from Madrid and other parts of Andalucia so weekends and bank holidays are particularly busy, Christmas being peak season.

During the rest of the year the Sierra Nevada nature park offers endless opportunities to walkers and nature lovers. The national park was declared a preservation area of the biosphere by UNESCO. Its mountains are the highest on the Iberian Peninsula , with Mulhacen at an altitude of 3,481 metres. Vegetation varies with altitude, thus from the bottom of the valley upwards there are successions of holm oak, oak, mountain pine and thickets of thorny shrub. The variety of high mountain flora is exceptional, rocky ground and ‘borreguiles' that give shelter to numerous endemic species. Of the 2,000 catalogued species in the area over fifteen per cent are nationally endemic and nearly 100 exclusive to this zone. The Sierra Nevada is the southernmost habitat of some plants of Arctic-Alpine origin. Those interested in geology will discover numerous glacial lagoons such as Laguna de la Caldera, at an altitude of over 3,000 metres.

Las Apujarras

The region known as Las Alpujarras comprises of fifty or so white villages scattered around the southern Sierra Nevadas. The area is famous throughout Spain because of it's micro climate. The terraced, agricultural lands are constantly watered by the melting snow from above.

The cultural interest in the area lies in the villages, which were the last stronghold of the Moors. Soon after the Castilians took Granada in the fifteenth century all Moors were forced to convert to Christianity. Those who refused fled to the hills and settled there. Constant pressure from the Christians led to the Moorish rebellion of 1568, which was stamped out by the public execution of the Arab leader Ben Humeya. Shortly after, a royal decree was issued banishing all people of Arab descent from the kingdom of Granada, the ‘new Christians' having been suspected of being Crypto-Muslims in secret.

The villages of the Alpujarras were resettled with some 12,000 Christian families, brought in by King Phillip from Galicia and Asturias in North western Spain . However these unique hamlets have retained their traditional Berber architecture. The terraced clusters of grey white box shaped houses are still common in the Rif and Atlas mountains of Morocco . The most picturesque are probably the three, which cling to the slopes of the Poqueira valley, where red peppers and tomatoes are still set out to dry, on the flat clay roofs among the tall round chimney pots. Pampaneira, located at the bottom, bustles with craft shops and restaurants, Bubion mid way up the slope, has a massive square church tower standing on a plaza of rough paving stones. However to experience the authentic Alpujarras a visit to Capiliera at the top of the valley is a must, the name is an Arabic derivative of the Latin word for head or top. If you stray off the beaten path you are sure to catch sight of some of the regions wildlife such as the Cabra Hispanica, a mountain goat common to this area. There is also excellent birdwatching to be found here.

The capital of the region is Orgiva in the lowlands. However Trevelez at an altitude of 4,840 feet above sea level and the highest village in Europe is famous throughout Spain for it's hams (jamon Serrano).

One of the many great travel books written about the Alpujarras was Gerald Brennan's south from Granada , which recounts adventures of a young Englishman who on his return from world war one walked through Andalucia in search of a cheap place to live. He stumbled upon a tiny village named Yegen and there he made his home, where he rebuilt a ruined house, which is now marked with a plaque in his memory.

La Rabita

La Rabita is a traditional Andalucian coastal village. Nestled in a rocky creek with its uncrowded beaches and tranquil setting it's a great place to unwind. The rising population of approximately 1,500, doubles in the months of July and August, when the Spanish emerge on the coast to escape the sweltering heat of the cities.

The whole of the Costa Tropical has benefited from European money and improvements have been made throughout the area. The village now has a pretty paved promenade with a fountain and children's recreation area. The seafront is the ideal place to take a stroll in the evening or simply relax at one of the numerous tapas bars and take in the incredible sunsets.

La Rabita is a traditional Andalucian coastal village. Nestled in a rocky creek with its uncrowded beaches and tranquil setting it's a great place to unwind. The rising population of approximately 1,500, doubles in the months of July and August, when the Spanish emerge on the coast to escape the sweltering heat of the cities. The whole of the Costa Tropical has benefited from European money and improvements have been made throughout the area. The village now has a pretty paved promenade with a fountain and children's recreation area. The seafront is the ideal place to take a stroll in the evening or simply relax at one of the numerous tapas bars and take in the incredible sunsets.

Evidence of the Arab occupation is scattered all along the coast with many lookout towers and fortresses still remaining. La Rabita takes its name from the Arab ‘rabita' meaning religious fortified outpost. The 12c Castle of La Rabita is now the headquarters of the Guardia Seville

All necessary amenities can be found in La Rabita, these include three supermarkets, two banks, doctors, dentist, pharmacy, gift shop, municipal market, two bakers, and an assortment of other shops. If however you prefer to do your shopping in larger stores the port town of Adra is only a fifteen minute drive and has a more comprehensive selection of shops. Motril going west and an approximate 50 minute drive offers an even better selection including numerous national chain stores.

We offer self-catering accommodation but if you'd prefer a hotel, the family run Las Conchas, located on the seafront, offers excellent value for money - www.hotellasconchas.com.

If you're the active type the scuba diving club in La Rabita offers courses from beginner to advanced level with English instructors. For the golf enthusiast within an hours drive there are two eighteen hole golf courses or, if its water parks your looking for Roquettas de Mar is around an hours drive away. The bus service provided by Alsina Graells offers links to Adra, Motril and the airports of Almeria , Malaga , and Granada as well as local villages - www.alsinagraells.com.