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June 23
- 30, 2008 |
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$3,295 (8
days, 7 nights) |
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Taking a drink from a cool mountain stream
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Our village in the mountains
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Las
Alpujarras (tour days 5-6)
"[The Alpujarras] provide an ineffable recollection to those who love and understand the language of stones, of houses full of history,and of villages that carry nostalgia of an all but fabulous past in its soul.”
-Spanhi (Swiss Ethnologist)
In the distance, looking beyond the red towers of the Alhambra, one can see a majestic range of mountains called the Sierra Nevada. Nestled between these snowcapped peaks lies a mysterious region of ancient villages and blossoming valleys, called the Alpujarras. Once inaccessible and remote, this high-pastured region set the stage for many Moorish-Christian battles and conflicts throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, and has also been the centerpiece for many literary escapades, such as those by Gerald Brenan and Pedro Antonio de Alarcón. This sun-drenched region of mountainous waterfalls, olive-covered hills, gushing rivers, and star-filled nights will provide the perfect backdrop for our two day stay. Our destination is Bubión, a whitewashed, cobblestoned village, which from afar looks like a glistening cascade of houses spilling over the valley's edge into the lush green ravine below.
| Accommodations & Meal Highlights |
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The romantic hotel where we stay is actually a villa that is situated ideally above the town and the entire Poqueira valley. Each room is a mini-chalet and is surrounded by trees, fountains and cobblestone walkways. The hotel also has a gorgeous pool overlooking the stunning landscape. We'll savor the delicacies of the region in an array of remarkable locales: on a trellised terrace overlooking the Poqueira Valley, by an icy mountain stream (feet tingling!), and under a canopy of cherry trees in the village.
Today we’ll begin our ascent into the Sierra Nevada mountains, winding our way through several towns of the Alpujarras including Lanjarón, the source of Spain’s richest and most abundant spring for bottled water. Upon arriving in Bubión, we’ll begin our first day’s walk: climbing east out of Bubión into the Barranco de Cerezo (the ravine of the cherry trees), we’ll marvel at breathtaking vistas of five other Alpujarreña towns in the valley below. We’ll pass through the winding streets of Capilería and Pitres, two ancient mountain villages. Then we’ll continue downward into the valley, stopping to take photos or to taste the spring water flowing from roadside fountains, and descending into the town of Mecina. Our bus will pick us up just in time to drive us to Capileira for another hearty lunch on a rooftop patio. The day wouldn’t be complete without a private visit to a local ham drying tavern, where Carlos will show us how Spanish serrano is cured, and then allow us to sample some of his finest hand-crafted jamón.
Our second day in the Alpujarras promises to be an exhilarating one. You may choose to participate on an all-day 22 kilometer hike that starts in the highest village in Spain, Trevélez, and finishes back at our hotel. Along the way we'll picnic beside a gentle mountain stream and take in endless views high above the rolling green valleys. We'll also keep our eyes out for many varieties of wild flowers and herds of mountain goats. For those looking for a more relaxed pace, we offer two shorter walks to nearby villages where local artisans sell their wares. The afternoon will be free to swim in the pool or to take a siesta. That evening we'll have drinks under a canopy of elms and enjoy a traditional dinner of patatas a la pobre (potatoes, onions, and green peppers slowly sautéed in a locally pressed olive oil), green salads, chorizo (sausage), homemade gazpacho, and glasses of vinillo (local mountain wine).
Click on a link to get the detailed itinerary for each place that we visit:
Sevilla (days 1-2) | Granada (days 3-4) | Las Alpujarras (days 5-6) |
Córdoba (days 7-8)
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