Alpujarra almeriense [South of Sierra Nevada]

The Alpujarra of Almería is the area of white villages that dot the mountainous landscape of the Sierra Nevada. This is the land that the Moors only left under military pressure.

The Andarax river is the main artery of the area and forms a fertile valley with orchards and vineyards, in sharp contrast with the arid slopes of the Sierra de Gádor. This contrast of colours becomes even greater when the almond and the cherry trees are in bloom and cover the landscape with beautiful hues.

The villages are perched on the slopes of the southern side of the mountains, as if they guessed the presence of the Mediterranean in the horizon. The crops also seem to climb the mountains and grow on terraces. The acequias or irrigation channels, a legacy from the Moorish times of Al-Andalus, still bring water from the frozen summits of the Sierra Nevada to irrigate the crops. Water is a crucial element in The Alpujarra, a land still fed by the same rivers and springs that charmed the Moors more than a thousand years ago.

How to get there: The area is crossed from east to west by road A-348, and can be reached from the part of The Alpujarra that is situated in the province of Granada or from the city of Almería, which is equipped with an airport and port.

Access from the north is possible by taking the A-92 highway. For visitors who prefer to take a quiet journey and cross the Sierra Nevada, it is worth taking the road that crosses the Puerto de la Rágua mountain pass.

Roads A-347 and A-391 link the area with the coastal area of Poniente Almeriense or Western Almería. The highway that leads to Roquetas de Mar and El Ejido provides access from the south. The area is linked to Murcia by the highway known as "Autovía del Mediterráneo". Secondary roads reach the villages that are located farther to the north.