The 12 most beautiful villages in Granada

I promise you Pampaneira is one of those villages that stay with you. It clings to the Poqueira Gorge in the Alpujarra of Granada, with white houses stepped down the slope and Sierra Nevada always in the background. It is impossible to walk through its tinaos without feeling that time runs at a different pace here.

Here are the essentials you should not miss:

The Plaza de la Libertad, with its fountain, its jarapa rug shops and the constant murmur of people having a drink.

The traditional tinaos, the covered passageways that link the houses and are pure Alpujarra architecture.

The craft shops still selling hand-woven jarapas, local cheeses and honey.

The start of the Poqueira Gorge Route, perfect for seeing Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira in a single day.

If you can, come in autumn or spring: the valley is green, water runs through the irrigation channels and the village is lively without being overcrowded.

Bubión sits just above Pampaneira and has something very special: it feels calmer, more authentic rural tourism, less of a place people just pass through. The houses hang over the valley and, on a clear day, the Sierra Nevada National Park seems within arm's reach.

What you should not miss:

Wandering unhurriedly through the old quarter, with its steep lanes and the typical chimneys of the Alpujarra.

The Church of the Virgen del Rosario, simple but full of charm.

The village fountains, such as La Hondera, where you always feel like stopping for a drink and a look at the landscape.

A rural house with views of the Poqueira Gorge, ideal for staying the night and using Bubión as a base for walks.

Walk the stretch between Bubión and Pampaneira at sunset. It is a short, easy walk, and the views of the gorge in the low light will stay with you for a long time.

Capileira is the top of the Poqueira Gorge and one of the most beautiful villages in the Alpujarra of Granada. Here the houses seem to hang from the mountain and, on clear days, you can see the Pico Veleta and Mulhacén peeping over the flat roofs. It is one of those places where you just want to sit on a bench and look.

What you should not miss:

The views of the gorge from the viewpoints in the upper part of the village.

The Church of Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza and its surroundings full of white houses and flowerpots.

The Pedro Antonio de Alarcón Ethnological Museum, to understand how people lived in a traditional Alpujarra house.

Using it as a starting point for walks in the Sierra Nevada Natural Park or up towards the high peaks.

If you can, stay a night here: the silence, the starry sky and the fresh mountain air will make you understand why so many people fall in love with Capileira.

Trevélez is a high-mountain village that lives looking at Sierra Nevada… and at the ham-curing sheds. It is one of the highest villages in Spain, and its cold, dry climate is perfect for the famous cured Trevélez ham, which you will see hanging in half the village.

Essentials for your visit:

Stroll through its three quarters (lower, middle and upper), each with its own charm and views of the valley.

Try Trevélez ham in a local tavern, unhurriedly and with good bread.

Do the short walk to the Molino Altero or one of the paths up into the heart of the Sierra Nevada National Park.

If you come in summer, ask about the pilgrimage of the Virgen de las Nieves, one of the highest in the Peninsula.

Trevélez is perfect if you are looking for an authentic high-mountain village, with steep streets, chimneys smoking in winter and that smell of woodsmoke and ham that stays with you.

Salobreña is the village where white houses literally hang over the sea. On top of the rock, the Arab castle of Salobreña commands the Costa Tropical, with the Mediterranean spreading at your feet and the sugar-cane fields behind. It is one of those places where you wonder whether you are in a painting or a real village.

What you cannot miss:

Climb up to Salobreña Castle and walk right round the walls. The views of the sea and of Sierra Nevada on clear days are spectacular.

Get lost in the old quarter, with its slopes, geraniums in the windows and corners reminiscent of a small Andalusi quarter.

Watch the sunset from the Mirador Enrique Morente, with the sun setting over the coast.

Then go down to the beach for a quiet stroll or dinner by the sea with fresh local fish.

Climb to the castle late in the afternoon, watch the village lights come on and end the day with an espeto (skewered sardines) looking out over the Mediterranean.

Alhama de Granada is a town perched above an impressive gorge, with the scent of hot springs and history everywhere. Its name says it all: al-Hammam, "the baths". Here Arab heritage, Christian churches and a landscape that takes your breath away as soon as you look over the edge of the Tajo de Alhama all come together.

The essentials for your visit:

Walk through the historic centre, declared a Historic-Artistic Site, and go into the Iglesia Mayor de la Encarnación.

Look out from the viewpoints over the gorges and follow one of the routes down to the bottom of the canyon. The views of the river and the rock walls are stunning.

Set aside some time for the hot-spring spa, heir to the old Arab baths, and relax as people have done here for centuries.

Sit in any square in the town in the late afternoon, with a tapa in front of you, and watch the calm life of inland Granada go by.

Alhama is perfect if you like combining nature, riverside paths, history and that touch of an authentic Andalusian town where people still greet everyone in the street.

Nigüelas is one of those villages that, when you see it from the road, makes you understand why it is called the balcony of the Lecrín Valley. It nestles among orange, lemon and olive trees, with Sierra Nevada as a permanent backdrop. It is small, quiet and perfect for a getaway where the main plan is to stroll without hurrying.

What you should not miss:

The Casa Zayas and its romantic garden, now the town hall, one of those corners where you feel like sitting for a while.

The walk to the old oil mill, one of the oldest preserved, which now works as a small olive-oil museum.

The La Pavilla route, an easy, panoramic path following an old irrigation channel hanging over the ravine, with lovely views of the valley.

End the day in one of its village bars, with a tapa and a relaxed chat, as life has always been lived here.

Nigüelas is ideal if you are looking for an authentic, unhurried village surrounded by nature, very close to Granada but with a completely different pace.

Trevélez is the typical village that seems to hang from the mountain and that everyone knows for one thing: its cured ham. It is in the heart of the Alpujarra of Granada, on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada National Park, and is one of the highest villages in Spain. Here the air smells of chimney smoke, mountains and ham-curing sheds.

Essentials in Trevélez:

Stroll through its three quarters (lower, middle and upper), climbing little by little as the views of the valley open up.

Go into a traditional curing shed and try the famous Trevélez ham, cured by the cold, dry mountain air.

Do the Molino Altero route or a short walk towards the slopes of Mulhacén if you like hiking.

Stay the night and get up early: the sunrises here, with the peaks of Sierra Nevada lit up, stay with you.

Trevélez is for you if you are drawn to the mountains, love eating well and do not mind climbing slopes in exchange for stunning scenery and a 100% Alpujarra atmosphere.

Castril is one of those villages that impress as soon as you arrive: white houses perched on a great rock crowned by its castle, the river cutting through the stone and, all around, the Sierra de Castril opening out into ravines and forests. It is perfect if you like combining a village with wild nature.

What you should not miss:

The Cerrada del río Castril, a wooden walkway over the water, tunnels cut into the rock and a suspension bridge that is now a classic photo of the village.

The climb up to the rock and the castle, with stunning views of the Natural Park and the village at your feet.

An unhurried stroll through its old quarter, full of slopes, viewpoints and corners with flowerpots.

Sit down to try migas, hearty stews and, if you like fish, trout from the river Castril.

If you are looking for a beautiful village in Granada where the landscape is as much the star as the streets, Castril is a must.

Soportújar looks like just another Alpujarra village until you start seeing cauldrons, broomsticks and witch silhouettes on every corner. It has become famous as the village of the witches of the Alpujarra, and has managed to turn that legend into a very entertaining themed village without losing its essence of little white houses and tinaos.

Essentials in Soportújar:

The Cueva del ojo de la bruja (Witch's Eye Cave), at the entrance to the village, where all the "spell" begins.

Explore the old quarter looking for fountains, sculptures and magic-related details on every corner.

The viewpoints over the Poqueira Gorge and Sierra Nevada, which remind you that you are still in the heart of the Alpujarra of Granada.

If you can fit it in, the Feria del Embrujo in August, when the whole village is transformed and the streets fill with witches, spells and music.

Soportújar is ideal if you want a pretty village with views and a different, playful touch, perfect for an unusual getaway in the Alpujarra.

Guadix is one of those places that surprise you even if you think you have seen everything in Andalusia. Here houses are not only built on the land… they are also dug into it. Its famous cave houses form a whole quarter where chimneys pop up like white mushrooms among the reddish hills of the Granada Geopark.

What you should not miss:

The Guadix Caves quarter, climbing up to its viewpoints to see that almost otherworldly landscape.

Guadix Cathedral, a mix of styles perfectly integrated into the historic centre.

The Arab Alcazaba, a reminder of the city's frontier past.

A walk at sunset along the viewpoints, when the badlands turn red and gold.

If you fancy something different from the typical white mountain villages, Guadix is your stop: history, landscape and a way of living in the earth that is unique in Spain.

Lanjarón is the gateway to the Alpujarra of Granada and synonymous with water everywhere: in the village fountains, in the famous hot-spring spa and in the irrigation channels watering the terraced gardens. It is perfect as a base for exploring the area or for a quiet getaway of nature and relaxation.

Essentials in Lanjarón:

Stroll through the old quarter looking for inscriptions and poems beside the fountains.

Climb up to Lanjarón Castle, with views of the valley and the first slopes of Sierra Nevada.

Set aside a few hours for the spa, heir to the old Arab baths.

Get lost on the surrounding paths, such as those of the Bosque de Tello, with waterfalls and the shade of chestnut trees.

Lanjarón is where you start to feel you are entering another Granada: cooler, greener and with that relaxed pace that hooks you as soon as you sit on a terrace listening to the water flow.

I am sharing the activities that will make your trip through Granada's villages unforgettable. After travelling around the province, these are the experiences you cannot miss.

The essential plans:

Walk the Poqueira Gorge between Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira

Do an easy route in the Sierra Nevada National Park with views of the peaks

Walk among gorges and viewpoints in Alhama de Granada

Get lost on the paths of the Lecrín Valley among orange and lemon trees

Try cured Trevélez ham in the heart of the Alpujarra of Granada

Taste fresh fish and tropical fruit on the Costa Tropical, especially in Salobreña

Discover traditional hearty stews in the inland villages

Accompany it all with local wine and tapas in the squares of the white villages

Experience the patron-saint festivals in the villages of the Alpujarra, full of Morisco roots

Go to the summer pilgrimages in Sierra Nevada and the Altiplano

Enjoy the fairs and craft markets in the villages of the Poqueira Gorge

Look out for the witch and spell festivities in Soportújar if you travel in August

Swim or stroll along the beaches and coves of the Costa Tropical

Relax in spas and hot springs in areas such as Alhama de Granada

Try kayaking or paddle surfing below Salobreña castle

With these activities you can put together a very complete getaway combining mountains, coast and white villages without long distances.

After years exploring every corner of the province, I am sharing the tips that make the difference between an ordinary getaway and a trip you will always remember. They are the little tricks we locals use when we head out to the villages.

Your own car (or a hire car) will give you complete freedom to combine the Alpujarra, the Costa Tropical, Sierra Nevada and the Altiplano.

Take advantage of the fact that many villages are close to each other and organise them by area to see 2–3 in the same day without rushing.

Download offline maps to your phone: in valleys, gorges or the high parts of Sierra Nevada coverage sometimes disappears.

In spring the Alpujarra and the Lecrín Valley are green and full of water, perfect for walks and white villages.

In autumn, the chestnut woods and the gorges of Alhama de Granada turn ochre, ideal for photography.

In summer, head up to the mountain villages or look for the breeze of the Costa Tropical; August in the valleys can be very hot.

Rural houses are the most authentic way to experience Granada's villages: a fireplace in winter and terraces with views in summer.

In the Alpujarra of Granada, look for accommodation with views of the Poqueira Gorge or the Sierra Nevada National Park.

In very popular villages such as Pampaneira, Capileira, Salobreña or Montefrío, book ahead for long weekends and public holidays.