Alpujarra mountain range, some thirty miles from Granada city and 25 miles from the coast, is as much part of Granada as it is of Almeria province. It is well known for the beauty and peacefulness of its white towns; its mountain landscapes, the house balconies full of flowers; its friendly people and the atmosphere they create - and most importantly – the spectacular backcloth of the Sierra Nevada.
All of these attributes led to it being designated a Global Reserve by UNESCO, as well as a national park and a nature reserve, especially for its native flowers and distinctive ecosystems. The history of Alpujarra is almost as important because it was the last refuge of the Arabs in Andalucia. It was here that Boabdil, the last Moorish king, lived for some months after the Christians captured Granada. And, it was to the Alpujarra that the Moors, who refused to convert to Christianity, fled and found refuge during almost a century before they were finally expelled.
Sierra Nevada The singular natural, cultural and scenic wealth of the Sierra Nevada massif converts this enclave into one of the natural spaces of greatest interest in Andalusia. Sierra Nevada reaches heights of over 3,000 m, which makes it the massif of highest altitude in Western Europe, after the Alps. The peak of Mulhacén (3,481 m) is the ceiling of the Iberian Peninsula. In the surrounding area there are numerous glacial lakes, the highest one being the Laguna de Altera, at 3,146 m. Declared a National Hunting Reserve in 1966, twenty years later Sierra Nevada received the denomination Biosphere Reserve, granted by Unesco. At last in 1989 it was declared a Natural Park, which affected the regions of the Río Nacimiento and the Alpujarra in Almería, Marquesado del Zenete, Valle de Lecrín, Granada Alpujarra and north Sierra Nevada, in Granada. Recently it has been declared a National Park.

Yet on the other side of the mountains the Mediterranean coast delivers relaxing beaches, refreshing waters and a bright serene blue sky with flecks of white cloud.

Granada A stroll through the streets will enable you to take in the atmosphere and enchantment of Granada with its winding alleys and impressive buildings that tell of its distinctive history. It is a seductive city that people quickly fall in love with, even before knowing it thoroughly; yet when they do, that attachment only deepens. Alhambra palace is the most famous building in the city and one of the wonders of Spain. It is in a superb location, on a richly wooded hillside with spectacular views across the city and beyond. It is Spain’s most visited place.