The Alpujarra Alta makes its way through ravines and valleys, offering an idyllic place, in Capileira, to enjoy rural tourism in an environment of deep-rooted customs and traditions.
At an altitude close to 1,500 meters, this little Granada town sits in the Barranco de Poqueira, as the gateway to the Sierra Nevada National Park, a spectacular natural space, where mountain and snow lovers have a privileged corner to enjoy different sports with stunning views.
Do you know anything about its origins? Despite the fact that Phoenicians, Romans or Visigoths already populated this area, those who have left a still palpable mark were the Arabs, specifically during the Nasrid kingdom. Later, in the Revolt of the Alpujarras, most of its inhabitants were expelled by Felipe II, repopulating the area with people from other parts of Castile.
Despite having expelled the Arabs, they left a wide legacy that, to this day, can be seen through architecture and some traditions.
What to see in Moya? Narrow cobbled alleys form its network of streets, with Berber-style houses, where the tinaos, a kind of passageways, or the terraos, flat roofs finished with a clay known as launa that prevents erosion, are the main characteristics of traditional Alpujarra architecture, a key point for the town to be called a Historic-Artistic Complex.
Among its outstanding monuments we have the Church of Santa María la Mayor, originally from the 15th century, and later rebuilt in the 18th century. It is the place where you can visit the Bell Tower-Museum, with yokes of bells or pontifical hoaxes of the 18th century, and the additional bonus of being able to contemplate a beautiful panoramic view of the town.
The Pedro Antonio de Alarcón House-Museum, in addition to having a part reserved for the work of this writer, also serves as a place to see Alpujarra uses and customs, acting as an ethnographic museum.
Several old washhouses are also preserved in the Fuente de la Pileta and the Fuente de Hondera, as well as the views of the Poqueira Ravine and Sierra Nevada from some viewpoints, such as Perchel or Las Eras de Aldeire.
Are you thinking about what you can eat if you visit Capileira? A fairly varied diet, based on meats and local products are part of the typical Alpujarran cuisine, where dishes such as the Alpujarran migas, the Alpujarran soup with chopped almonds, the cabbage stew, the capilurrio choto, the paprika porridge or the wild boar in sauce are some that will leave a good taste in your mouth.
As for its patron saint festivities, they are celebrated on two different dates: the last weekend of April, in honour of the Virgen de la Cabeza, and the second week of August, dedicated to the Virgen de las Nieves, being one of the most striking activities, the making of a wreath made with natural flowers.
As a last point, we make some reference to its economy, closely related to traditional crafts and livestock, but it has also become a benchmark for slow tourism, where rural tourism offers a refuge in which to get away from daily stress.
