Set high above the Poqueira Gorge on the southern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, this was one of the more isolated and inaccessible areas of Spain. It was one of the last strongholds of the Moors in the C15th before they were finally defeated by the Catholics. The village still retains the typical Moorish architecture of the Alpujarra.
At 1058m, there is only the small settlement of Capilliera and Bubion above it. Above and below, the ground falls away in terraces to the river valley. The tourist shops, chocolate factory and church are in the square in the centre of the “village”:http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/otherholidays/spain/alpujarras/pampaneira_one/index.html. There are bars, cafes and small shops scattered round the rest of the streets.
Iglesia de Santa Cruz dates from the C16th and is a large rectangular building with plaster and brick walls and a small offset bell tower. Unfortunately it was locked.
The architecture is typical of the area with steep narrow “streets”:http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/otherholidays/spain/alpujarras/pampaneira_two/index.html climbing up, down and along the side of the mountain. Many have a drainage channel running down the centre. Passageways called ‘tinaos’ are characteristic of the area. They have beamed ceilings, often with rooms above them. The houses have flat roofs and some of them have been converted into sitting areas or roof gardens. The houses have very characteristic chimneys.
It is a photographers delight. I spent over and hour wandering round the different streets. I’ve no idea where I got to, but it is impossible to get lost as if you head downhill, you will eventually pick up the main road running along the bottom of the village.
I visited here as part of a “‘Flavours of Spain'”:http://www.solosholidays.co.uk/spain/discovery-tours/flavours-of-spain holiday arranged with “Solos Holidays.”:http://www.silvertraveladvisor.com/review/travel-service/168048-review-solos-holidays
My detailed trip report with all my pictures is
“here.”:http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/otherholidays/spain/index.html
