Capileira (Alpujarra)

Introduction

Situated in the Alpujarra and in the Sierra Nevada National Park, it is one of the highest altitude villages in Spain. Together with Bubión and Pampaneira they form a beautiful whole in the Canyon de Poqueira.

Its old centre has been declared a Historic and Artistic Beauty Spot, in addition to having been mentioned by the Council of Europe as a model of popular architecture.

All visitors to Capileira are recommended to get to know the real spirit of the place and the people in the village. In this manner they can get to know the magic of a unique place; its steep and twisting streets, its white houses, talking to its inhabitants… these give the place a special peace.

Arriving at the lower end of the village (Fuente Hondera) is a little like taking a journey back in time where an experiment is taking place in harmony between the human being and his natural surroundings. The populations of Capileira have been characterised throughout history by a scrupulous respect for the nature with which they live.

The parish church was constructed in the 18th century on top of a church from 1502 which had in its time replaced the old mosque. It has a magnificent baroque altarpiece of golden wood from the 17th century and a statue of the Virgen de la Cabeza which was donaated by the Catholic Kings in the 15th century.

The ethnological museum ‘Pedro Antonio de Alarcón’, inaugurated in 1972 to commeorate the first visit of the writer to the town is situated in the House of Culture and it contains farming tools, craftworks, fabrics, carvings from the 17th Century and lithographs of Alarcón.

- Rock Climbing Capileira
- Canyoning in the Canyon of Poqueira
- Video of the Weathervane in Capileira
- Video of Canyoning in Poqueira

Festivals

The festivals of the patron saints are celebrated twice, every time in honour of the patron saint Virgen de la Cabeza: the last weekend of April and during the second week of August, in the case of the latter with the sons of the village who emigrated. On the 5th of August the pilgrimage of the Virgen de las Nieves takes place, according to tradition departing at 4 in the morning on horseback, and, now also in vehicles and then arriving at the Mulhacén; there Mass is celebrated and the day is spent with everyone together, continuing the festival in various farmhouses.

Map of Capileira (Alpujarra)

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Map of Capileira

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How to get to Capileira

HOSTELS AND HOTELS in Capileira, Alpujarras de Granada – Click Here

Also preserved are two public washhouses downhill from the fountains of Hondera and La Pileta, which were in use until 1965 . Capileira has numerous springs of natural water in all of its district: the Ministro, Fría, the Escopeta, the Calvario, the Cerezo, the Carril and the Cubo, in addition to the previously mentioned Hondera and La Pileta.

It is possible to visit splendid locations of lush vegetation or extraordinary views such as the source of the River Poqueira, the Refuge of Poqueira (a 2.500 metros de altitud - EXCURSION IN CAPILEIRA-THE REFUGE OF POQUEIRA), the Eras de Aldeire or the Mirador, with railings on the canyon from where you can see other villages and the peak of the weathervane.

In addition, there are 4 easy to carry out options from Capileira:
1- Hike of La Cebadilla
2- Hike of Acequias del Poqueira
3- Pórtugos Recreational Area (travel by car), where the Tajo Waterfall can be seen.
4- Hoya del Portillo Recreational Area (travel by car)