Casa de las Flores | Your Vacation | Other things to do on your vacation

Casa de las Flores - Holiday Rental Southern Spain

Getting Here

The Local Area

Other things to do on
your vacation

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Other things to do on your vacation

There are numerous things to do during your stay in La Alpujarra. Órgiva is an excellent place from which to explore this interesting region on foot, bicycle, by car or local bus. You can wander along footpaths that may be centuries old and take in the breathtaking scenery and vibrant colours of oleander, wisteria and bougainvillea.

However, the real charm of this area is that it gives you a glimpse of what Spain was like before large scale tourism started. Combined with breathtaking scenery, a wonderful climate and good food, it makes for a memorable holiday.

Some suggested activities are as follows:

Driving. Casa de las Flores is located at the end of a short drive off the main scenic road between Órgiva and Válor. Driving this scenic route through La Alpujarra and Sierra Nevada National Park is highly recommended. The scenery is spectacular and you can visit the pueblo blanco white villages of Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira in the Poqueira Gorge. From Capileira, the highest of these villages, there are fantastic bike rides and walks into the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Further afield, there is Granada, with the iconic Alhambra Palace. We also encourage guests to visit the Albacín, the ancient Moorish quarter of Granada. In the opposite direction along the coast towards Malaga, the Caves at Nerja are well worth visiting, as well as the beautiful white village of Frigilana, inland from Nerja.

Walking and horse riding can be arranged locally. Please ask the letting agent for more information. It is a particularly delightful area to explore on foot and there are many well-signposted walking routes, ranging from a short stroll, to day long hikes into the Sierra Nevada. For the really serious walker there are two famous long-distance foot paths that cross La Alpujarra. One is the GR-7 which begins in Tarifa in Cadiz Province and crosses Europe all the way to Greece. The other is the GR-142 which runs from the spa town of Lanjarón (only 15 minutes from Casa de las Flores) to Fiñana on the northern side of the Sierra Nevada in Almería. And before your walk, you can fill your own water bottles at the spa in Lanjarón.

Cycling and mountain biking are hugely popular in the area, partly due to the 325 days of sunshine and stunning, mountain scenery. Las Alpujarras are Spain's southernmost mountains and include the longest downhill in Europe. If you bring your own bike, Casa de las Flores offers secure bicycle lock-up facilities. Alternatively, you can hire a bike locally. If you want to 'do your own thing', then this is an ideal base. The property is located on the main A-4132 road to Trevélez, which passes through the famous Alpujarran 'pueblo blancos', including Carataunus, Pampaneira and Pitres. A short detour takes you to Bubión and Capileira in the Poqueira Gorge from where you can ride up into the Sierra Nevada Mountains and up the track to Pico Veleta (3,400 metres). The trails are generally quiet and in the mountains, devoid of traffic. If you want to take part in an organized group or rent equipment, please contact the rental agents, who will put you in touch with a local biking company.

Climbing, Scrambling and Mountaineering. The Alpujarras are a well-kept secret for rock climbers and scrambling (grades 1 to 3S). Climbing is possible year-round and there are over 200 routes within a 25km radius of Orgiva, with a full range of grades up to 7c. In the winter months, mountaineering, ice climbing, cross-country skiing, ski mountaineering and snowshoeing are all possible in the area.

The closest beaches are those of the Costa Tropical, approximately 40 minutes drive away. The town of Salobreña has a good beach with lots of beachside restaurants and cafés. And if you don’t just want to sit on the beach, you can visit the 10th Century Moorish Castle in the old town. A further 10 minutes drive west along the coast, the resort of Almuñécar has seafront restaurants, shops, a weekly market, a castle, botanical gardens, a bird sanctuary and a water park.

Skiing. The impressive snow covered ski slopes of the Sol y Nieve resort in the Sierra Nevada are just a 1hour 30 minute drive from Órgiva. It has practically guaranteed sunshine and some of the best snow conditions in Europe. As one of Europe’s highest resorts, it has a surprisingly long season by traditionally opening in November and running to the first week in May. The Alpine skiing championships took place there in 1994. Whilst staying at Casa de las Flores, it is possible to get to the ski slopes in the morning and return to sunbathe by the pool in the late afternoon.

Golf. There are golf courses at Granada (1hr) and Motríl (35 minutes). There are numerous other courses on the coast towards Nerja. A new course is also being built in Órgiva and is expected to be completed within the next couple of years.

Hang Gliding and Flying. This is one of the most spectacular places in Spain to hang glide or fly a microlite. Contact Alpujarra Conect for details.

Wildlife. There is abundant wildlife in the region. Off the beaten track you may catch sight of the shy Cabra Montesa, a mountain goat (ibex) which roams the mountains in herds. Watch out for the wild pigs (which also appear on local menus!). And the Alpujarra is famous for its excellent bird watching.

However, you may just prefer to relax by the pool at Casa de las Flores and enjoy the sunshine and beautiful mountain views.