Vacation Rental Description
Capileira (population 570) is the most attractive and visitor-friendly of all the captivating white villages of the high Alpujarra. Its dramatic setting atop the Poqueira Gorge makes it popular with hikers, who set off along pathways from its fascinating labyrinth of narrow, whitewashed streets, splashed with colour by geraniums, inspired by the spectacular views down the gorge, and up to the snowy peaks of Sierra Nevada. In his book, "The most beautiful villages in Spain", Hugh Palmer ranks Capileira in the top thirty.
A well-known favourite, El Gato Negro (The Black Cat) has been home-from-home since 1995 to couples and single travellers wanting to get to know or hike La Alpujarra while enjoying the comfort of a genuine village house. The original building, dating back to 1700, was completely and rustically restored in 2000.
The cottage is built on one storey, with solid chestnut beams and walls of thick stone that insulate the house in both summer and winter. It’s cosy without being small (more spacious than most people expect from the picture of the façade) and pleasantly illuminated. There’s a sitting-cum-dining area with sofa by the kitchen and breakfast bar. The rear living room has a cast-iron wood-burning stove and another comfy sofa and armchair. Three steps go up to the double bedroom (with walk-in wardrobe). The bathroom is neatly tiled in traditional Granada style.
The house’s atmosphere is relaxing and friendly, the furnishings are comfortable, and it’s a great place to explore from.
El Gato Negro enjoys an ideal location just below the village square. Shops, bars, café terraces, bakeries, car parking, bank (with ATM), art shop and gallery, craft stores, restaurants – and now a cybercafé – are all close by, yet the street is tranquil and traffic-free (just a few people and goats go by), widening only in the corner where the house is. Guests often sit out here in the sun, or under the shade of the fresno tree. Trails meandering the spectacular gorge, down to the river, or up into the Sierra Nevada mountains, start from your doorstep.
The scenery is breathtaking and people visit at all times of year. Facing south from beneath the Sierra Nevada, Capileira enjoys a Mediterranean climate and averages 300 days of sun a year. It is the last village before Sierra Nevada National Park, where Mulhacén mountain, at 3,481 metres the highest in Spain, presents a not-so-difficult challenge except in winter, when snows may be too deep. Just above the village are well-run stables where half or full-day rides can be arranged. Pottery and painting classes are also sometimes available at wonderful studios in a nearby village (please ask).
Capileira bars provide free tapas with drinks and wholesome, inexpensive meals are served at a number of restaurants. Once famed only as the last refuge of the Moors in Spain, La Alpujarra is better known these days for its mountain-cured ham, goat’s milk cheese, honey and strong wine. Wild boar is also on the menu. If you prefer to cook, the house has a fully equipped kitchen, and a DVD player for quiet nights in.
The village is home to a motley and amicable selection of individuals from different countries whom you are likely to bump into in the shops and bars. There are a couple of late-night bars for those who like to make the most of the facilities, one of which occasionally puts on flamenco performances by local artists.
Day trips to villages of La Taha, to Granada for the Alamabra, and the beaches of Costa Tropical are highly recommended.
Facilities
Cooking Utensils
DVD
Heating
Kitchen
Refrigerator
Sterio
TV
Washer
A fan is provided at the height of summer, although the thick walls insulate the cottage from the strong sun.
Activities
Adventure Sports
Horse Riding
Hunting/Rock Climbing
Mountain Biking
Night Clubs
Restaurant
Shopping
Snow Boarding
The area is famed for its hiking trails.
Horse-riding is also excellent, from professional stables above the village.
Cross-country skiing is possible above the village in winter, but bear in mind that the Sierra Nevada ski station is on the colder, northern side of the mountains, which involves a longish drive most of the way to Granada.