In Capileira, hiking trails wind through a cultural landscape shaped over centuries. The Pueblos del Poqueira route offers a concrete point of reference for planning: the circular trail is 9.4 kilometres long, takes an estimated 3 hours and 30 minutes, and is rated as moderate. This makes it easier to gauge the length of a hike before planning other activities for the day.
Hiking between Capileira and Bubión
The Pueblos del Poqueira route starts in Capileira on the old Camino Real del Poqueira and descends through terraced fields towards Bubión. Along the way, terraced farming shapes the cultural landscape; irrigation channels have been used there since the Middle Ages to water and supply the lands and villages. The route and landscape form a shared picture: the fields are not just scenery, but part of a cultural landscape that has been used for a long time.
The Barranco del Poqueira is designated a Historic Site and connects Capileira, Bubión and Pampaneira. The area includes cultivated slopes, oak and holm oak groves, and the Poqueira River. Capileira lies at an altitude of 1,435 metres and is the highest village in the Barranco. The natural setting is crowned by the highest peaks of the Iberian Peninsula: Veleta reaches 3,394 metres, and Mulhacén 3,482 metres.
More trails and a longer ascent
Another trail leads to the settlement by the Poqueira hydroelectric power station. It crosses three bridges and continues to the Naute River. Another option is the route from Capileira to the mountain refuge: it begins with a drive to La Cebadilla, or to the Poqueira hydroelectric power station. From there, continue on foot along the Acequias del Poqueira PR-A 23 trail to Cortijo de las Tomas. A branch trail then climbs to the refuge in about three hours. This time estimate applies to the ascent from Cortijo. Seasonal conditions and access regulations can change; check them before setting out.
Building history and local traditions
The Iglesia de la Virgen de la Cabeza also tells a story of several building phases. The church was built in the 18th century over an earlier structure dating from 1502; that structure had in turn replaced an earlier mosque. The church contains a 17th-century Baroque wooden altarpiece. This sequence highlights the building’s different historical layers without reducing them to a single period of construction.
The Mauraca is Capileira’s annual chestnut festival, held around All Saints’ Day. It includes gathering and roasting chestnuts over a bonfire, as well as traditional music and dancing. If you are travelling around All Saints’ Day, check the dates for that year’s festival. For another taste of local food culture, try sourdough and bread from the Alpujarra: the two bakeries in Capileira use sourdough as a traditional method of preparation. The range of products may change; ask about the current selection if you are interested.
Discover more destinations: Padul, Sorvilán, Cáñar, Montefrío, Busquístar, Illora, Alfacar, Purullena.
For the regional travel overview: Granada.
