Day 1 - Saturday
Arrive, get settled in, nip into the town to stock up on supplies for your stay (shops are closed on Sundays). Laze around the pool. Have a break from cooking after your day’s travelling and enjoy Audrey’s home cooking for your evening meal.
Looking south east across the swimming pool
Day 2 - Sunday
The shops and some bars and restaurants are closed so this might be a good day to have a BBQ, spend time at Paraíso Rural and go for a walk in the neighbourhood.
After breakfast leave Paraíso Rural heading uphill towards the town and turn left into Pago. Follow the road and track downhill until you reach what is a T-junction. Turn left across the Río Chico and continue along the track until it becomes a tarmac road. The Seven Eyes Bridge is now visible. Turn left almost immediately the track becomes tarmac. Follow that road uphill until you get to the house featuring a large ornamental orange and lemon on the roof. Turn left immediately before this house and follow the track towards the Río Chico. Turn right and walk alongside the Río Chico for about 50m and then cross the river bed continuing along the track and you emerge onto Camino de la Estrella right next to Paraíso Rural. This walk will take about 1 hour.
If wanting a longer walk take the left turn towards El Morreon (this is the next left after the turn for Pago and opposite the Chico Bar) and then follow the road/track down to the Río Guadalfeo. Walk up river turning inland before the Río Chico, cross the river bed and continue along the track until it becomes a tarmac road. The Seven Eyes Bridge is now visible. Turn left almost immediately the track becomes tarmac. Follow that road uphill until you get to the house featuring a large ornamental orange and lemon on the roof. Turn left immediately before this house and follow the track towards the Río Chico. Turn right and walk alongside the Río Chico for about 50m and then cross the river bed continuing along the track and you emerge onto Camino de la Estrella right next to Paraíso Rural. This walk will take about 2.5 hours.
Back at Paraíso Rural jump into the pool to cool off and chill out on one of the numerous sun beds. Take a drink from the Summer House honesty bar, catch up with FaceBook and emails or read one of the many books available in your house. Play a game of cards or dominoes, maybe ping pong.
In the evening light the BBQ and enjoy the warm evening under the stars playing one of your favourite playlists using your smart phone the the Bose mini Soundlink speaker provided in your house.
Day 3 - Monday
Explore the white villages of the high Alpujarras whilst following a circular route that takes you along the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada and brings you back to Órgiva along the northern slopes of the Contraviesa and Lújar mountains. There are numerous opportunities to stop, stretch your legs and enjoy the amazing views.
Leave Órgiva in the direction of Lanjarón and at the mini roundabout turn right towards Carataunas and Trevélez on the A-4132. You are now heading up into the mountains.
Make your first stop at the junction where you can turn left to Soportújar. There is a model of Soportújar village at the junction.
Carry on to Pampaneira, the car park is on the left as you drive into the village through a narrow passageway. Spend an hour exploring the village and take a drink on the terrace of Ruta de Mulhacén whilst enjoying the views up and down the Poqueira gorge.
Move on to Capileira, the highest of the three villages that cling to the side of the Poqueira gorge. Spend another hour exploring and then retrace the road back down the mountain. On reaching the A-4132 turn left towards Trevélez past the petrol station on the right. After about 1km the road turns sharp left and on the right is an area where you can park. Stop here and enjoy the panoramic views from the cluster of rocks.
Your next stop is Trevélez, famous for its cured hams and the fact that it is the highest village in Spain. Lunch here and spend another hour exploring.
Leaving Trevélez you head towards Cadiar. After passing by Berchules you start the descent into the valley and Cadiar. You arrive at a T-junction where you turn right. Almost immediately, park and walk out to the mirador (viewing point) to soak up the amazing views.
Back into the car, drive through Cadiar and head towards Torvizcón and back along the southern side of the valley to Órgiva and Rural Paradise.
Day 4 - Tuesday
Spend the day on Granada Playa and reserve a beach bed and sombrillo (umbrella) next to our favourite chiringuito (beach bar), Hoyo 19. The staff at Hoyo 19 will serve you drinks and food at your beach bed.
Hire a water motorbike, catamaran, sailing board or one of the other activities available and enjoy time on the sea. Wander along the beach in the direction of Salobreña.
Day 5 - Wednesday
Explore Granada taking in the Alhambra in the morning and in the afternoon the cathedral and the Albaycin (the old quarter of Granada). Make sure you visit the mirador at the Plaza de San Nicolas. From here you can look across the valley to the Alhambra, up the valley to the gypsy quarter, Socromonte, and down the valley to see Granada spread out in front of you.
Note: The Alhambra is very busy so to be sure you can visit when you want to it is advisable to book months in advance. This can be done online.
Day 6 - Thursday
Walk up to Órgiva and spend the day exploring. Take in the hustle and bustle of the weekly market. Stop in one or more of the many bars to enjoy a drink and tapas and people watch. The weekly market attracts characters from the environs of Órgiva and in particular the hippies who live under canvas outside of Órgiva in Beneficio. This is a community of people from all over the world.
Head back to Rural Paradise and chill out by the pool.
Don’t cook or worry about heading out to a restaurant, instead enjoy Audrey’s home cooking for your evening meal.
Day 7 - Friday
The Alpujarras is a great region for wine-lovers. Produced in small bodegas on some of the highest vineyards of Europe, the ‘agile’ red, white and rosé vinos de las Alpujarras are proving popular throughout the rest of Spain. Famed Spanish wine critic José Peñin has pinpointed this region as one of his key up-and-coming areas in Spain. “Keep an eye on La Alpujarra of Granada,” he said. “Its winemakers are capable of making great wine.” While production here is small, the wines benefit from the region’s colder night-time temperatures, which give a rest to the vine and allow acidity and complexity to develop within the grape.
A special day out is to head over to Alpujarride and enjoy visiting the vineyard, sampling the wine and having lunch in their restaurant with spectacular views.
The Juan Reyes estate has been owned by the family Nestares Rincón since 1927. It is located at 1,352 meters altitude in the Contraviesa Mountain Range, the heart of the wine tradition of the Apujarras. Now on its fifth generation, this family has managed to reinvent itself from the tradition of making typical wine to current quality wines guaranteed by the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) “Wines of Granada”.
Their vineyards enjoy breathtaking views of the snow capped mountains of Sierra Nevada and the Mediterranean Sea. Their grapes Tempranillo, Merlot and Syrah grow under sunlight. The characteristics of its rich slate soil, low rainfall, the influence of the sea breeze and the temperature variation between day and night, produce grapes of great complexity that is reflected in the intense and excellent flavours of their wines.
Going from Órgiva to Torvizcón, just as you leave Torvizcón look out for the Alpujárride/Contraviesa sign and turn right. Shortly afterwards you reach a Contraviesa/cementerio junction, turn left and drive for about 15km going uphill all the way on a narrow tarmac road. When you reach a main road (GR-5402), turn right and drive for a few minutes. Alpujárride is on your right. On leaving, turn right and follow signs back to Órgiva.
Or, you may wish to visit some of the other vineyards in the Alpujarras before heading back to Rural Paradise. See here for more information - wine tasting.
Day 8 - Saturday
Set off early and go hiking in the high Alpujarra above Capileira or Trevélez in the Sierra Nevada National Park. There are many walks available including going to the top of Mulhacén, the highest mountain in the Iberian peninsula. This can be done in a day although many people choose to do it in 2 days with a stop over at a refuge on the way up.
When you get back to Órgiva stop at Mario’s on the Plaza de Alpujarra and enjoy a meal sitting at one of the tables clustered in a corner of the plaza.
Day 9 - Sunday
Take the motorway in the direction of Málaga for about 45 minutes and visit the caves at Nerja and then spend time exploring the town and its beach front.
On the way back to Rural Paradise take the coast road and enjoy the wonderful vista. Stop off at the seaside towns of La Herradura and Almuñécar before continuing along the coast road to Salobreña. Head down to the beach and enjoy dinner at El Peñon, a fish restaurant located on a rocky outcrop that separates the two beaches of Salobreña.
Day 10 - Monday
Visit Los Cahorros near Granada for a 2.5 hour walk through spectacular scenery. With its wild flowers, fruit trees heavy with apricots, almonds, cherries, apples and pomegranates, a cascading river and lavender, thyme and rosemary, the lush Monachil valley is a beautiful area for walking. Kids will love the hanging bridges and the dramatic gorge, and this walk is particularly recommended when the flowers are out in spring and when the leaves turn gold in autumn.
Leave Los Cahorros and head south west from Granada to enjoy some inland swimming at the Embalse de los Bermejales. This is a huge and glorious reservoir with a whopping circumference of 28km. This man-made lake is fringed with pine trees, with a majestic mountain back-drop. There are a number of points from where you can swim, although many families tend to head to the “beach” area near the campsite where there is a floating pontoon and a very laid back beach bar. The water quality is sublime, clear and warm and teeming with fish. This spot is very popular with families over the summer months and you can also rent canoes and pedalos. The nearest village is the delightful Alhama de Granada where you can find good tapas at Bar Tigres in the Plaza de la Constitucion.
On returning to Rural Paradise after a full day let Audrey cook for you in the evening.
Day 11 - Tuesday
Set off early and hit the motorway to Málaga, about 1.5 hours drive. Head into the city centre and park in one of many public car parks. Málaga is one of Spain’s oldest cities with a lovely port, indoor market, cathedral, mini version of the Alhambra, beach, pedestrianised shopping area within which you will find streets lined with tapas bars and parks to wander around. There is much to explore so lose yourself in Andalucía’s answer to Barcelona and the home of Picasso.
Day 12 - Wednesday
Take a 40 minutes drive down to the Costa Tropical but rather than using the motorway when you get to the roundabout near the dam don’t turn left to the motorway, instead go straight over and down to the dam. Pause here for 10 minutes just to wander on to the dam and to soak up the views. Continue on down the side of the mountain into the valley, cross the Rio Gualalfeo and at the T-junction turn left on to the N-323a. This used to be the main road from the coast to Granada before the motorway was built. The road runs alongside the Rio Guadalfeo and cuts through the mountains providing spectacular views before emerging on to the coastal plain.
Spend the morning exploring Motril, the second largest town in Granada Province and then head south west to the Ron Montero distillery where you can hear about a novel way of making rum, taste the rum and even buy a bottle if the fancy takes you.
Then, go over to Hoyo 19 for lunch before taking the old coast road (N-340) east to visit the many coastal villages and explore some of the small coves, do some snorkelling and chill on the beach.
Ready to head back to Rural Paradise? From the coastal village of La Rábita take the A-345 up into the Contraviesa and Lújar mountains via Albuñol. Just after passing through Albuñol turn left onto the A-4131. The scenery is truly spectacular and at points along the journey you can enjoy 360 degree vistas. If doing this in the spring you will be amazed at the splurge of colours from the almond blossom. The A-4131 takes you west high up in the mountains and brings you down to the A-348 where you turn left for Órgiva.
Day 13 - Thursday
Pay a visit to Lanjarón (20 minutes drive from Rural Paradise), enjoy exploring the village, spending a short time at the ruins of the Arab Castle (more for the views than anything else), stop in at the museum of honey and then pamper yourselves at the spa, famous across Spain.
Lanjarón is where we go to fill our bottles with drinking water from one of the natural springs.
Day 14 - Friday
Chill at Paraíso Rural, walk up to town and have a coffee and churros. Back to Rural Paradise and enjoy a massage.
Let Audrey cook for you in the evening.
Day 15 - Saturday
Head home refreshed, relaxed and planning your return visit to Rural Paradise to do all those things you didn’t do combined with revisiting those things you really enjoyed.