We stumbled upon La Alpujarra of Southern Spain while planning a one month trip around the coast.  We saw the high altitude villages of these region when searching for accommodations that were outside of Granada.  With children, we prioritize staying outside of the city and doing day trips in to visit one or two major sites, and this region looked perfect for our 5 day stay in this part of Spain.

The white washed villages of Las Alpujarras are truly one of Spain’s best kept secrets.  There’s a deep, layered story there. After the fall of Granada in the 15th century, the Moors who refused to convert to Christianity fled into these mountains. Their influence is still everywhere: in the architecture, in the terraced farming systems, even in the names of the towns.

The landscape is breathtaking with deep valleys, rugged mountains, and tiny white villages tucked into the landscape’s corners. The region is perfect for hikers and slow travel. We were able to enjoy hikes in Sierra Nevada National Park, take in the Moorish buildings and historic paths, shop for textiles that were handmade right in front of us, play on playgrounds in the center of these mountain villages, and enjoy flamenco in the center of the villages.

But how did we end up in Las Alpujarras? With the help of Airbnb and a little bit of a gamble.

When we plan our family trips, we look for accommodations just outside of major cities. We have begun to prioritize being in smaller locations that offer a more authentic experiences. It’s a bonus if those areas can offer outdoor activities like hiking, biking, rivers, or beaches. This allows our family to be active daily and truly be immersed in the local culture. One fantastic way to do this is by doing a Home Swap (see my previous post on Home Swaps). However, another wonderful way to have this authentic travel experience is by renting an Airbnb.

When searching for accommodations, we use Airbnb as a starting point. We search the map for smaller villages and towns that are previously unknown to us. It’s then that the research begins. We search for grocery stores, hospitals, restaurants, outdoor activities, any historic sites, and we search for photos of the area before reading about the locations.

Once our trip comes along, we are always thrilled with our choices. When our focus shifted from checking sites off of our “to do list” to experiencing culture in our destinations, our travel became so much more enriching. And we still check sites off of our list, but in very small amounts. From La Alpujarra, we were able to day trip IN to Granada, Spain to visit the incredible Alhambra, but the return to the 500 year old villages in the mountains made our time in the region so unique.

Read more about La Alpujarra under Europe in menu.

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Get out there,

Meghan