Drive two hours west from Almeria and you’ll reach the imposing Sierra Nevada mountain range, its snowy Alpine peaks forming one of the highest points in Spain.

Some twenty years ago I first explored the beautiful Alpujarras, a 70-kilometre stretch at its lower reaches, walking and wheeling through the many tiny villages that dot this region of ‘authentic’ Spain off the beaten path.

One of my favourite places is the spa town of Lanjaron, famed for the mineral water you still see bottled and sold throughout Spain. But its pure water is not only renowned as a drink, it also draws the old and infirm to bathe in its thermal properties in a bid to alleviate a whole host of ailments.

The town’s hams have also become revered, and can be found hanging in many local shops and tapas bars, such as Jamons Gustavo, a purveyor of this local delicacy since 1945. Gustavo the owner says, “Con jamon y vino se andar el camino”, or with a lot of ham and wine you can live a long time. I think the clean air and beautiful micro-climate also have a lot to do with it!

Half an hour from Lanjaron, deep in the Alpujarras lies a little-known 22-room hotel, a converted “Cortijada” offering sublime peace and quiet with panoramic views across the Sierra Nevada National Park. I thoroughly recommend it as a perfect mountain retreat.

The food is pretty good too. Its restaurant serves local specialities like hearty stews, cold meat platters and several rice dishes typical of the region. Outside the hotel are many signed trails enabling walkers of all abilities to discover the raw beauty of this stunning region.

If you’d like to find out more about visiting this area of Spain, send us an email to hola@rediscoverspain.com and we’ll be happy to help.