In this guide
💡 The Short Version: The Alpujarra villages of Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira are about 2 hours from Granada by Alsa bus, and the last bus back sets how long you have. For one day, take a tour: 8 to 10 hours from €71.32 with Lanjarón, Pampaneira, Trevélez and a ham tasting, or 7 hours in a small group from €115. By bus, stay a night. The Casa Museo Alpujarreña in Bubión is €1.80 and closed on Tuesdays. Prices are in euros. Or book now: the Alpujarra mountain villages tourad is from €71.32 and the small-group Alpujarra tourad from €115 (GetYourGuide).
Getting there compared
| Option | Time | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Alsa bus from Granada bus station | About 2 hours each way | A direct bus to Bubión is listed by the village council; check Alsa for the times and the last bus back |
| Tour, 8 to 10 hours | Door to door | From €71.32ad, 4.7 from 354 reviews, with hotel pick-up |
| Tour, small group, 7 hours | Door to door | From €115ad, 4.8 from 229 reviews |
Bubión’s council lists a direct bus from Granada and gives the journey as about 2 hours 20 minutes (Ayuntamiento de Bubión), and Pampaneira’s council tells visitors to contact Alsa (Ayuntamiento de Pampaneira). Times and fares are on Alsa’s app for your date.
The two tours
The mountain villages tour
From €71.32 · 8 to 10 hours · GRANAVISION · up to 20 people · 4.7 from 354 reviews
This tourad picks up from central Granada hotels, with a local guide in English or Spanish, and stops at Lanjarón for 30 minutes, Pampaneira for an hour of free time, the Fuente Agria spring at Pórtugos, Trevélez, which the listing calls the highest village in Spain, for a guided hour and a tasting of local products including Iberian ham, and Capileira for 1½ hours. A traditional lunch and drink are an option, a private version for up to 16 is listed, and free cancellation runs to 24 hours before.
A whitewashed lane with a water channel in Pampaneira. Photo: Roy Lindman, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
The small-group tour
From €115 · 7 hours · Discovering Spain · 4.8 from 229 reviews
This tourad is led in English or Spanish, in small groups or privately, and stops at the Nasrid bridge at Tablate, Lanjarón, a viewpoint over the Poqueira valley, the Fuente Agria spring and the Chorrerón waterfalls at Pórtugos, Capilerilla and Pampaneira, where lunch is at your own cost. Pick-up is available and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before.
The villages
Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira are the three villages of the Barranco de Poqueira, the ravine on the south side of Sierra Nevada. Their houses are whitewashed, with flat clay roofs, on narrow cobbled streets.
Capileira on its slope above the Poqueira ravine. Photo: Trougnouf (Benoit Brummer), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.
- Pampaneira is the first stop, and the tours give it an hour or more of free time.
- Bubión has the Casa Museo Alpujarreña on Plaza de la Iglesia, a restored village house of more than 500 objects. It is €1.80, €1.50 for groups of 10 or more, and the council’s page lists it closed on Tuesdays and open 11:00 to 14:00 on other days, with 17:00 to 19:00 added on Fridays and Saturdays (Ayuntamiento de Bubión).
- Capileira stands at nearly 1,500 m, and its council calls it the door to Sierra Nevada. It has a museum of popular arts and customs in an old mansion, the Casa-Museo Pedro Antonio de Alarcón, and the PRA-70 Pueblos del Poqueira, a circular walk through the ravine. The council says the walk can be cold with snow in winter and is best avoided in the middle of a summer day (Ayuntamiento de Capileira).
Flat-roofed houses and the church tower in Bubión. Photo: Matt Batchelor, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
Planning the day
- For one day, take a tour, and choose between the long one that reaches Trevélez and the 7-hour small group.
- By bus, ask Alsa for the last bus back before you go, and plan the villages around it.
- Stay a night if you want the PRA-70 walk or the evening in Capileira.
- In winter, dress for the cold: Capileira is at nearly 1,500 m.
The Alpujarras are one of the day trips from Granada, and Sierra Nevada is the mountain above them. Granada public transport covers the bus station, and what to book before you go to Granada lists the sights that need tickets. Where to stay in Granada compares the areas.
Common questions
How do I get from Granada to the Alpujarra villages?
By Alsa bus from Granada bus station, about 2 hours each way to Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira. Check Alsa for the departures and the last bus back, which sets how long you have in the villages.
Is the Alpujarras a day trip from Granada?
Yes by tour, and awkwardly by bus. The tours are 7 to 10 hours with the driving included. By bus the two-hour journey each way and the last bus back leave a few hours in the villages, so an overnight in Capileira, Bubión or Pampaneira works better.
How much is an Alpujarras tour from Granada?
From €71.32 for the 8 to 10 hour tour with Lanjarón, Pampaneira, Trevélez and Capileira, rated 4.7 from 354 reviews, and from €115 for the 7-hour small-group tour, rated 4.8 from 229 reviews.
Which are the three villages of the Poqueira ravine?
Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira, in that order up the valley. Capileira stands at nearly 1,500 m above sea level, and its council calls it the door to Sierra Nevada.
Is there anything to visit in Bubión?
The Casa Museo Alpujarreña on Plaza de la Iglesia, a restored village house with more than 500 objects. It is €1.80, €1.50 in groups of 10 or more, and closed on Tuesdays.
Can I walk between the Poqueira villages?
Yes. Capileira's council lists the PRA-70 Pueblos del Poqueira, a circular walk through the Poqueira ravine, and says it can be cold with snow in winter and best avoided in the middle of a summer day.
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