Overview

There are 3 villages in the gorge of the river Poqueira in the Granada province and Capileira is the highest of these three villages. It is located at a height of 1436 m above sea level. You can either walk in the gorge or walk up to the Sierra Nevada.

This village has become very popular among the tourists. It is the main centre from which the tourists go for walking and also for accessing the mountains, in particular the mountain Mulhacén, which is the tallest in Spain. It is a climb of two days with an overnight stop. Its population was about 590 in the year 2005.

History

Some people are of the opinion that the village Capileira originated at the time of the Godos; there are others who believe that it was much earlier than that. The meaning of the Latin word capilaris is “more elevated place” and Capileira is located at a higher level among the three villages. Its location is such that it was not easily conquerable and hence the Arabs and Romans conquered this place last.

Climate

The maximum and minimum average temperatures in this place are 30°C in July-August and 5 °C in January.

Art and Culture

Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza – was a church constructed on the site where there was a mosque in the 16th century on orders from the Catholic Monarchs. In the 18th century this building was replaced by the current Mudéjar-style building.

Iglesia Parroquial de Santa María la Mayor – was built in the 18th century by replacing a mosque of 1502.

Museo Etnológico Pedro Antonio Alarcón is a village museum wherein local handicrafts and dresses are displayed.

Cuisine

Bread is the most important food item in this place and many people bake their bread at home. People in Capileira use Arab-style ovens for baking their bread. These ovens are constructed with brick or clay-lined and they are capable of holding the heat well.

Poor Man’s Potatoes – Patatas a lo Pobre – is a popular dish made using ingredients like potatoes, onions, green peppers and olive oil and fried until the dish becomes crispy. Fried eggs as well as chorizo or black pudding are also popular dishes in this place. Local diet always contains hunting meat. Other popular items are fennel stew and choto capilurrio. There are hotels where you can get vegetarian foods.

Sports and Entertainment

This place is relatively small but it still has nightclubs and a number of tapas bars. The nightclubs are small but have good dance tunes selection and dance floors.

Shopping

This village is popular for local craft items of good quality hand stitched by the locals; these are hand-woven rugs and leather goods – shoes, bags and belts.

Business

The economy of this village is mainly dependent on tourism.


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