Sierra Nevada is the mountain range that rises behind Granada, with the highest summits on the Iberian Peninsula: the Mulhacén (3,479 m), the Veleta and the Alcazaba. Its high ground is a national park, wrapped in a larger natural park, and each side you approach it from feels like a different place.
The north side, a short drive from Granada, holds the ski station at Pradollano, whose lifts also run in midsummer, and the valleys of Monachil and Güéjar Sierra, where Los Cahorros and the Vereda de la Estrella start. The south side is the Alpujarra: terraced slopes, white villages such as Pampaneira, Capileira and Trevélez, the spa town of Lanjarón, and the park minibus that carries walkers towards the Mulhacén. To the east, the Puerto de la Ragua crosses into Almería above the castle of La Calahorra.
Winter is for snow, July and August for the high peaks, and autumn for the colours on the lower trails.
Ride the national park minibus to 2,706 m and walk about 8 km to the highest summit on the Iberian Peninsula.
What it is
The Mulhacén (3,479 m) is the highest summit on the Iberian Peninsula, and the shortest way up starts in Capileira.
How to do it
The national park's Servicio de Interpretación de Altas Cumbres runs a guided minibus from the park information point in the village, with a stop at the Puerto Molina viewpoint, to the Alto del Chorrillo (2,706 m); private cars cannot use the track beyond the Hoya del Portillo control. From the Chorrillo, the route published by the Trevélez council reaches the summit in about 8 km with some 760 m of climbing. The minibus runs in summer and autumn, weather permitting, and can be suspended or changed without notice, so book your seat by phone (+34 671 56 44 06) and confirm the time of the last return.
Three white villages stacked up a gorge, with flat roofs, whitewashed walls and covered passages running beneath the houses.
What it is
Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira climb one above the other up the Poqueira gorge, and all three were declared a historic-artistic ensemble in 1982 for their Morisco architecture: flat roofs, whitewashed walls and tinaos, the covered passages that run beneath the houses.
How to do it
Start at the Sierra Nevada information point on Pampaneira's Plaza de la Libertad, then go up to Bubión, where the lower quarter, the Barrio Hondo, holds the church and an old washhouse. Capileira, the highest of the three, has a museum of local customs, and its parish church of Santa María de la Cabeza opens Wednesday to Sunday.
Good to know
The decision is how to move between them: the signed PR-A 70 path that links the villages has been closed since 4 March 2026 after storm damage, so drive or take the ALSA bus until the Junta reopens it.
Ham cured by cold, clean mountain air in what its council calls the highest municipality on the Iberian Peninsula.
What it is
Trevélez sits on the slopes of the Mulhacén, and its council calls it the highest municipality on the Iberian Peninsula; the cold, clean mountain air is what cures its hams. Jamón de Trevélez is a Protected Geographical Indication: each ham is cured for at least 14, 17 or 20 months depending on its fresh weight, and only above 1,200 m in Trevélez and seven neighbouring Alpujarra municipalities. The reputation goes back to 1862, when Isabel II granted the village the right to stamp its hams with a royal seal.
How to do it
Buy in the village and look for the IGP label on the ham. Then walk the three quarters, the barrio alto, medio and bajo, down to the river.
Good to know
Time it with the livestock fair on the third weekend of October or the chestnut festival on the first weekend of November.
Time needed
Half a day
Best time
The October livestock fair or the November chestnut festival
Seven lakes stepped one above the other below the Mulhacén, reached by a long, hard climb straight from Trevélez.
What it is
The Siete Lagunas are seven lakes stepped one above the other up a high valley below the Mulhacén, and the classic way up starts in Trevélez itself.
How to do it
The council's route leaves from the Callejón de la Era de Juan Pérez, just above the town hall, and climbs about 1,590 m in 10 km to 3,125 m, so treat it as a long, hard day. The Campiñuela, a small meadow with a ruined farmhouse, is the place to rest. At the Chorreras Negras, the dark waterfall that drains the first lake, choose your line: straight up beside the falls, steeper and more direct, or right along the Loma del Burro, longer and gentler. Both meet at the Laguna Hondera, the largest of the seven.
Good to know
From the lakes the Mulhacén is about 600 m higher, for those with legs left.
Walk the Vereda de la Estrella under the north faces
Barranco de San Juan, Güéjar Sierra
About 6 hours 30 minutesFree
Follow the Genil valley past a centenary chestnut and old mines to a viewpoint onto the north faces of the Alcazaba and the Mulhacén.
What it is
The Vereda de la Estrella follows the Genil valley from Güéjar Sierra into the heart of the range, and takes its name from the old mines along the way. About 30 minutes in you pass El Abuelo, a centenary chestnut. Further on, the El Viso viewpoint opens onto the north faces of the Alcazaba and the Mulhacén, and the path passes the ruins of the La Probadora and La Estrella mines.
How to do it
The national park describes a loop of about 19 km and 6 hours 30 minutes that starts and ends at the Barranco de San Juan (1,175 m), reached from Güéjar Sierra along the 6 km route of the old Sierra Nevada tram.
Good to know
There is no technical difficulty, but the length makes it demanding. Go in autumn for the colours, and avoid days of bad weather or snow on the path.
Cross the hanging bridges of Los Cahorros de Monachil
Monachil
Half a dayFree
Cross a 63-metre suspension bridge into the narrowest stretch of a limestone gorge, close enough to Granada for a half day.
What it is
Los Cahorros is a limestone gorge cut by the Monachil river on the Granada side of the range, close enough to the city for a half-day outing.
How to do it
The council's circular route starts in Monachil village: walk up Calle Trinidad Carreras beside the river to the Fuente del Piojo, climb past the old threshing floors, then drop into the canyon. Beyond the ruins of the guard's house of an old power station you reach the 63-metre suspension bridge, which leads into the narrowest stretch and the Túnel de las Palomas. A smaller bridge waits at Las Azuelas, which has a drinking fountain and fills up at weekends; come back by the Camino de la Solana.
Good to know
The loop is 8.2 km with 386 m of ascent. The council neither signposts nor maintains these paths and warns of exposed sections with drops: carry the GPS track.
Two summer lifts carry you from 2,100 m to about 3,000 m, close to the Veleta summit, for walks past high lakes.
What it is
In summer the ski station keeps two lifts running, the Borreguiles gondola and the Veleta chairlift, which together take you from Pradollano at 2,100 m to about 3,000 m, close to the Veleta summit. From the top, the station's unguided routes include the climb to the Veleta summit, for experienced walkers, and an easier walk from Borreguiles past the Laguna de las Yeguas to the ridge of the observatory.
How to do it
Without a car, the Autocares Tocina bus leaves Granada bus station at 09:00 daily in summer and returns at 17:00 from the Hoya de la Mora. Buy lift tickets online or at the Plaza de Andalucía.
Good to know
In 2026 they ran from 11 July to 23 August, the gondola from 09:30 with the last ride up at 18:00; check the 2027 dates on sierranevada.es. The station refunds the day's ticket if the lifts cannot open.
Snowshoe or cross-country ski at the Puerto de la Ragua
Puerto de la Ragua
Half a dayBook ahead
The quiet side of Sierra Nevada when snow falls: cross-country ski circuits, sledging and snowshoe crossings along snowy crests.
What it is
The Puerto de la Ragua is a pass at 2,000 m on the A-337 between La Calahorra and Laroles, on the border between Granada and Almería, where the Marquesado plateau meets the Alpujarra. When snow falls it becomes the quiet side of Sierra Nevada: a recreation area with cross-country ski circuits and sledging, run by a consortium of the Granada and Almería provincial councils, next to a national park information point in a cabin.
How to do it
Local operators such as Nevadensis lead snowshoe crossings that need no technical knowledge and climb to almost 2,200 m along snowy crests.
Good to know
Everything depends on the snow, and the consortium's hostel is not always open, so call before you drive up. Without snow, the Lagunilla Seca trail (7 km one way, about 3 hours) follows the Sulayr path from the cabin, best in spring and autumn.
Take the waters in Lanjarón, the gateway to the Alpujarra
Lanjarón
Half a dayBook ahead
Soak in a spa fed by six mineral springs at the foot of Sierra Nevada, at the western entrance to the Alpujarra.
What it is
Lanjarón, at the western entrance to the Alpujarra, built its name on water: its spa draws on six mineral springs at the foot of Sierra Nevada. Day visitors can book the Aquatherma circuit, with a water bar, a toning tunnel, a jacuzzi, wet and dry thermal rooms and a large active pool with underwater jets, listed by the spa at €33.50.
How to do it
Reserve a slot in advance with the thermal reception, bring a swimming cap (compulsory, also sold there) and note the split hours, 10:00 to 14:00 and 16:30 to 20:30. Afterwards, a 3 km loop links the spa with El Salado park and the castle.
Good to know
On the night of 23 to 24 June the town holds the Carrera del Agua, an hour-long water fight through the streets from midnight, declared a Fiesta of National Tourist Interest in May 2026.
Time needed
Half a day
Best time
The night of 23 to 24 June for the Carrera del Agua
Tour the Renaissance courtyard of La Calahorra castle
La Calahorra
About 40 minutes for the guided visitTimed entry
Behind a blunt fortress lies an Italian Renaissance courtyard of Carrara marble, with two tiers of arcades and a monumental staircase.
What it is
From outside, the castle of La Calahorra is a blunt fortress with four round corner towers on a flat-topped hill at 1,250 m, with the north face of Sierra Nevada behind it. Inside is an Italian Renaissance courtyard about 20 metres square, with two tiers of arcades and a monumental staircase, decorated between 1509 and 1512 for Rodrigo de Mendoza, first Marquis of Cenete. The Genoese artist Michele Carlone had Carrara marble shipped to Almería for it.
How to do it
Visits are guided only, about 40 minutes long, for up to 30 people, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and you have to book ahead through the ticket link on the La Calahorra council's website. Pair it with the Puerto de la Ragua: the A-337 up to the pass starts in the village.
Good to know
The Diputación de Granada bought the castle in 2025 and opened it that September.
Spain's southernmost ski resort is close enough to Granada for a day trip, with lifts climbing to just below the Veleta.
What it is
Sierra Nevada counts more than 112 km of slopes, and the lifts top out just below the Veleta, 3,398 m. Pradollano, the base village, sits at about 2,100 metres.
How to do it
Pradollano is roughly 50 minutes by car or 45 by bus from Granada. The season usually runs from late November or early December to late April or early May; the 2026 to 2027 season is scheduled to open on 28 November, snow permitting, so check the official site before you go.
Good to know
Weekends fill with skiers from Granada and Málaga, so ski midweek if you can. The sun at this latitude and altitude is strong even in January: wear sunscreen and goggles.
Granada is the gateway: the ski station puts Granada airport 47 km away and Málaga airport 172 km away. For the north side, take Granada's Ronda Sur and the A-395 to Pradollano; Autocares Tocina buses leave Granada bus station for the station at 09:00 daily in summer and several times a day in winter. For the Alpujarra, follow the motorway towards Motril to the Lanjarón turn-off and the road that runs along the whole south side; ALSA buses link Granada with Capileira and Trevélez. For La Calahorra and the Puerto de la Ragua, take the A-92 towards Almería and then the A-337.
Getting around
A car is the practical way to combine the different sides. No public road crosses the top: the old road over the range is closed to private traffic beyond the barrier at the Hoya de la Mora on the north side and the control at the Hoya del Portillo on the south, and the national park's guided minibuses run those upper sections in summer. Moving from Pradollano to the Alpujarra means driving back towards Granada and round by Lanjarón. Inside the Alpujarra, ALSA buses serve the main villages a few times a day.
How many days
Three or four days, in must30's view. Give one to the north side (Los Cahorros, the Vereda de la Estrella or the summer lifts), two to the Alpujarra for the Poqueira villages, Trevélez and a summit day on the Mulhacén or at the Siete Lagunas, and one to La Calahorra and the Puerto de la Ragua if you are heading on towards Almería. From a base in Granada, the north side works as day trips.
When to go
The summer lifts ran from 11 July to 23 August in 2026, and July and August are the window for the high routes. The park minibus from Capileira runs in summer and autumn, weather permitting. The national park recommends autumn for the colours on the Vereda de la Estrella, and the Puerto de la Ragua needs a winter snowfall. Dates to plan around: Lanjarón's Carrera del Agua on the night of 23 to 24 June, the Trevélez pilgrimage to the Mulhacén on 4 and 5 August, and the Trevélez chestnut festival on the first weekend of November.
Where to stay
For the Mulhacén minibus and the Poqueira villages, stay in Capileira, Bubión or Pampaneira. Trevélez suits the Siete Lagunas, whose trail starts in the village. Pradollano, the ski station's village, puts you next to the summer lifts and the Hoya de la Mora. Granada works as a base for Monachil, Güéjar Sierra and the station by bus, and the Lanjarón spa runs its own two, three and four star hotels at the entrance to the Alpujarra.
Questions travellers ask
How do you get to the top of the Mulhacén?
The shortest approach uses the national park minibus from Capileira to the Alto del Chorrillo (2,706 m), which runs in summer and autumn; from there the route to the summit is about 8 km with some 760 m of climbing. The other classic is the long climb from Trevélez by the Siete Lagunas. Both need a settled forecast, water and warm layers.
Is Sierra Nevada worth visiting in summer?
Yes, summer is when the high mountain opens up. The ski station's gondola and chairlift ran from 11 July to 23 August in 2026, lifting walkers to about 3,000 m, and the park minibuses climb towards the Veleta and the Mulhacén. It is also the season for the Siete Lagunas and the summit routes.
Do I need a car in Sierra Nevada?
Not for a single area. Autocares Tocina runs buses from Granada to the ski station, and ALSA links Granada with Capileira and Trevélez in the Alpujarra. To combine the north side, the Alpujarra and La Ragua, or to reach trailheads such as the Barranco de San Juan, a car saves a lot of time.
Can you visit Sierra Nevada as a day trip from Granada?
Yes, for the north side. Monachil, where Los Cahorros starts, and Güéjar Sierra, for the Vereda de la Estrella, are close to the city, and in summer a bus leaves Granada for the ski station at 09:00 and comes back at 17:00. The Alpujarra and the Mulhacén are better with at least one night.
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