Capileira
....... is the highest and most northerly of the three villages in the gorge of the Poqueira river in the La Alpujarra district of the province of Granada, in Spain. Its altitude is officially recorded as 1436 metres, though there is a considerable altitude difference between the oldest part of the village, which is at the lower, southern end, and the highest part.
Although the Sierra Nevada Highway runs through Capileira and out across the Sierra Nevada mountains towards the city of Granada,
motor traffic is no longer permitted to continue across the mountains;
Capileira is therefore the highest village that public traffic can
reach, although you can continue to a car park where the National park
begins and the road is barred to normal traffic. The National Park runs a
limited bus service
on the now-closed road (reservations handled by office in the village)
in summer. A track leads northwards from the village to the abandoned
settlement of La Cebadilla, built to house the workers who developed the
hydro-electric installation at the upper end of the Poqueira Gorge. 
Capileira has developed a significant tourist trade, acting as a centre for walking and for accessing the mountains especially Mulhacén, generally treated as a two-day climb from Capileira with an overnight stop at a mountain refuge en route. A bus route connects the village to Granada (via Lanjarón and Órgiva) and Alcútar (via Trevélez and Juviles); as of 2011 there were 3 services per day in each direction. The village has good facilities for visitors including a number of restaurants,a market on Tuesdays, hotels and apartment blocks, but retains a typical Alpujarran character especially away from the main road.
On Calle Mentidero is the village′s museum, the Museo Etnológico Pedro Antonio Alarcón, which has exhibits of local handicrafts and dress and a display on the 19th-century writer Alarcón, from Guadix, who published an account of the Alpujarras, Viaje a la Alpujarra. It′s open 11am-2.30pm Tuesday to Sunday.
For the most outstanding views of the village and the Poqueira gorge, head north towards the river and you′ll come to the Eras de Aldeire, a series of old threshing floors that were used for wheat and barley. On the southeastern edge of the village is a viewpoint (mirador) from where you can see down the Poqueira valley to Bubión and Pampaneira and north to the Veleta peak.
At the top of the village is the best hotel in Capileira, the three-star Finca Los Llanos, with magnificent views from all of the rooms and apartments and from the attractive swimming pool. Just beyond Capileira is Cortijo Catifalarga (958 343 357), a stone guesthouse on a farm with fabulous views and occasional live music in its bar. There are also several basic accommodation options in the centre, including Mesón-Hostal Poqueira. There are good restaurants at all these hotels. If you′re vegetarian, eat at the Casa Ibero on Calle Parra.
For a truly away-from-it-all experience, you can stay in the mountain refuge beyond Capileira, the Refugio Poqueira (958 343 349). Located at 2,500m en route to Mulhacén peak, there are spectacular views of the Sierra Nevada and the Alpujarras.
If you want to hike up to Mulhacén you can take a bus from Capileira (in summer only) to the Mirador de Trevélez. From here (2,700m) you can climb up to the peak (3,479m) and down, in time to catch the return bus.
For tourist information, contact the village hall (ayuntamiento) on 958 763 051.
