Textiles and Tinaos: A Tour of Pampaneira
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About the Tour
About the Tour
Nestled in the dramatic Poqueira Gorge, Pampaneira is one of Alpujarra’s most picturesque villages. On this walking tour, you’ll explore the history, architecture, and food of the village that, until recently, was inaccessible and so developed a unique culture and way of life.
The tour starts and ends outside the Iglesia de la Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz church). From Plaza de la Libertad, outside the church, you’ll make your way down the charming Calle Verónica, before heading up to Paseo de Federico García Lorca. You’ll hear how this passage was named after the famous poet and playwright who used to visit the Alpujarra with his family. From there, you’ll meander through Pampaneira’s most picturesque streets and alleyways, stopping at some breathtaking viewpoints.
You’ll see the village from above before making your way back down to its centre. Along the way, you’ll pass a traditional lavadero (wash fountain) where the women of the village used to wash clothes and gossip. You’ll hear about life in the village, traditional foods, and how the climate has shaped the village. Finally, you’ll make your way back down to the church, past a weaving workshop with a traditional loom that uses flying shuttles.
On this 45-minute tour, you’ll also have a chance to:
- Discover what acequias are, and why they are so important
- Hear about the role of tinaos (covered walkways) in village life
- Take in the colourful textiles hung up around the village
- Find out why a proper road to the village was only built in the 1950s
- Learn about jarapa and why it’s such a sustainable product
By the end of the tour, you’ll have a sense of how life in this rugged environment has been shaped by the landscape, climate and the various people who have inhabited it.
Tour Producer
Tour Producer
Ben Barclay
When I moved to Granada in 2006, I initially intended to stay for a year or two. Maybe three or four at most. But like many people, I was captivated by the city’s history and culture, as well as its strategic location close to the sea and in the shadow of the imposing Sierra Nevada mountains. Having travelled widely before I came here, I knew that Granada was special. Little by little I became a local – a “Granaíno”. As well as enjoying everything Granada has to offer, I love exploring the cities and countryside of Andalucía, and my wife and I recently set up the travel website Andalucía Bound (andalucia-bound.com), which offers inspiration and practical advice for visitors to Andalucía. We're also keen hikers, and for fifteen years we've been running the website treksierranevada.com, with information about self-guided hikes in the Sierra Nevada.
In 2011, I co-founded the educational publisher LinguaFrame S.L., which produces textbooks in English for Spanish secondary schools, and I'm the author and editor of fifteen history, geography and science textbooks. I also work as a government-authorised translator, with my specialist areas including historical and cultural texts for museums and advertising material related to tourism.
Preview Location
Preview Location
Location 25
Lavadero
This is a traditional washing place called a lavadero. Washing was traditionally done by women, and the local ladies used to enjoy a gossip while they wor... Read More
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Major Landmarks
Major Landmarks
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Pampaneira
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Iglesia de la Santa Cruz
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Plaza de la Libertad
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Paseo Federico García Lorca
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Fuente Federico García Lorca ( Pampaneira)
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Tinao de la Carcel
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Tinao La Peseta
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Lavadero De Pampaneira
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Fuente de San Antonio “La Chumpaneira”
Getting There
Getting There
Route Overview
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Start locationC. Aguila, 28, 18411 Pampaneira, Granada, Spain
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Total distance977m
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Final locationPlaza de la Libertad, 16, 18411 Pampaneira, Granada, Spain
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Distance back to start location43.78m
Directions to Starting Point
The tour starts in Plaza de la Libertad, by the Abuela Ili chocolate shop, at the back of the village church.
Pampaneira and the other villages of the Alpujarra make a great day trip from Granada, Malaga or any of the nearby coastal resorts, such as Nerja, Almuñecar, Salobreña, Torrox Costa and Torre del Mar. If you’re coming by car, there is a convenient car park at the bottom of the village, on your left as you enter the village from the Orgiva direction. Parking is free of charge.
There are three buses a day from Granada, which take about 2 hours.
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Tips
Tips
Places to stop along the way
Pampaneira doesn’t have many sights to go into – the main attraction of the village is exploring its picturesque streets and alleyways – but the information centre on the main square has an interesting display about the local geography, geology, fauna, flora and customs. The village church is also worth a visit, and there are also many shops selling traditional handicrafts and souvenirs, including a weaving workshop where you can see a demonstration of a traditional loom with flying shuttles. As the village is compact, and the tour finishes close to where it starts, I recommend doing the whole tour first and then going in places when you’ve finished.
Best time of day
Pampaneira is particularly popular at weekends, so avoid these if you don’t like crowds.
Precautions
We'll be walking along steep, cobbled streets, so you'll need comfortable shoes with good grip. A bottle of water is also essential in high summer.
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