At the foothills of the Sierra Nevada can be found the Alpujarras or the Alpujarra, as it is known locally, which is famous throughout Spain because of its unique mini-ecology. Constant watering of its terraced farmlands by the melting snow from the Sierra Nevada results in an abundance of greenery which stands in dramatic contrast to the arid foothills below.

It is also a region extremely popular with hikers due to its attractive valleys revealing beautiful whitewashed villages with their distinctive Berber architecture. The terraced clusters of off-white box-shaped houses with flat clay roofs, still commonly seen in the Riff and Atlas mountains of Morocco today, are a constant reminder of the struggle endured by Spain's Moorish community during the fifteenth century.

On the opposite side of the Alpujarras, the villages of Albuñuelas, Saleres, Restábal, Melegís, Pinos del Valle, Cónchar, Lecrin (Talará)/Mondújar, Chite, Murchas, Dúrcal, Nigüelas and Acequias make up the area of outstanding natural beauty known as The Lecrín Valley, the Valley of Happiness, according to the Moors.

Relatively untouched by tourism, The Lecrín Valley is a beautiful and unspoiled valley, with some of the smaller villages still reliant on local produce being delivered on a daily basis. Throughout the valley, newly erected signs informing of Roman or Arab baths, ruined castles, old olive mills and interesting churches can be seen, although little other information is given, leaving the visitor to delight in the discovery of the hidden treasures this area has to offer.