Hold on to your lunch. The twisting road to Balcón de Pitres is stomach-churningly winding, but rest assured, this temporary discomfort should give you a few hints about the eye-popping views that lie in wait for you up here in La Alpujarra mountains on the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada.
With 175 grassy plots, many of them blanketed in wild flowers and shaded by a thick canopy of trees, there’s a good chance of being able to pitch your tent on a mountain-view site. And what a view. It stretches at least 180° and looks over the Orgiva valley towards the Contraviesa mountain range. The site’s squint-worthy southern orientation makes sure that you enjoy afternoon sun to the max. The town of Balcón de Pitres, 10 minutes’ walk away, has the small flat-roofed white villas that you see all over the area. Their character is equally matched by the surrounding environment, which has been declared a nature reserve, a national park and Biosphere Reserve by UNESC0. This is due to the wonderful profusion of plant species found only in this neck of the woods.
If you’re feeling footloose and fancy-free explore the terrain via the 2-mile (3-km) Pitres-to-Ferreirola walk. It traverses the lovely Bermejo river and passes through the little villages of Mecina, Mecinilla and Fondales. If you’re a fan of mountain-biking and horse-riding, you’ll find both. Otherwise take advantage of the tranquil campsite, where a swimming pool and beer garden are a legitimate distraction from the view.