Mainland Spain's highest mountain is the continent's most forgiving three-thousander: in summer a national park minibus from Capileira drops you at 2,700 metres, leaving a broad, walkable ridge to the 3,479-metre summit. From the top the Sierra Nevada falls away towards Africa, visible across the water on clear days. Book the shuttle a few days ahead in August. Base yourself in the white villages of the Alpujarras and celebrate the descent with jamón.
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