Private transfer from Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport to Pitres

Pitres sits at around 1,250 metres on the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada and is the administrative centre of the municipality of La Taha, which also takes in the hamlets of Mecina, Mecinilla, Fondales, Ferreirola and Atalbéitar. It has the flat-roofed white houses, terrazas and tinaos typical of the region, plus a small central square with bars serving Alpujarra cured ham and wine. Most visitors are walkers: the GR-7 long-distance path runs through, and the network of irrigation-channel trails links the surrounding villages and drops down towards the Trevélez river. It is noticeably quieter than nearby Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira in the Poqueira gorge, which draws people who want a base for hiking rather than day-tripper crowds.

The route leaves the airport on the A-7 heading east along the coast towards Motril, then turns inland on the A-44 and A-348 towards Órgiva, the market town at the foot of the Alpujarras. From there the character changes completely: the GR-421 climbs steadily through Cáñar and Soportújar, passes below the turn-offs for Pampaneira and Bubión, and continues to Pitres. The final stretch is a sequence of tight bends gaining altitude, with steep drops and views back over the Guadalfeo valley. Expect around two hours in total; most of it is fast dual carriageway, but the last 40 minutes are slow mountain road. Passengers prone to motion sickness usually feel the winding section after Órgiva rather than the motorway.

Give your driver the exact village and street, since La Taha's hamlets are scattered and Pitres's upper lanes are too narrow for a car; the drop-off is usually at the main square or the top of Calle Real, with a short walk to accommodation. Bring warm layers even in summer: at this altitude evenings are cool and winter can bring snow on the approach roads, so confirm conditions in December to February. There is a small shop and bars in Pitres, but stock up on anything specific in Órgiva, the last town with a supermarket and pharmacy on the way up. Fuel and cash are also easier to sort in Órgiva than in the mountain villages, where card acceptance is patchy in the smaller bars.