Most well known for its mouth-watering cured ham, jamón serrano, the village of Trevélez is the highest in mainland Spain, at 1,476m. Its clear mountain air is ideal for drying the sweet-tasting ham, which has its own Denominación de Origen, although it's not as pricey as jamón from Jabugo in the Sierra de Aracena. Try it for yourself at any of Trevélez's many bars, which have hams hanging from the ceiling. Local specialities made with ham include habas con jamón (broad beans and ham) and fresh trout (trucha).

Located at the head of the steep-sided and dramatic Trevélez river valley, the village's population of around 800 is divided between three barrios: bajo, medio and alto. The lower section, Barrio Bajo, is the most tourist friendly out of the three, and has the highest concentration of handicraft shops, bars and places to stay.

If you want to hike to the peaks in the Sierra Nevada National Park, Trevélez is an excellent base with a well-trodden track leading from the village. It is also the starting point for trips to Las Siete Lagunas, seven impressive glacial lakes set in the mountains. For a shorter stroll, take the road next to the police station that crosses the Chico river from Barrio Medio. This leads to the Era de la Cruz, a old threshing floor from where there are fine views over the village and valley.

On the feast day of San Antonio (13-14 June) is a dramatic re-enactment of the battle between the Moors and the Christians, the Moros y los Cristianos. As the Alpujarras were the last redoubt of the Moors in the late 15th century, this is a particularly apt theme for a village in the region. You can see similar spectacles in the villages of Valor (14-15 September) and Pampaneira (3 May).

If you're visiting in early August, don't miss the village pilgrimage to a tiny shrine on the Mulhacén, the highest peak in the Iberian Peninsula. The Romería de la Virgen de las Nieves is dedicated, as its name suggests, to the Virgin of the Snows, although Mulhacén rarely has snow on its summit in the height of summer.