If you go to Andalusia

Getting there: Buses are available from Granada, about an hour away, but consider renting a car to reach the more out-of-the-way villages. Either way, be prepared for a hair-raising ride along precipitous mountain roads. Follow the N323 south from Granada (toward Motril). After about 21 miles (34 kilometers), exit on the A348. Follow this road east through Lanjaron and Orgiva, where you will turn left onto GR421. This road climbs steeply through Capileira and Bubion. To reach the villages of Mecina, Mecinilla and Fondales, turn right on the road that diverges right about 23 miles later, after the 38-kilometer marker.

Weather: Though the upper slopes of the Sierra Nevada are blanketed in snow for much of the year, it rarely snows in the Alpujarras. The highest villages, Trevelez and Pampaneira, are the exception. Winter temperatures can reach the upper 60s. At night, it dips into the 40s. Still, the villages of La Taha are near 5,000 feet elevation, and conditions can change quickly. If you plan to hike, pack a fleece jacket and wool hat.

Rentals: Casa Berenjena, along with other house rentals in the Alpujarras, can be found on the Web at www.inicia.es/de/berenjena/. Casa Berenjena is located in Mecinilla, a village of 500-year-old Berber houses. Other Alpujarras rentals can be found at www.alpujarras.co.uk/.

Three Kings Day: Celebrated throughout Spain on Jan. 6, Three Kings Day commemorates the arrival of the three wise men in Bethlehem.

Tips: The smaller villages have only one or two places to eat, but you can drive to Pampaneira, Pitres and the other larger villages if you want more restaurants to choose from. Bar Aljibe, in Mecinilla, serves good home-cooked food and local wine along with a chance to soak up local culture. As is customary in Spain, dinner is served late.

For more information: Visit www.tourspain.es or call the U.S. offices for Spain's tourism bureaus in New York (212-265-8822), Chicago (312-642-1992), Los Angeles (323-658-7195), and Miami (305-358-1992).