Ugíjar is one of those places where the history is heavier than the village. It sits on the southern side of the Sierra Nevada in the Alpujarras, the series of valleys where white villages stack up the hillsides in terraces. The Alpujarras were the last refuge of the Moriscos, the Muslims who stayed in Spain after the Christian conquest, and the Morisco revolt of 1568 to 1571 began and burned across these hills. Nearby Válor was the home of Fernando de Válor, who took the name Aben Humeya and was chosen as king of the rebels. Ugíjar saw dreadful scenes in that war.
The landscape tells its own story. The Moors built an intricate system of irrigation channels, the acequias, that still carry snowmelt from the high Sierra to the terraces below, and you can see the greener fields that follow the water. Almond and olive trees, vines and figs fill the slopes, while above you the sierra rises toward Mulhacén, the highest peak on mainland Spain. The architecture is distinctive too, with flat roofs of grey clay and low whitewashed houses clustered together.
Riding here is slow and rewarding. The roads of the southern Alpujarras twist up and down through ravines, with tight bends, blind corners and a surface that varies from fresh asphalt to patched and rough. Distances look short on the map and feel long on the bike. This is a place to settle into a gentle rhythm, with frequent stops for a view. Spring brings almond blossom and green slopes, autumn gives gold and mild air, and summer can be very hot at the lower levels, though cooler higher up. Winter brings snow to the upper roads, so check conditions before heading up.
Ugíjar has about two and a half thousand residents, and the services of a small market town, with a few bars, shops and places to eat. For a reliable stop with more choice, the larger town of Berja is about sixteen kilometres away, and it is a good place to plan fuel and supplies. Local food is mountain fare: cured ham, spiced sausage, stews and plenty of bread, and the sweet pastries are worth trying. Take a coffee on the square and listen to the village go about its day.