The  Romería de la Virgen de las Nieves on the 5th of August is not for the faint-hearted because it is a trudge up to nearly the top of Sierra Nevada.

It is the highest romería in Spain with participants setting off in the pre-dawn from the Pradollano ski resort and ascending to 3,000 metres above sea level at the Tajos de la Virgen, to witness the first rays of sun.

The history behind this romería (all romerías have a story behind them) dates back to 1717 with people nowadays coming from all over Spain to participate.

They start off at four in the morning in the Plaza de Pradollano and despite it being August, at that height in is cold so you have to wrap up warm (luxury!). An hour and a half later and still in the dark they reach La Borreguiles for a pit stop with a cup of hot chocolate (typical Spanish breakfast drink) and off they set again.

Before 08.00h they reach the Tajos de la Virgen where they await to see the Sun break over the mountains and shine onto the small shrine; the magic moment of the day.

Now, you can’t have a hundred or so people stomping up the Sierra Nevada without some organisation, which is provided by the Monachil Town Hall, the Guardia Civil, the Policía Local, Protección Civil, the company that runs the ski station, Cetursa, The administration of the Espacio Natural de Sierra Nevada, the Universidad de Granada, the Hermandad Virgen de las Nieves, the Junta de Andalucía and even the Army command, Madoc because they have a base up there.

Nobody fell down the mountain, suffered a stroke (or stroked anybody else, uninvited) a heart attack, or burst into flames through Spontaneous Human Combustion, so the Mayor of Monachil thanked everybody for their collaboration and participation.

Now that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is a romeria well worth participating in… if only for the lovely cold!

(News: Sierra Nevada, Granada, Andalucia)

Keywords: Highest Romeria, Virgen de Las Nieves, Cetursa, Guardia Civil, Sierra Nevada Natural Park, University of Granada, Junta, Pradollano, Tajos de La Virgen, Hot Chocolate.

news, andalucia, granada, sierra nevada, highest romeria, virgen de las nieves, cetursa, guardia civil, sierra nevada natural park, university of granada, junta, pradollano, tajos de la virgen, hot chocolate.