The rural village of Ardales, well known to Spaniards
who spend summers at its reservoir-side campgrounds, is perched
along the border of the Ronda mountains. It offers more than stunning
countryside and fresh air, however, as those who take the time to
enter the town will find. History has been good to Ardales - at
least from tourist office's point of view. Throughout the centuries,
this town been inhabited and conquered by numerous peoples, who
generously left their marks in the form of archeological sites and
important monuments.
 It appears that Ardales was considered to be an
attractive place to live - or at least make camp - as far back as
the Neolithic period. Today remains are found near the castle and
the church. Copper age remains have also been found in the Ardales
cave.
Civilisation seems to have reached this area with
the Romans who contributed a a dash of caché in the form
of a castle and the safety it could afford. Perhaps such an attraction
made the area appealing to the Moors who later took the town, gave
it a new name - Ard-Allah, or Land of Allah - and settled in for
a few hundred years. They also left their mark in the form of monuments,
and built the mosque that would later serve as a foundation for
the 15th century church that still stands today.
The lakes and resevoirs surrounding Ardales make
this area a delightful getaway - one that Spaniards readily take
advantage of during the hotter summer months, and small hotels and
rural resorts supplement the campgrounds, while water sports are
a well known theme for holiday makers.
Ardales is also a beautiful place to live, and those
wishing to integrate with Spain's rural landscape and charm should
pay this area a visit. While it is relatively untouched, there are
new property developments in the area.
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