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Like neighbouring Cadiz
province, Malaga is sprinkled liberally with pretty pueblos
blancos, or white towns and villages, the most well-known of all
these being Ronda. Malaga is inundated
with visitors to its famous Costa
del Sol and the pueblos blancos nearest this coastal strip are
the most popular, but it´s relatively easy to find more remote
villages that retain an away-from-it-all charm, such as those of
the Axarquía
region northeast of Malaga city.
Casares, Malaga is sprinkled liberally with
pretty pueblos blancos
Costa del Sol
West of Malaga city is the most visited stretch
of the Andalucian coastline, the Costa
del Sol. Purpose-built resorts of high-rise apartments line
many of the beaches, but there is also the jetsetters' haunt of
upmarket Marbella to explore,
with an old quarter riddled with tiny streets that link pretty squares.
Adjacent to Marbella is the glamorous marina of Puerto
Banús, while further east are the hedonistic pleasures
of Torremolinos, which has
some great bars and clubs. Leaving these heady delights behind,
head west to Estepona, which
has managed to maintain a relatively low-key atmosphere, reflecting
its former life as a fishing village.
In the immediate hilly hinterland of the western
Costa del Sol are mountain villages popular with foreign visitors
to the Costa del Sol, such as the settlements north of Marbella
at the foot of the towering Sierra
Bermeja. Istán
nestles beneath the peaks of the Sierra Blanca, while Ojén
is further east, on the A355, and beyond Ojén in a mountain
valley is Monda
and then Guaro.
The attractive village of Benahavís
north of San Pedro de Alcántara
is well-known for its many excellent restaurants.
West of Estepona is the surprisingly unspoilt village
of Manilva - given
its proximity to the Costa - and, further inland along a beautifully
scenic road, Casares. This village
is in a spectacular position with its house clinging precariously
to the sides of a rocky pinnacle, crowned by a Moorish fortress.
North of the coastal resorts of Fuengirola
and Torremolinos there is
the popular, pretty village of Mijas,
with great views down to the coast, the historic village of Alhaurín
el Grande that has vestiges of settlement traced back to Neolithic
times, its much newer neighbour, Alhaurín
de la Torre, and Coín.
On the eastern Costa del Sol close to Malaga city
is Rincón de la Victoria,
with a marine cave - the Cueva
del Tesoro - believed to have hidden treasure (tesoro). Further
east is the resort of Torre
del Mar, which has an attractively revamped main paseo and a
lively seafront.
Nerja is the most
attractive town along this stretch of coastline, sheltering at the
foot of the Sierra de
Almijara. Don´t miss its magnificent tree-lined promenade,
the Balcón de Europa, jutting out into the sea and giving
stunning views along the rocky shore. Nerja is also famous for its
cave, the Cueva de Nerja, 4km from
town.
Villages of the Guadalhorce Valley
Easily accessible from Malaga are a series of village
nestling in the Guadalhorce valley. The closest to Malaga on the
A357 is Cártama,
once a strategic stronghold for the Romans and the Moors who constructed
a castle, today better known for its enormously popular Crocodiles
Park. Just beyond is the small but historically interesting Pizarra.
Further north is Álora,
the biggest place along this route, with steep, cobbled streets
leading up to a ruined Moorish citadel, now the town´s cemetery.
It is tucked into the foot of a rocky cliff topped by a castle,
which was first constructed by the Phoenicians.
Northwest of Álora is the tiny spa resort
of Carratraca, whose
sulphuric hot springs have been popular since the 19th century,
when its waters assuaged the aches and pains of famous travellers
- and hypochondriacs - such as the poet Lord Byron. Close to the
Guadalhorce reservoirs, with a lakeside campsite, is Ardales.
North of Ardales is Teba,
whose streets are lined with many grand mansions. The village enjoys
some of the best panoramic views in the area over a gently rolling
plain clad in olive groves and cereal plantations.
Don´t miss the spectacular Moorish fortress
of Bobastro,
near the reservoirs, a site where the Muslims, rebelling against
the Caliph of Cordoba, converted to Christianity and carved a mosque-like
church in solid rock. East of here is the Valle
de Abdalajis in an impressive mountainside location and near
some excellent hang-gliding territory. At the foot of the magnificent
limestone rock formations of the Torcal
de Antequera Natural Area is the hill town of Villanueva
de la Concepción.
Pueblos blancos of the Serranía
de Ronda
The mountain range of the Serranía de Ronda
is dotted with many hilltop whitewashed villages topped by Moorish
castles. Since the 19th century when it attracted a whole host of
illustrious visitors, the most popular of these has undoubtedly
been Ronda. In a much-photographed
stunning position on the top of the sheer-sided Tajo gorge, Ronda
is remarkably appealing with a beautifully preserved old town and
many great bars and restaurants.
To the north of Ronda are Arriate
and Cuevas
del Becerro, while south is the attractive Cortes
de la Frontera, surrounded by cork groves, and the most famous
place in the area, the delightful village of Gaucín.
West of Ronda is Montejaque,
perched on the mountainside overlooking the fertile olive groves
below, and Benaoján,
which is close to a famous cave, the Cueva
de la Pileta, with some impressive prehistoric cave paintings
and rock formations of stalagtites and stalagmites.
Off the well-beaten tourist track in the Genal valley,
in the shadow of the Sierra
de las Nieves Natural Park, is the village of Igualeja
along with a string of hamlets, such as Pujerra,
Júzcar,
Cartajima, Alpandeire
and Faraján.
On the eastern side of the Sierra de las Nieves, and a gateway into
the park, is Tolox,
which boasts a well-known spa.
Northern historic villages
The main town to the north of Malaga city is Antequera,
a town almost buried under its weighty, rich history with a plethora
of monuments, such as a scattering of prehistoric dolmens, a Moorish
castle, Roman baths and many fine churches. It´s a good base
for exploring the three impressive natural sites nearby: the weirdly
eroded limestone landscape of the Torcal
del Antequera Natural Area, the magnificent gorge of the Desfiladero
de los Gaitanes Natural Area and the lake in the Fuente
de Piedra Natural Reserve, which attracts thousands of flamingos
to breed in spring.
East of Antequera is the small, pleasant town of
Archidona, with
its 18th-century eight-sided Plaza Ochavada and an interesting church,
the Sanctuario de la Virgen de la Gracia, just out of town. Thirty
four kilometres east of Antequera is Villanueva
del Trabuco, a pretty village in the foothills of the Sierra
de San Jorge. Six kilometres south is the smaller Villanueva
del Rosario, set in farmland of olive groves and wheat fields
with a mountainous backdrop. North of these villages, close to the
provincial borders of Granada and Cordoba, is another attractive
village, Villanueva
de Tapia.
Other towns and villages in the area include Fuente
de Piedra, the closest village to the nature reserve of the
same name that is famous for its flamingos; the town of Campillos,
25km west of Antequera between the Guadalhorce reservoirs and the
Laguna de Fuente de Piedra; Mollina,
15km northwest of Antequera, a major wine-producing town; and Alameda,
a few kilometres from a protected lake, the Laguna
de la Ratosa Natural Reserve, where you can see flamingos in
spring and summer, along with other aquatic birds.
Halfway between Malaga and Antequera is the hill
town of Almogia,
a Moorish fortified settlement with the remains of a castle.
Remote villages of the Axarquía
region
The regional capital of this mountainous area is Vélez-Málaga,
a market town well worth a visit with a lively market on Thursday.
The limestone mountain range of the Sierra Almijara, part of the
immense Sierras of Tejeda,
Almijara and Alhama Natural Park that straddles Malaga and Granada
provinces, looms over the picturesque Moorish village of Frigiliana,
only 7km north of the coast and Nerja, Cómpeta,
renowned for its sweet wines and surrounded by vineyards and, further
south, the pretty mountain village of Torrox.
To the west of the park is Comares,
one of the highest villages in Andalucia and visible for miles around,
and Colmenar,
on the edge of the densely wooded Montes
de Malaga Natural Park and named after the numerous beehives
(colmenas) that produce the village´s honey.
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Hotel Cortijo Bravo
In the heart of Axarquía there exists a charming and exclusive place to experience the peace of being surrounded by nature. |
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