Find an self catering apartment to stay for a break in this historic town of Antequera in the north of Malaga province which is known as the cross roads of Andalucia for its central location at the intersection of the Seville to Granad and Malaga to Cordoba motorways.
Set in beautiful Andalucian countryside, this historic town is rich in fertile land making it Andalucia's top producers of a number of foods like asparagus, cereals and olives. A stay here offers countryside walks, excursions to world famous historical monuments, namely the Dolmens of Antequera and La Peña de los Enamorados (lover's leap) which can be seen shadowing the town.
Antequera is a very popular tourist destination and, as a result, has a number of high quality hotels dotted in and around the town. Being located just half an hour from Málaga, it is a great place to choose to stay and visit other nearby cities and towns, such as Granada. It has a very ´Spanish´ feel to it and is perfect for those who want to immerse themselves in Andalucian culture.
Thirty kilometres north of Malaga is the 12km² Torcal de Antequera Natural Area, with one of the most dramatic and exceptional karstic landscapes in Europe. This surreal and lunar grey limestone plateau, dating from the Jurassic period, is riven by deep gullies and characterised by its fantastically weathered natural sculptures, like the Tornillo Natural Monument.
El Torcal Park and the protected El Torcal Natural Area is known for its unusual limestone rock formations. The park and natural area are located about 30 km north of Málaga city, heading towards Antequera near the village of Villanueva de la Concepción. Within El Torcal Park's 17 square km you can see some of the most beautiful and impressive limestone landscapes in Europe. The whole area was under the sea until one hundred million years ago.
Located at the top of the town, the Arco de los Gigantes dates from 1585, and was built in honour of King Philip II. The late-Renaissance arch was constructed using Roman masonry with sculptures and inscriptions, rescued from the Roman town which was probably destroyed around the same time (see Fact 3). You walk through this magnificent stone triumphal arch to get to the castle walls. There are three other gates in Antequera: Puerta de Malaga, Puerta de Estepa and Puerta de Granada.
The Nájera Palace has a brick façade, a cloistered courtyard, and a staircase decorated with Baroque plasterwork. Its tower, designed by Nicolás Mejías, exemplifies the predominant civil tower style in Antequera during the 18th century.
Antequera offers green spaces that combine nature and history.
Torcal de Antequera is a natural area known for their unusual limestone rock formations
The Archivo Histórico Municipal houses a large collection of historical documents, including manuscripts and printed books dating from the 15th to the 20th century, offering resources for researchers and historians.
This Museo de Arte de la Diputación showcases works by artists and provides a platform for contemporary artistic expression in the area. It is housed in a late 18th-century building originally commissioned by Don Juan Manuel de Colarte y Lila.
The Museo del Aceite-Hojiblanca is dedicated to the area's olive oil production. Visitors can learn about the history of olive cultivation and traditional pressing methods in Andalusian culture.
Torcal de Antequera is a natural area known for their unusual limestone rock formations
Antequera offers a variety of museums that reflect its cultural heritage, artistic traditions, and historical importance.
Just outside Antequera you can visit three 5,000-year-old dolmens: Menga Dolmen (the largest in Europe) and Viera Dolmen, which are both located just outside the town, while El Romeral Dolmen is a few km away. These three prehistoric burial chambers represent some of the largest and most complete megalithic structures in Europe.
El Torcal park and the protected EL Torcal Natural Area is known for it's unusual limestone rock formations. Located about 30 km north of Málaga city in the direction of Antequera near the village of Villanueva de la Concepción. Here are a selection of interesting Videos about El Torcal.
The Municipal Museum of Antequera houses artefacts tracing Antequera's archaeological history, many dating back to Roman times, as well as baroque and contemporary art. The museum opened officially in 1972, after a group of local citizens discovered a bronze sculpture named 'The Ephebe of Antequera.
Antequera Santa Ana station is the new Antequera train station on the AVE high speed rail line and is located about 17km to the north west of the town. It is just of the A-384 in the direction of Campillos. When the futuristic station building was opened on 16 December 2007, the station was critised as a white elephant in the middle of nowhere that cost 10m €.
Just outside Antequera you can visit three 5,000-year-old dolmens: Menga Dolmen (the largest in Europe) and Viera Dolmen, which are both located just outside the town, while El Romeral Dolmen is a few km away. These three prehistoric burial chambers represent some of the largest and most complete megalithic structures in Europe.
Antequera Cuidad station is the old train station just to the north of the town at the end if the aptly named Avenida Estacion. From here there were regional trains on the following route until the line was closed in 2013 for the construction of the AVE from Antequera to Granada. It may reopen in 2019.
