White Villages

The "pueblos blancos", or white villages of the Montes de Málaga to the Alta Axarquía form a connection from the beach to the mountains. They are easy to reach and well connected by road from the N-340 along the coast and the N-331 between Antequera and Málaga.

The whole area is one of outstanding beauty where fields of crop, almond and olive trees are complemented by a background of mountains covered with fragrant pine woods. The green and copper-coloured fields are dazzled by the shining whitewash of the many farmhouses of the area.

There are many lovely and historic villages in the region, highly recommended for a visit, such as Alfarnate, Almogía, Casabermeja, Colmenar, Comares, Riogordo, and Periana.

The drive inland from Malaga city, in the Antequera/Granada direction, takes you on a journey to the real Andalucia. Colmenar is one of the most important villages in this area, being the Capital of the Malaga Mountain villages. It is just 35 kilometres inland from Malaga, on the 'Carretera de Colmenar', a road that cuts and winds up through the Malaga Mountains, until you reach the village at 696 meters above sea level.

As with many villages in Andalucia, Colmenar was taken over by the Christians in the 15th century. Before that, it had been in the hands of the Romans and then the Moors. 1560 is an important date in its history because it was during the summer of that year that the boundaries were marked out, covering a total area of 65,50 Km2. Since then its administrative importance as capital of the Montes de Malaga has evolved into what it is today, with a resident population of over 3,000.

At the main entrance to Colmenar, you see the welcoming "Puerta de La Cruz" monument, which bears the town's coat of arms, showing a beehive with seven bees flying above it ('Colmenar' means apiary or beehive).

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.

It is well worth a walk up to the highest point of the village, at the Convent of the Virgin of La Candelaria (also known as the 'Ermita' (hermitage) de la Candelaria). From the viewpoints, you can see the Tajo and Doña Ana gorges and looking to the right is the Sierra Nevada, snow capped in the colder months. The story is that this 17th century convent was built as a token of gratitude from a group of fishermen who were miraculously saved from death during a terrible storm off the shores of Malaga. The plasterwork in the vault reflects the mannerist design of that era. In a niche, you can see an image of La Candelaria, the patron saint of Colmenar.
It is also recommended to visit the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción. Built in the 16th century, there are signs of Arab influence in its architecture, especially in the three aisles with very high ceilings and separated by arches on square pillars

There is also an artistic scene depicted from 1488 when the village was taken over by Francisco de Coalla from Hamet el Zuque. As you carry on right into the heart of the town you can see that you are surrounded by hills, which have kept the expansion of the small town under control and now create a beautiful natural backdrop..

Halfway between Malaga and Antequera is the hill town of Almogia, a Moorish fortified settlement with the remains of a castle.

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 , a pretty village in the foothills of the Sierra de San Jorge.

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.