Alcaucín
Spain’s Costa del Sol is probably best known for its sandy beaches, golf courses, towering apartment blocks, and hoards of tourists during the summer months. However, just an hour from the buzzing resorts of Fuengirola and Marbella, travelling east of Málaga towards Nerja, we enter the stunning district called the Axarquía, which covers over 1000km2, and boasts beaches, lakes, mountains and natural parks. Bordered to the south by the Costa del Sol, and to the north by the Sierra Tejada mountains, this increasingly more sought after area has an incredibly rich history, and has only recently become more accessible to tourists and expatriates due to the new motorway.
Less than half an hour from the coast at Torre del Mar, nestled 508 metres above sea level on a hillside under the commanding presence of Mount Maroma (which at 2.080 metres is higher than any mountain in the UK), we find the pretty “white village” of Alcaucín. The name Alcaucín comes from the Arabic for “the arches” and reflects the typical architectural style which dominated the village during its Moorish history. With superb views of the valley, the mountains and the picturesque Lake Viñuela, this village has a population of approximately 2000 people but increasingly more people are becoming attracted to the village’s laid back way of life and breathtaking surrounding scenery.
Alcaucín has had a long, sometime bloody, but always intriguing history. In 1983, just a few kilometres away in La Cueva de Zafarraya (Zafarraya Cave), remains of a Neanderthal man dating back more than 30,000 years were discovered. The bones are considered to be amongst the finest archaeological remains from this time ever found in Western Europe. The nearby Zalia Castle (Castillo de Zalia) was built by the Phoenicians next to the river Zalia and was later occupied by the Moors. When the Moors fell during the Christian conquest in the late 15th century, the castle was used as a prison to house rebelling Moors, and it was later besieged during the Napoleonic invasion. Its ruins now overlook the picturesque Lake Viñuela (which is actually a modern reservoir). Close to the castle, there is a hill known as the Mesa (table) de Zalia which is fabled to be the site of the famous city of Odysses, where Ulysses had many adventures following the Trojan War. Others say it was the site of Tangara, a damned city which is said to have been overrun by a plague of snakes sent as a punishment by God after the Bishop of Málaga failed to convert the inhabitants to Christianity.
Alcaucín itself is a maze of winding streets, spreading out from the main square (Plaza de la Constitución) where we find both the town hall (Ayuntamiento) and the lovely 18th century church (Nuestra Señora del Rosario) with its Rococco plasterwork. The Plaza de la Constitución is usually the starting point for any local processions, and it is also the backdrop for impressive displays of music and dancing held during fiestas, such as the Festival de Flamenco at the beginning of August.
The Sierra de Alcázar Natural Park is characterized by its craggy limestone formations, various protected species of both flora and fauna, and natural medicinal springs, rich in minerals. Just 4.5 km from the centre of the village, this natural haven is a great place to visit at the weekends. Indeed, there is an annual fiesta of San Isidrio on the 15th May, which locals celebrate by holding a big procession which passes through the village and up to the Natural Park where the villagers stay the night in well equipped tents. Anyone with a horse or mule will ride it up into the Natural Park, and an amazing display of horsemanship begins as all the riders try to outdo each other by performing a variety of tricks. The party atmosphere continues throughout the night with music, dancing, eating, and rather a lot of drinking.
The village has a real sense of character but although parts of the village are almost unchanged from two or three hundred years ago, there is also a good range of shops and services to facilitate modern living. There is a variety of bars and restaurants in the village serving tapas and full Spanish meals, although the international influence is beginning to creep in and some establishments even serve favourites such as steak and kidney pie and scampi and chips! Local specialities of Alcaucín include the famous Moscatel wine which is still produced locally, tortas de aceite (oil cakes – they taste better than they sound!), fried wild mushrooms, migas (a peasant dish based on breadcrumbs), fresh tomato soup and goat kid with garlic.
Local services include mini-markets, a bakery, a pharmacy, a tobacconist, two banks, a public library, a medical centre, a junior school and a municipal swimming pool. Most other services can be found just 3 km away in the area known as Puente Don Manuel, which falls under the municipality of Alcaucín. Here, additional services include beauty salons, video/DVD rentals, furniture shops, car hire, builders’ merchants and car mechanics. A large supermarket is currently under construction in Puente Don Manuel and this should be open by 2007. Almost every other service that you could require will be just 20-25 minutes away in the towns of Vélez Málaga and Torre del Mar.
Alcaucín is an attractive village with a very interesting past, drawing influences from the many different cultures which have enjoyed its natural beauty. This friendly village has the advantage of being well-connected and close to all amenities, yet it has retained much of its rustic charm and traditions. The importance of the family, both young and old is still evident here, and there is a real sense of community. Living in this area means that you will quickly be accepted into the community and there are plenty of opportunities for social events, although you can of course choose to be as involved as you wish (or not as the case may be!).
Information supplied by: La Maroma Real State S.L
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