Guadalhorce Valley
Turquoise reservoirs, Mozarabic ruins and Málaga's green lung.
Key points
- The Guadalhorce river crosses the province from Antequera to the sea, next to the airport.
- Along its upper course lies the Gaitanes gorge, home of the Caminito del Rey.
- The Ardales reservoirs have turquoise water, picnic areas and kayaking.
- North of the capital, the Montes de Málaga Natural Park is the city's green lung.
The Ardales reservoirs
The Conde de Guadalhorce, Guadalhorce and Guadalteba reservoirs form a large body of water surrounded by pine woods. In summer they are a place for swimming, canoeing and paddleboarding, with recreation areas and restaurants on their shores.
Bobastro and El Chorro
High in the mountains near El Chorro are the ruins of Bobastro, the stronghold of the rebel Umar ibn Hafsun in the 9th century, with a church carved into the rock. From there you can see the gorge and the upper reservoir.
El Chorro is also a mecca for sport climbing, with hundreds of routes on its limestone walls.
Villages of the valley
- ÁloraIts Arab castle and the cradle of the "malagueña" flamenco song style.
- ArdalesThe Cueva de Ardales, with Palaeolithic art, and the Caminito interpretation centre.
- CarratracaA historic sulphur spa once frequented by Romantic travellers.
- TebaThe Castillo de la Estrella dominates the Guadalteba district.
- Coín and Alhaurín el GrandeOrange groves and a strong Holy Week tradition.
Montes de Málaga
Just 15 minutes from the centre, the Montes de Málaga Natural Park was created to stop the floods that struck the city by replanting the slopes with pines. Today it has recreation areas such as Fuente de la Reina, the Lagar de Torrijos eco-museum and roadside inns serving the famous plato de los Montes: pork loin, chorizo, fried eggs, chips and peppers. Casabermeja and Colmenar are the villages of this area.