Interior tourism

Many of the villages and small towns in the more remote parts of Malaga province were built in places that were difficult to get to, an essential defensive element in days gone by. Being built on the sides of mountains, the streets are generally narrow, winding and steep, and this led to an architectural style that is exclusive to Andalusia. Now, their remote situation and layout makes them ideal for rural tourism.

The classic white village of Andalusia is small, isolated, built on a mountainside with a river or stream running through it or close to it, white-washed houses close together with red tiled roofs, a church on the higher ground that was often build over a mosque, narrow winding streets and a central plaza which is the social heart of the village or town. Almost all these towns and villages have rural lodgings available, whether as single houses in the surrounding countryside –often restored farmhouses - or specially built cottages for tourist use. They are usually available right through the year. 

There is also a budding hotel industry growing up in or around these towns in the interior. The hotels are normally small or medium-sized, and have been designed in the traditional Andalusian style. Tourism in Andalusia is controlled very carefully by the environment authorities these days, especially in so far as interior tourism is concerned, and architectural projects that do not conform to traditional criteria, or are not environmental friendly, will not be granted the necessary licences to build. Many of these hotels are described in brochures as ‘hoteles con encanto,’ translating literally as ‘hotels with charm.’

Natural spaces

We began this section speaking of Malaga as a small continent, and this is easily understood by a visit to the interior of the province. One could be on another continent, and not within a relatively short driving distance of the Costa del Sol. The landscape changes dramatically from place to place, and with 23 protected spaces in the province of Malaga, there is plenty for nature lovers to choose from.  

Maro-Cerro Gordo, in the municipality of Nerja. This area is made up of rock formations rising high out of the water, being part of the same geological formation of the nearby Tejeda and Almijara mountain range. The result is small, deep coves, excellent for underwater diving in the crystal-clear waters. The area is, perhaps, the most rugged stretch of coastline on the southern coastline, and it will remain virgin coastline due to its designation as a protected space.

From this part of the Costa del Sol one can look north and see the Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama nature area, its 40,600 hectares of land making it the third biggest nature area in the province of Malaga. The mountain peaks here reach 2,000 metres above sea level, and are generally covered in snow throughout the winter. This is the Axarquía, and one of its most notable features is the contrast between the snowy mountaintops and the sub-tropical landscape closer to the sea.