UK OWNED LUXURY HOLIDAY PROPERTIES IN MALAGA, SOUTHERN SPAIN
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When you come to stay at La Majada Alta or Loma la Parra your first visit will be to EL VALLE DE ABDALAJIS just a few minutes from Loma la Parra and only 7 kms (3 miles) from the cottage.
Here you will find many bars and restaurants (see under 'Amenities' tab) and several banks with cash machines.
The village is dominated by the Sierra de Abdalajis which provides a back-drop for the 17th century church in the main square. Here you can sample the bustle of daily village life where there is a row of shop stalls including two fish mongers, a butcher, a bakery and cake shop, vegetable stall etc. At the end of the row you can buy traditional "churros" (like unsweetened doughnuts) in the mornings. Expect a queue of about half an hour on Sundays.
Nearby is a well stocked supermarket called Pepita's and just behind the church is another bakery still using a wood burning oven to make bread.
Leading off the square in various directions is another bakery with a fine array of bread and cakes, another butcher's and the village drinking fountain which has been gushing water since pre- Roman times. Incidentally, the village school and a local restaurant have retained the Roman name for the village, Nescania. The new name dates from the Moorish Invasion and is a corruption of Abdul Aziz.
There is a shop selling roast chicken at the bottom of the village below the petrol station and another selling baked potatoes with a variety of fillings at the top of the village near the road out to El Chorro. The popular Bar Victoria just below the main square will provide very well packed take away hamburgers.
As you stroll around the steep streets of the village you will find many more small shops and bars.
EASTER WEEK or 'Semana Santa' is a very important time in Spain and the processions are both spectacular and medieval. There are big processions all week in Malaga, Seville, Antequera etc. but these can be very crowded. In the village there are parades on Thursday and Friday of Easter week and you can join with hundreds of people following around the narrow streets at night. The procession frequently stops as members of the public sing the very solemn form of flamenco called "saetas" You will notice that most houses have a light lit over the front door and the doors are open to welcome the holy spirit into their homes.
Summer time is party time in Spain and there is a street fair or "FERIA" in most towns and villages from spring to Autumn. One of the Earliest is theHORSE FAIR IN JEREZin May right through to the famous FERIA IN FUENGIROLA in October. Fuengirola is only 50 kms away, and the Flamenco Mass at the little church in the Main square is broadcast to hundreds of people outside, many in traditional costume and mounted on the most splendid horses.
The FERIA in the village in mid August is a much smaller affair and very family orientated. There is a small street funfair and famous groups, either rock or flamenco, perform. There are also free concerts in the main square.
During the week long FERIA IN MALAGA, also in August, the central streets are taken over by horsemen and flamenco dancers.There is a huge funfair just out of the town.
ANTEQUERA FERIA, our favourite by far, is also held in mid August and is an absolute must to visit. There are daytime activities but generally the crowds start to build up after about 10 at night and it is traditional to drink hot chocolate with churros from around 3 in the morning.
The street fair or FERIA in Antequera held every year for a week in mid August.
Our two nearest neighbours are Álora 20 kms. to the south and Antequera 20 kms. to the north and there are pictures of both in the photo gallery above.
ÁLORA is a lively small town similar in character to El Valle de Abdalajis with a flood-lit, hilltop, castle.
ANTEQUERA is our nearest town, steeped in history and crammed with ancient buildings and monuments, including the ruins of a castle.
One of the joys of visiting Antequera is to gaze into the courtyards of old palaces as you walk through the town. Although there is a district of the old quarter, many of the ancient churches, convents and palaces are simply part of the fabric of the town.
Antequera is the main shopping center in the area with many large supermarkets with their own parking as well as a thriving and varied selection of fashion, shoes, antiques and a big covered municipal market selling meat, fish, poultry and tempting vegetables and always the exotic scent of spices to remind you Andalucia's Moorish roots.
Here you will find many tapas bars, ice cream parlours, large restaurants and some hotels with their restaurants open to the public.
There is also an 18 hole golf course detailed under the Golf tab in Sporting Activities.
Close to Antequera are the largest pre-historic burial chambers in Europe, signposted from Antequera as the DOLMENES.
Between El Valle de Abdalajis and Antequera is the well publicised wolf park or LOBO PARK run by Daniel and Alex. You can see a number of wolves and watch them beeing fed. There are also "howl nights". See their website: www.lobopark.com There are English speaking staff at the Lobo Park.
El Valle de Abdalajis is one of Andalucia's WHITE VILLAGES and a pleasant day out is to visit other nearby white villages. These would include ARDALES, CASARABONELA, CARRATRACA, EL CHORRO, TEBA, and CANETE.
Incidentally the green-white-green flag of Andalucia represents the white villages set against green fields. (You will see the green fields if you visit between January and May).
The gorge at EL CHORRO is quite spectacular. If you are staying at La Majada Alta, turn right at the end of the drive and go downhill for 3 kms to El Chorro sation. From Loma la Parra, follow the signs through the village and come to the station in 10 kms. Continue down the hill, cross the dam and look through the gorge. Turn right to drive through the gorge and continue around the lakes. (Left is am alternative route to Álora) There are many good bars and reataurants around this very popular area as well as picnic areas aroud the Ardales lake.
Use your binoculars to see rock climbers high up to the limestone slabs and notice the Kings Walk (CAMINO DEL REY) barely clinging to the rock face about 100 meters above the water. This old walkway is in a very bad state of repair and closed but you can see a very scary u tube video on http://www.andalucia.com/antequera/chorro/home.htm
In this area you can visit the ruins of EL BOBASTRO. This ancient Christian settlement was the last in Andalucia to resist the Mooorish invasion and for his efforts the leader of the community had his head removed and displayed on a spike at the gates to Granada.