Biosphere Reserve - White Villages Andalucia

The Sierra de las Nieves has been declared a "tourist destination" which includes the surrounding areas of:

Alozaina
Alozaina which means "small fortress", makes the boundary between the Malaga basin and the mountains. Rich in archaelogical remains, the area harmoniously combines its fields of olive trees, orchards and cereal crops with the majesty of the Sierra Prieta, whose peak stands at 1,525 metres high!

This mountain village, crammed with nooks and crannies of a markedly Muslim flavour, was the birthplace of Maria Sagredo, the local heroine who defended Alozaina, when the Moors attempted to capture it by hurling beehives at the locals, taking advantage of a moment when only its women, children and elderly were present.

The village, historically renowned as a healthy location, offers breathtaking views, good food, top-quality accommodation and a wealth of options for those in search of an active holiday.

Casarabonela
With its mixture of different cultures. Casarabonela is one of Malaga's best examples of a village that has managed to successfully combine its Muslim and Christian opast, largely conserving the original urban layout of the Arabic Casr-Bonaira.

Its steep, narrow streets are home to a myriad if blind alleys and rasied rooms under which the street itself passes. The thirsty traveller will appreciate the fountain and crystalline sorings to be found here.

Today, the village founded by the Romans as Castra Vinaria is a haven of peace and tranquility whose upper reaches afford views of an attractive carpet of fertile fields splashed with the brilliant white of the farmhouses. In Casarabonela, hills merge with streets, the river with the fountain, while in quiet corners, the echoes of fierce battles still ring aloud.

El Burgo
Surrounded by mountains crowned by evergreen oaks, Spanish fir and pine trees. El Burgo stands on a hilltop, defiant in the face of a history that has seen a wealth of different cultures jealously covet this strategic vantage point.

Home to family clans during the Copper Age, it was here that the Carthaganians later built what became known as Hannibal's Tower, while in Roman times it was a obligatory port of call for both men and merchandise alike before becoming the site of a border castle during the Arabic occupation.

The River Turon, which has its source in El Burgo and whose waters help cultivate the fields of olvie trees and cereals crops, flows through a privileged natural setting that the visitor will enjoy sampling along with the roch local cuisine and ancient traditions.

Guaro
The intense aroma of almond trees that bear pink and white blossom in spring signals to the traveller that he is approaching Guaro, an attractive village whose history dates from thhe Copper Age, testimony to its privileged location.

The coat of arms of the earldom of Guarom a mace held aloft by two arms, bears witness to the distinguished past of this locality, which was handed over to the catholic Monarchs following the capture of Coin in 1485. In 1614, it was awarded village status and designated the capital of an earldom of the same name by King Philip IV.

The waters of the River Grande, the symbol of the local economy, only serve to further embelish the picturesque natural setting that awaits the visitor to Guaro.

Istan
In Istan, the streets are dominated by the sound of water gushing out from among the stones, flowing in irrigation channels and sprining forth from fountains, before filling the reservoir that provides drinking water for the Costa del Sol.

Though the richness of the local terrain was already apparent as early as Roman Times, it was the arrival of the Muslims that ushered in the golden age of this village tucked away between the Sierra Real and Sierra Blanca ranges. Local raisins, wine and silk were exported to the whole of Europe, while the introduction of a major water channelling system still in use today turned the hillsides into orchards.

On the way to Istan, shortly after entering the Biosphere Reserve, the visitor will notice a sudden change in light. This is caused by a subtle blend of colours in which carob trees, pines and cork groves produce a series of shades of green that afre complemented by the clear, blue reflection of the Rio Verde reservoir. A spectacular slight to behold, and less than ten minutes from the village.

Monda
Halfway between the valley and the mountains, sheltered from the wind by a hill upon which Villeta Castle stands, Monda's immense beauty saw it officially declared a picturesque spot in 1971.

In this village of landscapes and legends, whose other official accolades include Historic Location and Place of Cultural Interest Status, valuable traces of ancient inhabitants, including an Iberian settlement, still abound.

Monda is also home to the most interesting remains of a Roman and Medieval road to be found in the whole of the Sierra de la Nieves region. This is situated some 700 metres from the village itself, on the road to Coin, and compromises three areas: the original Roman construction, a section repaired during Medieval times and a third, more recent stretch that features a series of low steps to accommodate carriages.

Ojen
Between the ranges of the Sierra Blanca and the Sierra Alpujata, in an area of great hydraulic riches, stands Ojen, a picturesque location flanked by mountauinsand sea, a village with a strong Andalusian flavour evident in the layout of its streets, its popular architecture and its abundant flowers.

Though Ojen´s numerous caves were home to settlers as long ago as Neolithic times, it was not until the X century that Islamic chronicles refer to a village whose castle, now destroyed, frequently changed hands in the wake of a series of uprisings, rebellions and conquests. It was subsequently repopulated by Old Christians from the Guadalquivir Valley.

As Ojen enjoys the advantages afforded by its proximityto both the cosmopolitan coast and the rural interior, it ofefrs a myriad of options to the visitor.

Tolox
At the heart of the Sierra de las Nieves stands Tolox, an area of picturesque contrasts with its whitewashed houses and red mountains and home to the famous Torrecilla peak and GESM pothole.


Its origins date back to the Neolithic period, as witnessed by La Tinaja, the cave in which remains of decorated ceramic vessels were found. The village's turbulent history is evident in the few surviving traces of its heritage. Just a few references in street names enable us to reconstruct the layout of what was once the castle, the scene of Moorish rebellions and bloody conflicts between Christians and Muslims.

Yunquera
Home to the largest pine grove in the world, Yunquera owes its name to the large quantities of reeds or juncos that once stood here, which in turn bears witness to the abundance of water in the village.

Possibly of Roman origin, though no traces of this period remain today, this area of great beauty was home to Christian settlers before the arrival of Berber troops in the VII century.

Of the castle-fortress that once dominated this mountain landscape, only the tower now remains, rising majestically above Yunquera itself and affording views of its breathtaking natural setting.

Sierra de la Nieves - Biosphere Reserve

The Sierra de la Nieves is surrounded by a belt of nine villages, all of which are bound by common characteristics and history that have served to create a region with a strong local identity within the province of Malaga.

Situated in strategic locations, much of their charm is derived from the architecture of their old village centres, which is based on the Arabic model. The visitor can best appreciate the villages by losing himself in their winding, maze like streets and admiring their whitewashed houses. The arrival of the Christians saw the introduction of large squares and straight streets. As a result, in addition to fountains and plants, these mountain villages still retain the typical low walls built to level out the land and facilitate acess to houses built on slopes.

As far as fauna is concerned, the Sierra de las Nieves boasts a number of indigenous species of great importance, as well as being a key port of call on the migratory routes of many birds.

Numerically speaking, the invertebrates are the largest group to be found in one area. One such creature worthy of special mention by virtue of both its peculiarity and its heavy dependance on the Spanish fir for its survival is the small butterfly known as the Dioryctria.

Fish such as barbel, bogue, rainbow trout, carp and black bass will delight anglers in locations such as the River Verde reservoir in Istan, where they co-exist alongside amphibians such as the San Antonio frog, the running toad and the speckled newt.

A wilder, more exotic touch is provided by reptiles such as the freshwater tortoise, the snake and the snub-nosed viper, as well as Iberian birds of prey, notably the golden eagle, the tawny vulture, the goshawk, the sparrowhawk and the peregrine falcon, while bats are the most significant of the cave dwellers. However, standing proudly on the mountain peaks, pride of place among all of these species goes to the mountain goat.

The Biosphere Reserve

Locations rich in natural beauty, ecosystems to be found nowhere else in the world and the habitat of extremely rare animal species as the mountain goat. These were just a few of the reasons that led UNESCO to declare the Sierra de la Nieves Biosphere Reserve on the 15th June, 1995. Proof of the importance of UNESCO's MAB programme was provided by the award of the prestigious Prince of Asturias Harmony Prize in 2001.

This living showcase, a model of co-existence between man and nature, encompasses both the Natural Park itself and the surrounding area, a total of 93,930 hectares. It consists of the entire municipal area of the villages of Alozaina, Casarabonela, El Burgo, Guaro, Istan, Monda, Ojen, Parauta, Tolox, Yunquera and part of Ronda.

Its geological complexity means that the area is home to a number of sharply contrasting landscapes. So, on the one hand we have the white limestone rock of the Sierras Blancas, karstic formations, teeming with canyons, caves, galleries and potholes, and on the other, the red of the Sierra Bermejas. The former is home to two of the deepest potholes in Andalusia which are also among the largest in Europe: GESM and El Aire.

Apart from its unique geographical relief, the characteristic that best typifies this International Reserve is its rich flora. The combination of different climatic conditions that prevail here mean that it is home to a variety of species, ranging from sub-tropical examples such as the palmetto and the arbutus to forests or confiers. Spanish fir groves, mountain gall oaks and laburnums.

However, star billing, botanically speaking, in this mountain range (and, indeed, pride of place overall, along with the mountain goat) must go to the Spanishg fir. Its conical form and dark green colour make it unmistakable among the multitude of other species to be found in the region, which include a wide variety of pines, the yew tree, the holm oak, the cork oak and a number of roiver-bank species, not forgetting the mountain gall oak. Colour and beauty are provided by the flowers that grow in the mountains, such as the peony, the mountain rose, the foxglove, the orchid, the iris and the narcissus.

The Spanish Fir

The pinsapo, as it is known in Spanish, is a conifer belonging to the fir tree family whose origins date back to the end of the last glacier period and which is considered the oldest of all the indigenous Mediterranean firs. The Sierra de la Nieves is home to the largest concentration of this botanical treasure to be found anywhere in the world. This ancient tree, whose cross shaped branches were once carried as amulets during Corpus Christi processions, is notable for its characteristic pyramidal form, its greyish, slightly cracked bark and its smallm stiff leaves.

A number of curiosities surround this beautiful botanical species, whose varieties include the blue Spanish fir, so called in reference to the bluish hue of its leaves, and the candelabra variety. In fact, it is even thought that the masts of many of the vessels that made up the Spanish Armada weere built from this highly valued wood.

The Snow Sellers

In one profession could be said to have typified the Sierra de la Nieves for centuries, then it would be that of the snow seller. This arduous job began at the end of the winter, when teams of men would spend several days on the highest peaks gathering snow in panniers before taking it to pits, where it was pressed and compacted to form ice. The pits were then covered up until summer, when muleteers with their beasts of burden would transport the ice in large blocks to be sold.

The ice, which was used both to conserve food and medication and to make ice creams, was considered a luxury item and provided an important source of commercial and economic activity in the area. The visitor can still find restored ice pits in the villages of Yunquera and Tolox.

The Queen Of The Peaks

The most typical and representative of all the living species that inhabit the Sierra de la Nieves is without doubt the mountain goat, an animal that teetered on the brink of extinction in the mid XX century, when its numbers shrank to just 20, all of which inhabited the Ojen area.

It was for this reason that the species was granted official protection, the area being declared a National Hunting Reserve in order to facilitate the animal's recovery.

Today, the population comes to some 1,500 goats, the animal is the most prized and diifcult to attain of all Spain's big game prey, not to mention one of the rarest species in the whole world, not being found outside of Spain.

Such is the importance of the animal and the extent to which it is associated with this region that attractive metal statues of this impressive beast can be found both at Puerto Rico viewpoint in Ojen, the viewpoint in Refugio de Juanar and near the health spa in Tolox.

Centro de Iniciatives Turisticas
Malaga Province
Sierra de la Nieves

The Meander Guide

This week I discovered a new magazine called "The Meander Guide" which is a magazine focused on Inland Andalucia and all the activities that are availble to you in and around Andalucia.

Personally, I think Andalucia has been waiting for a magazine such as this for a long time, for those who want to go off and join in activities outdoors, The Meander Guide suits these needs. Giving information on walks, hiking, wall climbing, quad biking, horse riding, golf, hotels, bars, restaurants, bird watching, painting, spa breaks and paintballing!

The magazine has some great hotels and restaurants advertising and some well thought out maps detailing activities that are available. They also include a good guide at the back for "What's On Where".

About The Meander Guide
Delivering a sharp, clerwrly focused view of the wide variety of activities and places of interest to be found in the stunningly beautiful inland areas of the Costa del Sol. This ranges from the gentle pursuits of painting and pottery to the more adventurous of climbing and hot air ballooning.

The Meander Guide wish to develop and meet the needs of their readers along with adding content which will enrich the experience of the visitor. The Meander Guide believe their magazine to be valuable to the residents of the coast and inland areas.