Ardales, Malaga tourist information
Villages of Malaga province and Andalucia, Spain travel information

Ardales Malaga

This village, located between the Serrania de Ronda, the Antequera Basin and the Guadalhorce Valley, does not belong, geographically speaking, to any of the aforementioned areas. However, the presence of the Guadalhorce-Guadalteba hydrological complex in its municipal area is probably a good enough reason to situate it in the latter.

The village is of Arabic origin and lies at the foot of the rock which bears its name. It is typically Andalusian, with its narrow streets and white houses.

It contains a number of places of interest, such as Doña Trinidad Grund Cave, with its interesting paintings; Turon Castle, La Peña Castle and La Molina Bridge. Furthermore, the reservoir area boasts facilities for camping, swimming and spectacular excursions on foot, such as the Caminito del Rey route in Los Gaitanes Pass.

History

The first human settlements in the municipal area date back to prehistoric times. Near the village stands a cave known as Cueva de Ardales, or Cueva de Doña Trinidad Grund, which contains animal paintings –goats, horses and stags- and other illustrations pertaining to the Upper Palaeolithic period (Solutrean and Magdalenian eras, 18,000 – 14,000 years B.C.).

La Peña fortress, along with La Molina Bridge, which crossed the River Turon, was built during the Roman occupation.

Ardales and its municipal area enjoyed their period of the greatest glory during Moslem times, particularly during the muladi (Christian converts to Islam) uprising of the late 9th-early 10th century. It was led by Omar Ben Hafsun, who, with Bobastro as his headquarters, created a defensive arc made up by the castles of Ardales, Turon, Teba and Alora, stretching even as far as Archidona.

Many studies have established the location of the fortress town of Bobastro in the Villaverde Plateaux, near Ardales. This important Mozarabic settlement contained a cave basilica, houses, hermitages, and, on the hill, a caliphal fortress, all of which are no more than archaeological remains today.

Ardales' strategic position saw it change hands frequently during the middle Ages, alternating between Christian and Moslem control. It was definitively captured by the Christians in 1389, during the reign of John I. Its castle was the scene of the “Pact of Ardales” between King John I y and Yusuf Ben Al Mavi, prince of the Nazari Kingdom in Granada.

Tourist information about Ardales:

Town council: Pl. la Constitución 1, 29550
Phone: +34 952 458 087
Official website: Ayuntamiento de Ardales.

Malaga to Ardales:

The 50 km road between Malaga airport and Ardales can be completed in less than 50 minutes by car. Find the cheapest car rental Malaga airport offers and see how to get from Malaga airport to Ardales.