Province
and Villages - Malaga - Itinerary - El Chorro
Malaga El Chorro Itinerary
Total length of the trip: 175km.
Malaga is left by the CN 402 in the direction of Alora. After 19km
it approaches the Guadalhorce which it will follow as far as the
reservoir.
Alora (40km from Malaga) lies on a rugged projection on the left
of the road. A visit to the village, which, by the way, consists
of a series of very steep slopes, is worth the travellers while
for many reasons. The village spreads over a neighbouring hill,
on which an old Moorish castle stands. The whitewashed streets are
sometimes lined with lemon trees and converge on a square in the
lowest part, over which a church towers. The power of this building
is the backbone of the village. From there it is possible - on foot
or by car - to climb to the castle where the cemetery of Alora is
and from where there is a splendid panorama of the Guadalhorce river
basin. Among the tombs there is a small Gothic chapel.
The road forks on the outskirts of Alora, but both branches lead
to the same place: El Chorro gorge and Bobastro. The difference
between them is considerable. The left hand road (the longer: 31km
as far as Bobastro and a little more to El Chorro) passes through
lonely countryside before reaching Carratracaz; that on the right
hand is the more logical way if one does not mind omitting that
lovely mountain village. The best solution is probably to go on
one and return on the other.
El desfilader (ravine) de los Gaitanes lies at a distance of 20km
from Alora. There, the Guadalhorce begins its journey towards the
sea between two breathtaking rock walls which are 40m high at some
points. Half way up one of the walls, there is a kind of footbridge
called Camino del Rey (The Kings Walk), but it is not sure whether
it is safe to sue. The road continues towards the Guadalhorce reservoir.
After less than a kilometre, there are signposts for El Chorro and
for Bobastro, an interesting Mozarab church hewn out of the rock.
Skirting the reservoir from there for a short time (the reservoir
should always be on the right), Ardales is reached shortly afterwards.
This is a small village surrounded by corn fields and olive groves.
Carratraca lies at a distance of 7km. It's most outstanding feature
is the old spa dating from 1847 and occupying a Neo-Classical building.
The glazed tile patio with a pavilion in the centre still preserves
unchanged all the 19C charm of this kind of establishment. It is
only open in the summer. Near the spa there is the Town Hall occupying
a Neo-Caliphal building with a more fantastic than historicist decoration.
There are only 18km left to be back in Alora.
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