Local Area
A stay at Casa Belmonte will give you a taste of old rural Spain. As well as the breathtaking views, you will hear and see abundant wildlife – a paradise for bird spotters. Remember to look out for chameleons, lizards, eagles, bee eaters, hoopoes and snakes!
Travel to Casa Belmonte
Malaga airport is approximately an hour by car. Half an hour along the eastbound coastal motorway and then half an hour heading inland. Granada airport 1 hr 15mins by car. Directions are sent a few weeks prior to arrival.
Alcaucin
Alcaucin is a pretty village situated on the lower western slope of La Maroma in the Sierra Tejeda mountain range. Here you will find a few small supermarkets, and three or four great bars. The food is particularly good at Carlos\’s ( El Ranche Grande) at the front of the village. On Saturday morning there is a small market in the village selling great fruit and veg. The village layout is typically Moorish; the mane Alcaucin is derived from the Arabic Al-Cautin ( arches). An 18th century parish church, Nuestra Senora del Rosario, stands in the village square, next to the town hall ( ayuntiamento).
An interesting feature nearby is the enormous U-shaped pass through the mountains, known as El Boquete de Zafarraya. The road from Malaga to Granada ( the 402) runs through the gap. At the apex is the border between the two provinces.
There are various prehistoric sites in the municipal area of Alcaucin, including a cave near to El Boquete de Zafarraya where the remains of a Neanderthal Man were found.
Also nearby is the Castle Zalía of Phoenician origin, later used as a fortress by the Moors.
From the village you can drive into the Parque Natural of the Sierra Tejeda. This is a wonderful drive and a place that stays cool in the summer from the shade of the trees. Take a picnic, walk through the forest, paddle in the river. No BBQs are allowed in the Nature Park from May through to October because of the high fire risk. There is a small bar/restaurant which opens at weekends only.
Periana
Periana also a 10 minute from from casa belmonte, lies within Axarquia on the scenic Route of Olive Oil and Mountains. Periana is a pretty village with stunning all-round views. To the north there are fabulous mountain ranges, whilst to the south there is Lake Vinuela and the coastline.
The streets are steep and sometimes narrow in Moorish style, although the town was rebuilt after an earthquake in 1884. The original Mudejar styled parish church of San Isidro, found in the Plaza de la Lomillaja, was also rebuilt.
Here too there are a number of friendly bar/restaurants and small supermarkets. Market day is Wednesday.