Alhaurin de la Torre
Alhaurin de la Torre sits at the entrance to the Guadalhorce valley, easy to get to these days by the main National 340
coast road. At only 17 kilometres from Malaga city, one takes the airport road towards Torremolinos and turns off at the signposts to Alhaurín. The traditional and the modern live comfortably side by side in this town, with its old Moorish-style streets and houses in the Barrio Viejo and the modern housing estates and villas on the outskirts. The weather here is perfect, due to its privileged geographical position between the Guadalhorce river and the Sierra de Mijas.
Alhaurin de la Torre has become a prosperous municipality in which agriculture is
the main source of income, with citric and sub-tropical fruit plantations and olive
groves covering the landscape. The unique climate of the area has also resulted in a
large number of nurseries having been established in the area. The origin of the
place goes back to pre-historic times, and it is known that the Phoenicians that
set up factories in Malaga and Cártama in about 1,000 B.C. settled in
Alhuarín. it was here that Lauro was founded, and centuries later the
Romans called it Lauro Vetus. The Moors, in their time, called it Albarracín,
and it grew from that into a larger collection of farm-houses. The re-conquest
of the town in 1485 meant another variation on the name, and the place was
finally called Alhaurin de la Torre. The population increased sharply due to the
influx of Christian settlers during this period. There are many archaeological
remains in the municipality, most of them being in the Estación de la
Alquería area, officially designated as being of Cultural Interest. The
area is about 18 hectares in size, and was occupied by settlers in the 3rd and
4th centuries B.C.
Places to be visited
Archaeological remains
Numerous ceramic fragments, bowls, wall drawings, coins and burial objects have been discovered from the Roman period in the municipality. One of themain areas of archaeological interest is the Cortijo de Mollina, where the remains of a Moorish farm-house and tower still stand, along with otherruins from the Roman period. There are also important remains in the ElCardón Valley and Carrera de Caballos areas, and in the area around the Casa de Torrijos, in Torrealquería.
Church of San Sebastián
This church was built at the request of Queen Isabel the Catholic in theyear 1505, and the present parish church in the Plaza de la Concepción wasbuilt in 1610. It was destroyed years later in an earthquake and laterreconstructed in a neo-classical style in the middle of the 19th century. It is built in the shape of the Latin cross with three naves and twobell-towers.
Casa Refugio de Torrijos
In 1831, General José María Torrijos led a rising against the absolutemonarchy of Fernando VII. His aim was to restore the Constitution of 1812, but his enterprise failed and he fled to Alhaurin de la Torre and tookrefuge from the royal forces in a finca called the Hacienda de la Alquería,owned by the Conde de Mollina. He and his men were captured, nevertheless, and shot on the beaches of Carmen, in Malaga.
Arcos de Zapata
These well-preserved remains were once the aqueduct known as the Acueductode la Fuente del Rey, dating from the 18th century and built to carry waterfrom the stream of the same name in Churriana to Malaga city. It neverbecame functional, due to the pressure applied by the land-owners of La Vega and other economic problems. The Hermitage of Santo Cristo del Cardón,situated in Los Callejones, was said to be the scene of a miracle in theyear 1484, when the image of Christ painted on wood saved a Christian soldier from death at the hands of the Moors. As a result, this image isvenerated at a number of grottos throughout the municipality.
Where to eat
Mesón Casa Antonio. Specialising in roast suckling pig, cod of the house and barbecued meats. C/Naranja, 1. Tel: 952 416 625. Closed on Thursdays thatare not bank holidays.
Café-Bar Peña. Specialising in roast chicken, fish and sea foods. C/Ermita,22. Tel: 952 410 032.
Restaurante La Albufera. Specialising in rice dishes. Capellanía ShoppingCentre, L-25.T. 952 413 886.
Restaurante Casablanca. Specialising in Moroccan cuisine. C/Las Paredillass/n. Tel: 952 413 737.
Bar Mercado. Specialising in country cooking, home-made churros andtraditional local breakfasts. Avda. Vicente Alexandre s/n. MunicipalMarket. Tel: 952 411 956.
Venta La Porrita. Specialising in home cooking and casseroles. Plaza deSta.Ana, Bda. La Alquería.Tel: 952 412 628 y 952 410 595. Closed on Wednesdays that are not bank holidays.
Taberna El Toro. Specialising in tapas. Menu of the day. Avda. España, 37. Closed on Thursdays.
El Cortijo Andaluz. Specialising in chicken in garlic, meat balls, fish andspare ribs. C/Alamos, 15. Menu of the day. English and German spoken.
Restaurante-Tetería Merzuga. Andalusian cuisine. C/Alamos, 7. Tel: 952 412 688.
Restaurante El Montanés. Finca El Montanés, s/n. Ctra. de Coín Km 81. Tel:952 410 481.
Restaurante El Ermitaño. Pork sausages, roast meats in the Castilla and Leónstyle. Ctra. de Coín, km 76. Closed on Tuesdays and Sunday nights (except insummer). Tel: 952 963 004.
Bar Pedro (Los Taxis). Specialising in meats on the griddle. C/Alamos, 15.
Bar Povea. Specialising in tapas, fried fish and meats. Avda. de España, 1.
Bar La Baranda. Specialising in fish and sea foods, with paella on Sundays.C/Ermita, 1.
Bar José Roca. Specialising in fried cod and broth. C/Málaga, 50.
Bodegón Tío Sam. Avda. de la Vega, corner of C/Almendros.
Torre de la pizza. Pizzería. Mirador de Bellavista, L-1.
Don Calzone. Pizzería. Avda. del Mediterráneo, 24. Urb. Jardines de Alhaurin.
O´Mamma Mía. Restaurante-pizzería. Capellanía Shopping Centre, L-17.
Where to sleep
Hostal-Mesón El Cordero. Avda.Reyes Católicos, 3. Tel: 952 411 295.
Hostal Pepe. C/Alamos, 45. Tel: 952 412 160.
Apartamentos turísticos Santa Clara. Urb. Fuensanguínea. Tel: 952 416 524 and 952 416 430.
Camping Morales. Arroyo Hondo. Tel: 952 412 870.
Rural accommodation
Finca La Gata. Restored house set in orange and lemon groves close to thetown. Reservations: 606 675 318.
Finca El Paredón. Ctra. A-366. Km. 77. Paredón Bajo, in front of the LauroGolf Club. Tel: 609 220 971.
Finca El Rocío. Los Callejones. Tel: 952 415 321.
Rural Houses La Mayoranza. Finca Mayoranza-El Lavadero. Arroyo del Valle. Tel: 606 675 318.
Villa Margarita Apartments. Arroyo de la Miel, 478. Urb. Pinos de Alhaurin.Tel: 952 412 555.
FIESTAS
The month of January is particularly good for festivals in Alhaurin de la Torre. On January 5th, the well-known Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos (Procession of the Three Kings) takes place, and on January 20th there is a festival in honour of San Sebastián. The celebrations go on for three days, with cultural and folkloric activities taking place, in which the entire town takes part. The Day of the Purification of the Most Holy Virgin - El Día de la Purificación de la Santísima Virgen - takes place on February 2nd, the virgin being known as the Virgen de la Candelaria. One of the traditions in the town is to make offerings of traditionally made doughnuts decorated in coloured ribbons to the Virgin, and at night-fall, the burning of the dolls takes place in a huge bonfire in the central square. The carnival is held in February and March, with a few days of typical carnival fun in the streets during this period. After the carnival there is a national competition of percussion bands. There are only two brotherhoods (hermandades) in the Holy Week processions in Alhaurin, and these processions attract tourists and visitors from far and wide. The Festival of Corpus Christi takes place in May and June, in which the streets and houses are decorated with flowers and altars. The Fiestas Mayores de San Juan Bautista, summer patron saint of the municipality, take place at the end of June, with the Flamenco Festival, the "Torre del Cante", being held a week earlier. This is one of the most prestigious flamenco festivals in all of Andalucía.
GASTRONOMY
The traditional Alhaurin de la Torre cuisine is a mixture of all the different peoples and cultures that have been in the town. Among the most typical dishes are the rice with chestnuts, the garlic soup, the gachas and the soup made from local produce of the land.
RECREATION
Alhaurin de la Torre has a wide range of clubs and other centres for theenjoyment of the beautiful natural surroundings, including sporting activities. The tennis club "La Capellanía" organises an annual tournamentin the month of September, called the Capellanía Open. This club has threetennis courts, a sports centre and other sports pitches. In the Jarapalo mountains there is the Real Sociedad de Tiro de Pichón (the Royal Society ofClay Pigeon Shooting) which has five areas for the practice of variousshooting disciplines. And there is, of course, the well-known Lauro Golf Club, 18 holes over six kilometres of fairways with games lasting an average four hours.
