La Axarquía

Axarquía is a region in the province of Malaga , east of the city of Malaga itself. It borders the province of Granada to the east, to the north Antequera ,the Malaga region to the west and of course the Mediterranean, Costa Del Sol to the south. Geographically, it lies between the Montes de Malaga and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.

Axarquía consists of 31 municipalities with the bustling market town of Vélez-Málaga being the capital. In the centre is the reservoir of Viñuela. The area is somewhat less touristy than that west of Málaga with the coastal resorts maintaining their Spanish feel and culture. With seaside resorts like Torre del Mar, Torrox and Nerja, it has a lot to offer including great beaches, scuba diving, boat trips and other nautical activities. The 'pueblos blancos' ( white villages) nestling in the mountains make a great day out and at certain times of the year each village have their 'fiestas' which attract people from far and wide.

The village of Frigiliana has been voted Spain's most beautiful village several times, while Nerja, with its Balcón de Europa and Cuevas de Nerja is very well known. Also worth seeing are the villages of Comares (highest), El Borge (one of the oldest), Alfarnate, Salares, Sedella, Riogordo, Canillas de Aceituno and Cómpeta.

Casa Mula

Our one bedroom rental property in Sedella is called Casa Mula (the Mule House) and was quite literally home to the owner's mule. It is one of the oldest properties in the village and has been renovated sympathetically to retain the original charm using traditional building methods and materials.

If you would like to spend some time experiencing Spanish life in this unspoilt traditional 'pueblo blanco', we would love to welcome you and introduce you to this beautiful area.

Our favorites

We have now lived in this region for more than 20 years ourselves and it has never bored us for a moment. We would like to share tips to make your trip to Ventanas al Mar complete.

MÁLAGA

The beautiful city of Malaga is well worth a visit to enjoy the wealth of culture it offers! There are over 30 museums including the Picasso and Carmen Thyssen as well as the Contemporary Art Gallery with free entry.

Calle Marqués de Larios is the elegant main street in the city and is lined with shops and cafes ending at the Plaza de Constitution.

The food & drink scene is huge here and includes the famous tapas bars found on every street corner and tucked down the small streets you will find little gems like oyster & champagne bars, cocktail bars as well as top class restaurants including a one star Michelin restaurant situated in the Marina. Here you can admire the super yachts as well as enjoy a catamaran trip out into the bay giving you wonderful views of the city and the Alcazaba, built during the Muslim rule in the 11th century.

FRIGILIANA

The pretty white village of Frigiliana is a must- see when you are visiting this area .

Sitting below the Sierra Almijara, Tejeda and Alhama natural parks there are abundant hiking and outdoor pursuits available.

In the "old town" you will see the Moorish history with the Arab architecture and narrow cobbled streets. These days there are shops selling everything from antiques to local products such as the famous cane honey.

There are plenty of cafes , bars and restaurants, some with fantastic views down towards the Mediterranean sea.  The streets can be quite steep in places but you can visit all the important spots via the tourist train or take a rickshaw ride.

RUTA DE MUDEJAR

The Mudejar Route is 75 kilometres long and is entirely inland giving spectacular views from every corner! It traverses the municipalities of Arenas, Archez, Salares, Sedella and Canillas de Aceituno. All of these white villages (pueblos blancos) are filled with history and Mudejar architecture, and one should take time to wander through the streets and mingle with the friendly local people.

Arenas is the starting point of the route, around 10 kilometres from Velez-Malaga.

Along the road running from Arenas to Archez there are two charming villages, Corumbela and Daimalos , both have retained their Mosque Minarets and Daimalos has a Moorish fountain. The next stop is Archez which also retains its Minaret. Read more...