Guesthouse and Bed and Breakfast in the Malaga Countryside

Vélez-Málaga – a tour

Fascinating and historic Vélez-Málaga, capital city of the area of La Axarquía,  is our home town and well worth a thorough tour

When you stay at Escuela La Crujia, you MUST visit the local town, just 3 Kms from us!  It is like a labyrinth, a maze of crazy, narrow streets, squares and fountains, with some wonderful old buildings and plenty of bars and restaurants to try out.  So here is a little tour that will give you a feel for the  town, a sprinkle of history, and some great bars and restaurants to try along the way.  Allow a morning, afternoon or evening for the tour (very pretty at night – and cooler). Print this out and take it with you!

From the Escuela take the main road towards the coast and at the first roundabout, turn left into Velez, and at the next roundabout turn left again and find somewhere to park.  By the petrol station is a long walkway (Paseo de Andalucia) with many huge trees that we call “the walking trees” – have a guess why and let us know what you think!  Walk up to the top, straight up past the Niza fountain and up to the Plaza de las Carmelitas.

You will find yourself in a wide square with the magnificent town hall on your left (check the beautiful crib scene inside, if you are staying near Christmas time) and the Convento de Las Carmelitas, the amazing old convent of the Carmelite nuns on the right – they’ve been there since 1704 (but possibly not the same nuns!!).  These are reclusive nuns, who foresake the outside world to dedicate their lives to prayer.  Just inside the doorway, ring the bell and ask for a rosary.  Leave your money on the turnstyle and a hidden sister from within will dispense your purchase!

Stand with your back to the town hall and look left.  You will see a narrow street leading uphill, next to a chemist that looks like it is from a previous century.  Take this brick paved street (Calle Luis de Rute) and head in a straight line up the hill, until you reach the old town.  You will pass the wonderful Mercado Municipal on your right (typically Spanish daily indoor market selling fresh fish, vegetables, fruit, meat, cured hams, etc) and reach the Plaza de San Francisco.  The cafes here often spread their tables and chairs out on the street to allow the shoppers and passers-by to sit and enjoy a coffee, or a local wine.

In front is the Cafe San Francisco, and to the right is the Church of San Francisco – if you can take a glimpse inside, the building is beautiful, built on the site of an old mosque, and today proudly displaying the religious effigies of Jesus and the Virgin that are paraded solemnly around the town during the Semana Santa (Easter) processions.  Take a quick look just to the right of the church – you will see interesting old Arabic arches hidden between the church and the next building – tiny glimpses of a distant past.

Just beyond the church you will see the Palacio del Marques de Beniel, a local palace and now HQ of the Maria Zambrano Foundation, often housing interesting art exhibitions.  If it is open take a peak inside – a typical building with a beautiful inner courtyard.

Stand looking at the cafe San Francisco and turn left, staying to the left, passing the fountain on your right.  Here on the left are the impressive doors of the Casa Cervantes, with an ancient arched inner courtyard –

if it is open just stroll in.  Continue past the Casa Cervantes along the narrow alleyway and look out for the tiny Bar Guerra, on your right, an ancient local bar where the cheese and ham, and the fried fish, is wonderful.  Notice the old assortment of bottles on the shelves above the bar – no one has touched them in what looks like decades!  There is often an old lady in black seated in an old chair, watching you from the shadows. Also note the wonderful old wooden concertina doors – long may the place remain!

At the end of the alleyway, past the Bar El Legendiario, you will come out into the Plaza de La Constitucion, first passing a statue of a hooded penitent from the Easter processions, immediately in front of the impressive Church of John the Baptist.

In the Plaza you will see the imposing city walls on your right.  The original town, built by the Moors during their 900 years of occupation of Spain, was known as La Medina, and later renamed La Villa, and was surrounded by a high defensive wall with four arched entrances.  Only one of these entrances to the old walled city remains, the Puerta Real, which you will find to the left of the walls, up some steps.

Pass through the entrance and turn right up steps to the lookout point on top of the walls.  From here you can contemplate the whole of Velez-Malaga, with its many Roman-style buildings built around inner courtyards, churches and spires.  To the South is the sea and to the West the plains of the Velez river valley.  To the North, above the mish-mash of  houses of the ancient Medina, is the rebuilt Fortaleza (Moorish fortress).  To the East, the Hermitage, (Ermita de Los Remedios) itself worth a visit, as it is perched upon another high hill where the views are remarkable.

As you come back down into the Plaza, look immediately in front at the series of ancient buildings (1766) at present abandoned, but hopefully soon to be restored and made into a museum.  The facade has the fascinating remains of painted designs between half covered arches which once must have covered the whole building.  Signs of a more glamorous and elegant past.

Also in a corner of the Plaza is the Restaurant La Alquería del Gamal, a pretty place, full of Moorish influence, worth a visit for a refreshing drink or a bite to eat.

With your back to the old walls, turn right and head down hill, down the Calle Las Tiendas.  On your left is an old and rather spectacular, marble sixteenth century fountain, that used to be located in the Plaza itself.  Here you will find the old coat of arms of the town at the top and the coat of arms of King Felipe II further down and some interesting long-tongued lions!

As you continue down Calle Las Tiendas, note the interesting old buildings, further city walls on your right and, a little further down, as you look back, on your left, one of many ‘Camerines‘ or Shrines to the Virgin.  These were built to remind passers-by of the presence of God and their religious duties.  This particular one must be seen at night to fully appreciate its beauty.  (If you search through the old part of town you can find several other camerines).

Just after the Camarin turn left down some steps and then right, down the next street, to the junction with the Calle Las Monjas.  Just opposite is the beautiful Convent of Las Claras, although the nuns moved out recently to take up residence in a brand new building, relieved, (but a little sad), get away from the leaky ceilings and drafty halls of their old home!  It is now to be restored.

Turn left down Calle Las Monjas and just a short distance down stop at the bar known as El Caserío.  This is an excellent tapas bar, run by Northern Spanish (Basque) owner, Txema and his wife Mari.  You can sample a constantly varying range of excellent tapas from local salads and meat dishes to Basque sausages in sauce, and other delicious treats.  The queso manchego (cheese from La Mancha) and jamón ibérico (serrano ham)

is wonderful and try a Tzakoli (Basque white wine) or one of Chema’s excellent range of Rioja wines – and they also have English cider.  This is the local HQ of the Bilbao Athletic football team (our team, at Escuela La Crujía!)

Next to El Caserío, is the Sala Bronze, a modern, comfortable lounge bar serving excellent cakes and an unusual selection of teas and infusions.

Just a little further down the street is a set of steps on the left leading to a pedestrianised area.  Here stands Antonio Zambrano (statue!), and his baby daughter Maria Zambrano, who became one of Spain’s leading writers, poets and thinkers , born and raised in Velez.

Walk past the statue into the pedestrian area.  Here you will find a whole series of lovely bars and restaurants.  On the right as you walk along is the Bar La Tasquita, a top quality tapas bar (a little pricey, though).

Turn left by a fountain into Calle Albero.  On the right is the Marisquería El Carmen, reputed to have excellent fish dishes.  A little further up on the right is an unnamed bar with glass windowed arches – very nice.  And next door is a Moorish tea house.

Continuing along the alleyway between the tea house and the goldfish pond, you will come into an inner courtyard with a simplified copy of the foundation found in the Patio de los Leones, in the Alhambra Palace in Granada.  Here is the Bar Restaurante El Romero, with an excellent selection of light dishes and help-yourself beer on tap at each table.

Continue across the courtyard and at the other end turn right and, at the street, turn left.  At the car park entrance, turn left up the hill and on your left you will find the new Plaza by the Teatro del Carmen, the local theatre.  There are often flamenco shows here and many other types of music and performances, so have a look while you are there to see what is on.

At the far end of the Plaza is a statue of Antonio Ortega Escalona, better known as Juan Breve, or the ‘father’ of flamenco – a local Velez lad (1840 – 1918).

Head back down the hill the way you came but this time going straight on, and you will find yourself back in the Plaza de las Carmelitas, by the town hall.  In the corner, by the town hall is the excellent and bustling Bar Toto, full of local political characters and local intellectuals.  A good place to end this half historic, half alcololic little tour!

We hope you enjoyed it!

Facts about Velez:

Velez-Malaga was originally Ballix Malaka, the name given to the town by the arab ‘andalusies’, meaning Fortress of Malaga.

The population is 72,800 (2008 data – and growing!)

Velez-Malaga is the ‘capital’ of the historic region known as La Axarquia and is the biggest municipality in this area.  It includes Torre del Mar, the nearest seaside town (5 mins by car – or climb on a tram) and La Caleta, with its pretty marina.

The main economy is tourism, followed by agriculture

Velez inhabitants are known as Veleños

By admin | Published in: Area, Eating and Drinking, Featured | Tags: La Axarquia, Malaga, sightseeing, tour, Velez-Malaga, what to see