Located right in the heart of the beautiful La Axarquía region of the Malaga province is the charming Andalucian village of Arenas

The village is located just 10km from the city of Valez Malaga and 44km from Malaga itself nestled in the gentle hills of the region overlooked by the two dominant mountain ranges of the Tejeda and Almijara. The surrounding countryside is covered with almond and olive trees along with an abundance of grapevines.

The history of the village is similar to many in the area and its Moorish heritage is clear to see in the construction of the village. The discovery of roman baths nearby date the village to the roman era although its main influence stem from the Moorish occupation.

It is clear however from the impressive structure of the Bentomiz castle which sits proudly on a nearby hill which dates from the Iberian era and the runs show that the fortress has been occupied by the Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans as well as the Moors and finally the Christians .

Bentomiz castle was considered one of the three most important Muslim bastions in the central part of La Axarquía.

The ruins of the fortress which is found to the south of the village is by far the main attraction and is well worth the trek up the hill from the village as the views of the Axarquía are spectacular and on a clear day it is even possible to see the coast of Africa.

In the centre of the village the Iglesia parroquial de Santa Catalina (Santa Catalina parish church) is the most outstanding building in the village. Built in the 16^th Century on the site of a former mosque the Mudéjar style building has been repaired and restored twice , once in 1927 following a fire and again in the 1940’s although thankfully much of its main features were not.

Located a few kilometers from the village centre is the pedanía (outlying administrative district) of Daimalos which is worth a visit mainly for its stunning fuente árabe (Arabic fountain) and an alminar (minaret), which both stem from the twelfth century. The two-level minaret serves as a bell tower for a simple church that was built later.

Like everywhere in Andalucia ferias and fiestas play a major part in the lives of the local starting with the carnival in February

The patron saint fiestas in honor of Santa Catalina and San Sebastián take place between 10 and 12 August,

On the 7 and 8 of September the Candelaria fiesta is one of the traditional frstivals that involves the lighting of bonfires and the flamenco singing and the dancing to “verdiales” (a kind of traditional music of Andalusia).

A recent celebration in is the Feria de la Mula (Mule Fair). Organized by the Asociación en Defensa de la Mula (Association for the Defence of the Mule), the Town Hall of = and the Delegation of Malaga. On this day (12 October) there are many performances of all types, but the most attention-getting is the demonstration of the carrying of loads by the mules

Tourist Information: Town Hall, Plaza de la Ermita, 17 (29753). Telephone: 952 509 005; Fax: 952 509 005