I have just returned from a delightful visit with some friends to the village of Ardales, which is about 20km from where we live in Campillos. Not having cars we took the ‘Amarillos’ bus for an interesting 20 min drive from Campillos to Ardales. Leaving Campillos, the softly rolling hills and olive groves rapidly gave way to dramatic mountain scenery. Vultures circled high above the rocky peaks as we drove by, and the vistas were constantly changing. We could soon see the ancient castle of Teba on the top of a distant hillside. We passed by the Embalse, (reservoir), of the Parque de Guadalteba on our left, and the Guadalteba river valley. Approaching Ardales, the pretty river Turón meanders winding through a peaceful valley, bordered by gardens and trees which by now were turning to Autumn gold.

Ardales is a typical ‘pueblo blanco’. As you round a bend in the road it suddenly appears before you as if from nowhere, sprawling spectacular and white against the craggy mountainside. Its steep hilly streets radiate down from a rocky outcrop which is crowned at the very top by a ruined castle, the ancient Castillo de la Peña.

Leaving the main road the bus climbs the narrow winding road up into Ardales, across a bridge over the wandering river Turón, and past the ‘Museum of History and Traditions of Ardales‘. Ardales has no Tourist Information Office, but as well as the fascinating exhibits on view, the museum staff are a mine of useful information and can answer any questions you may have about the surrounding area.
Having noticed on our way up an intriguing sign pointing to the Prehistoric Caves of Ardales, we asked for further information. Apparently, the caves are situated some 2km away from he village and can only be visited in a pre-arranged group, 4 days a week. These visits have to be booked in advance from the museum. The caves are 1.65km long and contain Palaeolithic artefacts (from the early stone-age), some of them dating from as long ago as 30,000 years!!

All the streets in Ardales are hilly, but the bus takes you right up into the village. A tempting bar-restaurant, ‘La Herreria’ sits on a corner called ‘Esquina de los Herreros’ meaning ‘Blacksmiths Corner’, where the bus stops and waits. Here typical local food is served at village prices. Check out the boar’s head adorning the wall, or try the loos (ladies!) and admire the ornately patterned ceramic wash basin!
But don’t linger there too long, there is so much more to see! Quaint little shops line the streets as you climb onwards and upwards. Shopkeepers greet you with a friendly word as you pass by. I was amazed at the seemingly endless street on our left called Cantarranas, climbing uniformly upwards as far as the eye could see. It is adorned with an attractive walkway and potted plants, but I suspect walking home uphill with the shopping would prove a daunting prospect!

We carried on up the hilly Calle Fray Juan, where across the top runs the main street, the Calle Real. Here we found ourselves in the Centre of Ardales, a small but beautifully kept level space where on the left the Town Hall can be found at the end of a tree-lined square,with colourful cafe tables spilling out from the adjacent bars. To the right runs the rest of the Calle Real, and beyond that stunning views of the mountains!

At this point, if you want to see the church of Ardales, and the Castle, you must climb still higher! The Castillo de la Peña dates from the 9th or 10th century, and was built by the Arab king who ruled this area at the time of the first settlers in Ardales. So the village has very ancient origins. The key to the castle is held by an old lady who lives in a corner house opposite the church. You need to knock on her door and ask for the key which gives you access to the church, and from there to the castle! A rewarding climb which is well worth the effort, but not one for the faint-hearted!

As for my friends and I, not having sufficient time to climb higher we turned and walked down to the other end of the Calle Real. Unfortunately a colourful local (Friday) market was at that moment just being packed up, along a promenade lined with sweet smelling orange trees. We were very tempted by the array of different cafes and bars available to us, where if you really feel like a Guinness you can refresh yourself at Pub Paz Solo, or call into Bar Paco!

But with only half an hour to go before our bus was due to take us back to Campillos, we headed back down the hill while delicious aromas of cooking wafted up to us. It was a chilly day, so we shared a very welcome ‘ració n’ of hot paella in Cafe de la Herreria , keeping an eye on the bus while we ate! We took the scenic drive back to Campillos, with one thought in our minds : ‘Ardales is very more-ish’ . (Excuse the pun!) There are indeed Moorish ruins and remains in the area, not least at nearby Bobastro, an ancient settlement just 2km away where the ‘Morcristianos’ lived at the time. These were Christians, who lived in Arab territory. But one thing is certain, having had a taste of Ardales, we really can’t wait to go back and explore some more!

If you are tempted to visit this gem of a ‘pueblo blanco’ in the mountains, then take the A357 directly up from Malaga, or take the Amarillos bus from Malaga bus station, which should take under an hour. A treat awaits you!