Benalauría brings together festival traditions, historic buildings and landscapes that appeal to different travel interests. In the village, festivals and historic sites meet the Mirador del Fresnillo; in the Valle del Genal, chestnut forests and river meanders shape the landscape. Wine and garden produce add a culinary dimension. You can choose to focus on culture, nature or local products.
Festival traditions and local history
The Fiesta de Moros y Cristianos reenacts a Mudéjar rebellion from more than five centuries ago and has the official designation “Fiesta de Interés Turístico Nacional de Andalucía” (Festival of National Tourist Interest of Andalusia). The Junta de Andalucía documented this award in 2001. During the festival, the 17th-century Casa Consistorial serves as a “castle.”
The CI Casa Moros y Cristianos presents the origins and development of the festival through images, stories, historical texts and elements from the performance. The Museo Etnográfico is housed in the Molino de Antonio Almagro mill, which dates back to the 18th century. It displays agricultural tools, weights, measures and other farming equipment, including a traditional olive press and wine presses.
The village’s architectural history can also be traced through different dates: the Iglesia Santo Domingo de Guzmán was rebuilt at the end of the 16th century and restored at the beginning of the 19th century. The Capilla de Siete Pilas dates from around the late 1950s; the image of the Immaculate Conception has been venerated there since that time. From the historic Torreón Virgen del Rosario, you can take in views of the Valle del Genal, the Sierra de las Nieves and the Sierra Bermeja. During the Romería de la Virgen del Rosario, the image is carried in an ox-drawn cart to the Área Recreativa El Bailadero.
Landscapes from different vantage points
The Mirador del Fresnillo is located on Plaza del Fresnillo, a few metres from the Museo Etnográfico, and offers views across the Valle del Genal. The chestnut forests of the Valle del Genal shape an especially lush landscape known as the “Bosque de Cobre” (Copper Forest). Benalauría’s natural surroundings also include numerous river meanders, which create striking riverside scenery.
The Cañón de las Buitreras is designated a Natural Monument of Andalusia. It is 100 metres deep, reaching up to 200 metres in some places, and a colony of griffon vultures nests in the surrounding cliffs. The area around Benalauría is also suitable for wildlife watching. Species found there include griffon vultures, golden eagles, eagle owls, otters, roe deer and trout.
Wine, gardens and baking traditions
The Fiesta de los Huertos takes place in mid-August. It features a traditional breakfast made with garden produce and the opportunity to discover and buy produce from Benalauría’s gardens. Another local highlight is the visitor wine experience at Bodega 28 Metros Cuadrados, which offers red, rosé and white wines made from grapes grown by small local producers in the Genal and Guadiaro valleys.
A bakery in Benalauría also has a long history: it has been in operation since 1882. Three generations have kneaded and baked a bread product there with care and expertise.
Plan your visit
Both festivals take place in August, but at different times: the Fiesta de Moros y Cristianos is held on the first Sunday of the month, and the Fiesta de los Huertos in mid-August.
Discover more destinations: Totalán, Benaoján, Villanueva De La Concepción, Torre de Benagalbón, Romo Cuevas, Ojén, Mondrón, Alhaurin El Grande.
For the broader travel overview: Málaga.
