An hour’s drive north of Malaga is Antequera, a charming 5000 year old city.
A sleepy provincial town, it is dominated by some 30 church spires over a mass of red-tiled roofs. It is also the founder of the beautiful forbidden fandago.
Some of the oldest Dolmens – prehistoric tombs – in Europe are located here.
Since then this great city has had a long and illustrious history spanning the three major influences in the region – Roman, Islamic, and Spanish.
The city is best viewed from the Moorish Alcazaba which overlooks the city and the plain beyond.
It divides into two zones: a monumental quarter situated at the foot of the hill dominated by the Alcazaba and the commercial centre concentrated around the Alameda de Andalucia.
Within easy distance is the vast Parque Natural El Torcal with its beautiful limestone formations and the important flamingo breeding grounds of Fuente de Piedra.
However, it is essential to stick to the marked paths, as it is all too easy to get lost in this strange landscape.
