Arenas

Area: 26.40 sq. kms
Number of inhabitants: Approx. 1,326
Descent: Areneros
Monuments: Church of Santa Catalina, ruins of the Castillo de Bentomiz, Minaret in the Daimalos area and the Moorish fountain of Daimalos
Geographical situation: In the interior of the Axarquía, 10 kilometres from Vélez and 44 from Malaga, at 416 metres above sea level
Tourist information:
Town Hall, Plaza de la Ermita, 17. 29753. Phone: 952 509 005 Fax: 952 509 005

Arenas is in the Axarquía, only 10 kilometres from Vélez-Málaga. To get there one takes the comarcal 117 out of Vélez, then heads up the winding mountain road to Arenas, right in the heart of the Bentomiz mountains. Along the way one can see the beautiful panoramic landscape to the sea, and half way there - at the venta El Palomar - one enters the municipality of Arenas. Behind us is the old Roman roadway dating from the first century B.C., which linked Arenas to the coast. This old road ran parallel to the river Seco, on the right-hand bank. Further on we reach a group of farm-houses where, in times gone by, the mulateers transporting raisins, wines and silks from Arenas to Torre del Mar rested. These products eventually reached the rest of Europe and the Far East
The Morisco origin of the town itself is evident in the narrow and winding streets. There is an ancient olive mill and a mural made by the prestigious ceramist Virgilio González at the entrance to the town. The centre itself is all narrow streets, plazas and typical Morisco-style corners adorned with flowers and potted plants. There are three different areas to the town: the Barrio Alto or "Alto del Lugar", where the craftsmen, ceramists and blacksmiths live; the urban centre where the more well-off residents of the town live, an area in which one can see the Town Hall building and the square containing the12th century church-mosque, and the Barrio Bajo or "Cantarranas" where the more humble workers of the town live. The town is 416 metres above sea level, and from any point in it one can see the hill of Bentomiz, with its ancient fortifications in ruins. Many visitors make the trip to the peak on mules or on foot, and from there one can see over the entire coastline into Africa


Outstanding visits
Church of Santa Catalina
This is a Mudejar-style building that dates from the 16th century, the present church built on the ruins of a mosque. It was badly damaged in a fire in 1926. On the outside one can see the minaret tower on its square base, originally in three sections, but following modifications made after the fire in 1926, reduced to two. The second section opens up into semicircular arches
Daimalos area and surroundings
The Daimalos area is close to the town, and there very good quality wines are made. There are two 12th century remains here: a Moorish fountain and a minaret believed to be the oldest of the Merini period. The parish church, built over an old mosque, has a single nave, and its minaret was converted into a bell-tower by the Christians. The town centre is typical of others in the region: low houses on steep and narrow streets, all leading to the church square, which is also built on an incline. Trekking is a popular activity for people that visit Arenas. There are two routes, one of which takes us to the base of the Bentomiz hill and the other leading up towards the Cerro Alto, beside the Salares stream
The Bentomiz Fortress
The Fortress of Bentomiz was built on the top of the hill of the same name, to the south of the town of Arenas. It is believed to pre-date Moorish times, the Moors converting the building they found into a magnificent fortress. The remains show the existence of Romans here at one time, as much as Moors. King Fernando The Catholic left the defence of the town in the hands of the Moriscos, but following the rebellion of 1569, in which the Moriscos pledged allegiance to Aben Humeya, the Christians took over the fortress to use in defence of the mountains and coast. Close to the fortress are the remains of an ancient wall and an octagonal tower
Dining and wining
Bar Pepe Juanete. Specialising in kid, callos (pig¹s trotters and snouts with chickpeas) and gazpacho. Avda. Fdez. Ramos. Phone: 952 509 086
Bar El Gato. Specialising in traditional cooking. C/La Fuente. Phone: 952 509 107
Where to sleep
Cortijo Bentomiz. Phone: 952 276 229.
Cortijo Ángel. Phone: 952 542 058.
Casa Fuente del Amor. Phone: 952 542 058.
Fiestas and gastronomy
FIESTAS
The festivals in Arenas begin in February with the carnival which, after many years of being banned, has now come back in force all over Spain. It is the perfect opportunity for the ordinary people to take to the streets and have fun, dressing up or down as they wish, and singing songs that are caustic comments on the political and social life of the time. Other local festivals of lesser importance take place right through the year until August, when the annual feria in honour of the patron saints of the town, Santa Catalina and San Sebastián, take place. The saints¹ days are August 10th and 12th, and in and around these days the entire town turns out to enjoys a few days and nights of dancing in the streets and other cultural activities. The festival of the Candelaria takes place on September 7th and 8th, in which bonfires are lit in the countryside and the boys of the area present the girls with chestnuts and aniseed liqueur, and following the old tradition, sing verdiales and fandangos to the beating of drums
GASTRONOMY
The main speciality of Arenas cuisine is the fried kid with almond sauce, and the fried breadcrumbs with olives and herring, all washed down with one of the delicious sweet wines of the area. The local gazpacho soup is known as the "colorao", its ingredients being chopped fine rather than ground. The main dish is usually a type of stew called "cavaores", made with chickpeas and yellow rice, and at Easter made with chickpeas, cod and beans. Another popular dish is the fennel stew with white kidney-beans, rice and chopped salami sausage
DAY OF THE MULE
The residents of Arenas have organised an annual festival called the Día de la Mula, the Day of the Mule, in defence of that humble animal. It is scheduled for October 12th, and has been running for the past four years. In it, various tasks are performed by the mules and their handlers, the mulateers, such as dragging loads of firewood along the ground. The programme includes the recently organised Meeting of Wine Vinegar makers