Alcazaba in Velez Blanco.
Nestling at the foot of a rocky outcrop,
is the small whitewashed village of Vélez Blanco, 6km north
of its neighbour, Velez
Rubio.
On top of the hill is a stunning Renaissance castle
an extension of the original Moorish alcazaba, which was
built by the Marquises of Vélez Blanco in the early 16th
century. These days, it is something of a trompe l'oeil,
with an empty shell behind the battlements. This gutting began in
1904 when the contents of the castle were sold by its owners, the
Dukes of Medina-Sidonia, to a French dealer in antiquities. Many
of them became the property of Emile Peyre who in turn bequeathed
part of his collection to the American millionaire George Blumenthal.
He then bequeathed it the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1941. This
included the Patio de Honor - a fabulous courtyard carved
in white marble by Italian craftsmen. It has since been reconstructed
inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. There are now
plans to carry out a complete reconstruction of the original using
marble from the nearby quarries of Macael.
 To the north of the town are the the UNESCO World
Heritage listed pre-historic caves and paintings La
Cueva del Gabar and Cueva
de Los Letreros (Leters Cave) north of Velez
Rubio.
Also worth seeing is the 16th century Convento de
San Luís, located at the opposite end of town and also built
by the Vélez family, although its fine chapel was damaged
during the Civil War.
The Almacen del Trigo information office has information
on the town and the surrounding Parque Natural de la Sierra de María.
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Bar Sociedad
Serves good tapas and meals on their lively terrace. More
formal meals and good local cooking are on offer at Restaurante
El Molino, up some steps opposite a tiled fountain at the
west end of the main street with a charming patio terrace.
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Mesón Antonio
Near the castle entrance has a "menú del día"
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Barbacoa María Fernández
Another recommended restaurant which specialises in grilled
meat and local cuisine.
Calle Alquaisid 10
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Hostal La Sociedad
Centrally located and inexpensive.
Calle S Corredera 14 Tel: 950 41 50 27
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Casa de los Arcos
More upmarket and elegant.
Calle San Francisco 2 Tel: 950 61 48 05
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