Ojén has roughly the same population
as Benahavis - 2000 - but it has not attracted
the attention of wealthy expatriates as the latter village has done
and, like Istán, has somehow conspired to remain relatively unspoiled
in spite of its accessibility and the madcap whirl around it.
Its
name is derived from an Arabic word, hoxán, meaning "rough" or
"bitter" place. It seems a curious description to give to such
a tranquil and beautiful spot, and even more curious that the
Moors should establish a settlement in a place they presumably
did not care for. But they did, and in common with other inland
villages such as Istán, it was allowed to survive the Christians'
embargo on Moors living too close to the sea after the reconquest.
It is situated beside the Almadán
stream above the valley of the rio Real at an altitude
of 650ft, hemmed in by the sierras Blanca and Alpujata. In that,
we may have a clue to the Moors' determination to stay in spite
of their apparent antipathy, for both ranges of mountains have long
been known as rich sources of talc, nickel, iron and lead. This
mineral wealth put the area in the forefront of the Spanish industrial
revolution of the 19th Century.
Today
Ojén is a curiously schizophrenic town, neatly cut in half by
a modern highway. On one side of the road, the newer, more affluent
half rises into the hills around the stunted, almost invisible
vestigial remains of the Moorish castle which in its heyday dominated
the skyline. The village survived the reconquest, but the castle
predictably did not. The few stones that are left are now scattered
among weeds and rough grass, home only to insects and beetles,
and scarcely worth the climb to see.
Of more interest to the visitor
is the old part of town which spreads down the mountainside on the
other side of the road. Here the cobbled streets are narrow and
well served by welcome drinking fountains. But Ojén used to be famous
for something a little stronger than water. The production of the
anise liqueur, aguardiente, which many Spaniards take each day with
their morning coffee, once played a major part in the town's economy.
Close by, in the Serrania
de Ronda, is the Refugio de Juanar. Originally
the private hunting lodge of the wealthy Larios family, and a favoured
retreat of King Alfonso XIII, this is now a hotel popular with tourists
and hunters. For the Serrania is still very much a hunting reserve
where ibex, wildcats and eagles abound. It is also a favourite with
ramblers and hikers who come to relish the pure mountain air and
the stunning views of Marbella and the coast 3000 feet below.
Ojén is not the most beautiful of
the mountain villages, nor the most historic, but it is peaceful
and pleasant and well worth a visit. A far cry from the harsh and
bitter place its Arab founders described.
Click here to view the Restaurant Guide
 Day Trips from the Costa del Sol to Seville, Cordoba, Nerja and Frigiliana, Ronda and Tajo Gorge, Gibraltar, Morocco and many other destinations.
For an insider's view of Ojen, read this article first published in Andalucia Magazine.
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Excursions from Costa del Sol
