Villanueva de Trabuco nestles at the foot of the Gorda and San Jorge Mountains.
By Dee McMath
The village of Villanueva de Trabuco is one of
the attractive Andaluz white villages in the Antequera
area (34 kilometres from the town of Antequera) and is just 45 kilometres
north of Malaga City. It is around 700 metres above sea level and
has a population of approximately 5,000. Inhabitants of the village
are known as Trabuqueños. As with many of these small inland Andalucian
towns and villages, Villanueva de Trabuco has attracted some British
homebuyers, but it still retains a very traditional Andalucian lifestyle.
This village is easy to reach by road, being just
about three and a half kilometres off the main A359 Malaga to Loja/Granada
road. This easy road access with both Malaga city and the town of
Antequera has made this a popular choice for the permanent residence
of many Spanish people, who commute to the larger cites for work,
while enjoying a more relaxed lifestyle, away from the city bustle.
The Village
The River Guadalhorce and Higueral
run through the village, offering many lovely country walks along
their banks. In the town centre there are many pretty areas to found,
like the oldest quarter, el Bario de los Villares.
This area captures all that is typically Andaluz, with the smart
little whitewashed houses lining the steep narrow streets. The splash
of brightly coloured flowers, spilling out of the well tended terra
cotta window boxes, make a walk through the village a real delight.
The heart of the village is the Plaza de
Prado, where you will find most of the shops. This is also
where most people tend to gather for social events or simply to
meet up for a chat with friends and neighbours. This main square
is also where you will find the Ayuntamiento (Town Hall), as well
as the renowned fountain known as the 'Fuente de los tres
Caños'. The water from this fountain, which is said never
to dry up (even in times of drought), is apparently one of the best
sources of water in the province.
Although this is not one of the oldest villages in the area, some historians say that there are signs of Roman settlements here. The first documented evidence of Villanueva de Trabuco dates back to 1620, when reference is made to a large area of pasture land called Trabuco, which then belonged to the municipal area of Archidona. About a hundred years later Carlos III decided to repopulate some Andalucian areas with foreign colonies of Catholics and Germans, and in 1808 Trabuco became segregated from Archidona.
Natural Landscape
Villanueva de Trabuco, in the far eastern side of the Antequera area, nestles at the foot of the Gorda and San Jorge Mountains, which provide very beautiful surrounding scenery to the village and the fields around it. There is a lovely river side walk which leads up the Sierra de San Jorge (San Jorge Mountain). In contrast to the steep rise, the foothills form a soft landscape of olive groves and wheat fields, dotted with houses and farmhouses. The rivers and water springs present in the area, add to the lush landscape, enriched with different species of poplars and ash trees, which provide welcome shade for a long lazy summer day in the country.
Places to Visit
The Parish Church of the village of 'Nuestra
Señora de los Dolores' was built at the end of the 18th
century and then restored during the 1950's. The landmark white
tower of the church can bee seen from any point of the village.
The Hermitage of San Juan and San Isidro The Hermitage
of San Antonio. The Hermitage of the 'Virgen del Puente'
Nuestra Señora de los Dolores.
Local Produce
The olive oil, as well as the flour for bread is
still made in the old fashioned way, without additives or new processes.
So it is worth buying some pure olive oil and sampling the local
bread during your visit.
Many of the other hand made crafts have been lost, apart from the wrought iron work and bamboo and basket weaving. Much of the basketwork is used for collecting the olives during the harvest time (from December to February).
Fiestas and Festivals
Candelmas
The fiesta of Candelmas is celebrated in the village on the 1st
of February and then at the end of the month there are colourful
Carnival celebrations.
Easter Week
Easter week is a particularly pretty time to visit, when the village
streets are alive with processions and tradition. A particularly
good time to go is after 8.p.m. on the Thursday and Friday when
the Semana Santa (Holy week) has its most important porcessions.
San Marcos
On the 25th April the San Marcos festivities see the whole village
taking to the countryside for a huge picnic to celebrate the patron
saint of the 'campo' (countryside).
The first week of June lights up with festivities,
followed a few days later by the San Antonio quarter of the village
organizes a festival in honour of the patron saint. This is followed
by two days of celebrations for the night of San Juan.
Annual Fair
Towards the end of the hot month of August the village celebrates
is annual fair, which dates back to 1853, when it was considered
the most important cattle fair in the region.
Local Dishes
Although there are many different types of cooking
to choose from in Villanueva de Trabuco, this is the place to try
a good home made stew, particularly the popularly named 'Olla'
(hotpot). The famous artisan bread of the Antequera area is known
as 'mollete' and is delicious at any time of day. Other
delights are the variations on gazpacho, such as the exquisite cold
soup, 'ajoblanco', made with almonds and garlic.
If you would like to take something away with you,
pop into a local butcher's shop and buy some of the wonderful home
made cold meats and sausages, such as chorizo, morcilla.
There are many excellent local bars and restaurants where you can stop off and simple many of the local dishes and wines.
If you decide to stay on for longer than a day,
then you may be able to rent a 'casa rural' or stay in
a nearby hostel or hotel. The Ayuntamiento (Town Hall) will be able
to advise you on offers available. Or if you have come at the siesta
time, weekend or public holiday and the Town Hall tourist office
is not open, try asking in once of the local establishments. Andalucian
village life is usually able to lend a helping hand to anyone who
appreciates the beauty of their surroundings.
For further tourist information contact the Ayuntamiento
(Town Hall)
Plaza del Prado, 1
Tel: +(0034) 952 751 021 Fax: +(0034) 952 751 969
top of page
|
