The region east of Málaga is La Axarquía. It is often overlooked as a holiday location, but it is full of authentic little villages, mountain trails, rolling hills of olive trees and 30 kilometres of clean beaches. Inland, the pace of life is unhurried and traditional, while the coast is fun but less touristy than west of Málaga. The variety of countryside on offer, in a relatively small area, means that you can ‘get away from it all’ in a landscape that suits you best.
This region is almost exactly in the centre of Andalucía. Its sunshine makes Subbética de Córdoba perfect for olive growing, and it produces some of the finest olive oil in the world. There are interesting towns to visit and local traditions to experience. The Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park is a rugged landscape for hiking and climbing. This unspoilt region offers a cultural side of historical Andalucía, outdoor activities and peaceful countryside.
The region of Antequera and its surrounds is authentic rural Spain, an important crossroads for thousands of years. Antequera is at the very heart of Andalucía not only geographically, but in spirit too as successive civilisations have all left their mark. The landscape here is of olives and sunflowers – and perhaps because it’s off the usual tourist path, the local welcome is as warm as the sunshine.
