Casa La Sierrecilla
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The beautiful town of Antequera, Spain.
Guidebooks to Andalucia tend to focus on the
justifiably world-famous cities of Seville, Granada, and Cordoba. However, the
historic but far less well known town of Antequera is equally worth a visit and
its relative lack of fame means that its essential Andalucian charm remains
undimmed by coach parties and souvenir shops.
Antequera is a medium sized, increasingly prosperous and stylish town about 38 miles inland from the coast at Malaga. As you drive down from the Montes de Malaga on your way from the airport, it is a wonderful sight as the vega (plain) of Antequera opens up before your eyes, a wide, lush, green plain sprinkled with little white farmhouses shimmering in the sunshine. This is the moment when you know you have reached the real Andalucia - an entirely different world from the coast!
Antequera has a long history - its prehistoric burial
sites or 'Dolmens' testify to that. Its varied and beautiful architecture bears
the mark of the many different overlords of this ancient town. The Romans called
it Antikaria (meaning 'ancient') and Roman treasures can be seen in the town's
museum. The town was renamed Medina Anticaria by Spain's Arab invaders, who
ruled the town until 1410, when the Moorish castle that still dominates the town
fell to the Christian armies of the Reconquest. Many pages could be filled with
descriptions of Antequera's beautiful churches, monasteries and historic
buldings and I do not propose to list them all here! The tourist office in the
Plaza San Sebastian will supply all the information you need for a delightful
day's sightseeing
The initial arrival in Antequera's modern outskirts can
give little idea of the beauty of this historic town. One of the first things
the vistor will see is the nineteenth-century Plaza de Toros (bullring), where
during the Ferias of May and August you can see the most famous bullfighters in
Spain in action! Close to the Plaza de Toros is the beautiful tree-lined
promenade of the Paseo Real, which finishes in a large children's playgound
where the town's smaller inhabitants play on the warm summer nights. Here the
locals like to meet, walk and relax in the shade of the giant trees lining the
park.
The visitor then usually turns south from the bullring
up to the Infante don Fernando (named for the leader of the conquering Christian
army that retook the town in 1410), the main street of the town which leads up
to the the historic area. Leading off from the Infante are any number of streets
with wonderful shops. This is a shopaholics paradise, where you can buy
beautiful shoes, handbags, silverware and exquisite embroidered Spanish shawls.
And for those who want to pusue their own Andalucian dream, this is where the
estate agents are! Do not miss the covered market with its array of fresh
seafood, and be sure to pick up some delicious pastries handmade by nuns from
the local convents!
The Infante brings you up the historic part of town
where the original part of Antequera stretches up the hill from the Plaza de San
Sebastian to the Castle. Just a short walk and you find yourself in a different
world of narrow, whitewashed streets, flower-decked patios and even older
churches. Climb up higher and you can see right over the red roofs and
belltowers to the rolling Andalucian countryside beyond. And don't forget while
walking to stop every now and then for a cool drink or a tapa. See our article
on a Tapas Tour of
Antequera for
more details! Wherever you walk there is anorther beautiful old building or
ancient church and always the smell of something delicious cooking as you pass
the bars!
Being a genuine Spanish town and not tourist trap,
Antequera is wonderful to visit at any time of year. You may wish to celebrate
Christmas as the Spanish do, or enjoy a relaxing Spring break, or to see the
deeply moving processions of Holy Week. The people are friendly and welcoming,
and justifiably proud of their beautiful town. For those with stamina we
recommend a visit to the Feria at the end of August. Casetas (temporary bars
serving a variety of food and drink spring up all over the town and the day is
spent meeting friends and sampling the offerings of several different casetas.
After an exhausting day eating and drinking ( in very high temperatures!) the
hardy inhabitants dress up for the Fiesta and venture out for the night (all
night!). Even young children come along to enjoy the rides at the giant funfair.
In conclusion, do not miss out on a visit to Antequera if you spend your holiday in Andalucia. It is a chance to see the very best of Andalucian life and culture, and we guarantee that your first visit will certainly not to be your last!
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