Added: 04/19/2006 |
Antequera's Claim to Fame - El Torcal, the Church of CarmenAntequera is near where the main road from Malaga to Granada and leaves the Sevilla road after you have come right up through the mountains from Malaga. This makes the town a handy place for the first or last night's of the Antequera holidays and trips around Andalucia with flights to Malaga airport. It is a very pleasant town, where people don't seem to have had their friendliness extinguished by over-exposure to speakers of English.
The old castle at the top of the town provides great views of mountains on one side and olive-covered hills on the other. Antequera has two particular claims to fame. The first consists of three fine prehistoric dolomite grottos barely outside the town itself. The second is the Torcal de Antequera, a mountain top covered with huge and wonderfully shaped rock outcrops. There is a visitor's centre here and some excellent routes marked by different colored paint on the rocks. There is plenty of time to do the red and the yellow and walk down in daylight to the town, stopping for some ice cold fino on the way. Or maybe just skip the walk and have a cold one instead!
Another famous Antequera attraction is the Church of Carmen, the Church of Nuestra Senora del Carmen. It is the home of this 16th century church with an 18th century Baroque interior. The ornate church tower is a landmark in the town. The Church of Carmen houses one of the finest retablos in Andalucia, and a group of three prehistoric dolomite caves. The most impressive and famous of these is the Cueva de Menga, its roof formed by an immense 180-ton monolith. To reach this, and the nearby Cueva de Viera, take the Granada road out of town on the left and rather insignificantly marked. So keep your eyes open once you get about 1 km out of town.
A third cave, El Romeral, is rather different and later in its structure, with a domed ceiling of flat stones; it also lies to the left of the Granada road, 2km further on, behind a sugar factory with a chimney. The Church of Carmen along with the magnificent Renaissance-age Santa Maria la Mayor Church are just two of many fine churches that should not be missed. There are splendid mudejar attributes, including the lovely ceiling of the latter. Other fascinating monuments to be seen in the town are the recently excavated Roman baths, the 19th century bullring, and the Arch of the Giants, built in 1585, which leads up to the 13th century Moorish castle.
The town also has a number of museums. The Bullfighting Museum is only open on weekends and contains items related to this sport that is so unique to Spain. Learn the history of this "Sport". The Municipal Museum is a walk through the area's history room by room. Art, sculpture and archaeological finds are all displayed. A few hours spent here will give you an idea of the proud history of Antequera.
Antequera is also well known for its unique cuisine and two well-loved dishes are particularly enjoyed. Porra is a type of gazpacho that is served in nearly all the local restaurants. Bienmesabe is a dessert and is a must when eating out.
So whether it is the Church of Carmen, El Torcal, the Roman baths or Antequera cuisine, you are sure to have an unforgettable holiday in Antequera!
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