The Village
Villanueva
Del Trabuco is
situated in the foothills of the Sierras which dominate the landscape. The
valley is green and the wildlife abundant. The local people are some of the
friendliest you will find anywhere in Spain and once you have discovered it’s
charm you will understand why so many British are buying holiday and permanent
homes here.
Every September the village stages the Grand Fiesta and the fun, activities, processions, dancing etc. etc. goes on for 6 days, culminating with a superb firework display which lights up the whole village.
Only
40
minutes from both
Malaga
and Granada Airports,
and just off the autovia
you enter another world, far removed from the
Costas
yet with all the amenities you would expect in a small provincial town.
Villanueva Del Trabuco has
just over
5000 inhabitants and is still growing. New houses are being built in the town at
the moment whilst
many of
the houses in the old town are nearly 200 years old. These old properties have
not, however, been allowed to fall into a state of disrepair. Most are occupied
and many have been lovingly restored to provide traditional homes with modern
facilities. There are
four
banks, all the usual shops, a three storey furniture store, a small indoor
fruit and wet
fish market, and a weekly outdoor market for the bargains!
There is also an excellent Medical Centre which is staffed 24 hours a day, two
dentists, an opticians, a veterinary surgery,
a municipal
open air
swimming pool complete with palm trees, and a lovely woodland walk above the
town with viewing points and seating.
The area is a major producer of olives and olive oil and the town is surrounded by olive groves as far as the eye can see.
Villanueva
Del Trabuco is situated in the
extreme eastern end of the Antequera region, at the foot of the Gorda and San
Jorge
mountains. The proximity of the mountains provides a wonderful landscape, ideal
for walking or trekking. One of the favourite routes to take goes up to the
Sierra de San Jorge mountains alongside the bed of the Las Chozas stream. The
municipality of Villanueva del Trabuco is watered by the rivers Guadalhorce and
Higueral, on whose banks there are various trekking routes signposted.
The village is one of the typical 'white villages' or 'pueblos blancos', especially in the Barrio de los Villares, the oldest part of the town, with winding streets and low, whitewashed houses decorated with window pots. In the centre too is the Plaza del Prado, the social and business centre of the town, where one can find the Fuente de los Tres Caños, from which water flows all the year around, even in times of drought.
Villanueva del Trabuco has been lived
in for a very long time, although it is not one of the oldest towns in the
province. The place where the present urban area sits
was first settled in the time of the re-conquest, but some historians believe
the Romans had a loose settlement here too. The first documented evidence we
have of the town named Trabuco dates from April 12th, 1620, and the
relevant documents are now in the Municipal Archives of Archidona. It refers to
a meadow called Trabuco with more than 300 fanegas (a grain measurement) that
belonged to the municipality of Archidona. The urban centre grew up in the early
1700s, when Carlos III decided to repopulate areas of Andalucía with German and
Flemish settlers. The town gained its independence from Archidona in 1808.
If you want to swim in the sea or ski in the mountains, both options are less than an hour away. Birdwatchers and walkers will also enjoy this area and even if you just want to take gentle drives in the car to appreciate the diversity of the landscape, then there are many good local restaurants where you will be made most welcome along your journey.