Today, Dad and I drove along the Ruta Mudéjar in Axarquía. The white mountain towns that compose this route were some of the last Muslim towns to be invaded (in 1487) by the Christians during the Reconquista (801-1492). 'Mudéjar' is the Christian style based on Islamic architecture. Most of these towns still have their original minaret (now bell tower) as well as beautiful hikes along the mountains/streams.
We started in Canillas de Aceituno, then stopped in Salares where we saw the bell tower and the Stations of the Cross depicted throughout the town on decorative tiles.
We parked in Árchez and walked along Ruta de los Molinos which is a 3km (1.5hr) loop along a river and stopping in Canillas de Albaida. Follow the coloured lines 0f your route and note that 'X' means wrong way.
Afterwards, we visited Daimalos, a tiny 'pueblo' (town) (most of these pueblos had populations of under 300) with a well-kept tower.
We then turned off the main road on the advice of Google Maps and found ourselves along a very narrow dirt road that winded its way along the backs of avocado farms until we popped back out again at Sayalonga for lunch. Tapeamos ('we had tapas') at Casa Mari where we shared six tapas and two drinks for 10€.
All of this took us 7 hours including the ice-cream stop in Algarrobo Costa.
Notes:
- All the pueblos are being repainted white in the lead-up to Semana Santa ('Holy Week') which starts tomorrow! More information on the schedule in Vélez here.
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