Villanueva Del Trabuco, Andalucia, Spain
The
village of
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.
Only
40
minutes from both
Malaga
and Granada
airports
along the motorway and 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 6000 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, an indoor
wet fish market, and a weekly outdoor market for the bargains! There is
also 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 the place with 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.
Trabuco is one of the typical 'white villages', especially in the Barrio de los Villares, the oldest part of the town, with winding streets and low, whitewashed houses decorated with window pots filled with geraniums. 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 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 April12th, 1620, and the relevant documents are now in the Municipal Archives of Archidona. It refers to a meadow called Trabuco with more than 300fanegas (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.
tel: (0034) 671336489
email: m.jbrown@hotmail.com
Villanueva Del Trabuco, Andalucia, Spain