Sample the real Spain from a ground floor Apartment in the hills above Marbella overlooking the new Alhaurin Golf course
Situated in the hills above Marbella / Fuengirola where the air is that bit cooler than on the Costa but just 5 mins drive away from the Andalucian town of Alhaurin el Grande, this apartment is ideal for the independent holidaymaker who would like a scenic base in the Sierra De Mijas (3,000 ft) to explore inland Andalucia, visit the Costa towns just 20 mins away, or just laze around the pool and soak up the sun!!
For the more adventurous, Gibraltar is about 60 mins, Ronda 90 mins, Granada & the Sierra Nevada's 2hrs.
The land itself is rich in fruit and vegetable fields as well as and olive and cereal groves. The municipality has other urban areas apart from Alhaurín itself, the result of its agricultural development, such as Villafranco del Guadalhorce, el Cigarral and la Fuente del Perro. The principal river is the Fahala, into which the Jurique and the Torres streams flow. There is also the Pasadas river, which flows from the Barranco Blanco area through beautiful waterfalls and lakes. The original name has led to much discussion in the past, but we do know that Pliny referred to the place as both ‘Andorisae’ and ‘Andorisippo’. On the other hand, Rodríguez Berlanga suggests ‘Iluro’, Guillén Robles claims it was ‘Lauro’, but there is little documentation to support these theories. Archaeological remains from various periods point to human presence of the area from Neolithic, Iberian, Greek, Roman and Visigoth times.
The Moors called it ‘Alhaurín’, and after the re-conquest the ‘El Grande’ was added to distinguish it from its neighbouring Alhaurín de la Torre, meaning ‘The Garden of Allah’, ‘The Hole’ or ‘The Valley’, although recent investigations would suggest also ‘The Free’. Alhaurin el Grande was re-conquered by the Christian forces in May of 1485, when it was incorporated into the Castillian crown. Its Council was established in 1492, and in 1505 the parish church was built. Shortly afterwards the Royal Hospital of Santa Catalina was built, and in 1634, the people of the town purchased jurisdiction and the title ‘villa’ from the crown, which included the Bourbon fleur-de-lis on the coat-of-arms. The history of the town in the 18th century is recorded in the land registry of the Marqués de la Ensenada, whose documents dating from 1751 are conserved in the Municipal Library. During the 19th century this was the place where the richer families of Málaga city had their leisure homes.
Nowadays, the town has developed into a thriving multi-cultural community, mainly due to the fact that, along with Mijas pueblo, it is the one of the first natural points of migration for those who do not wish to live on the coast. The expansion and growth of the INland areas has seen Alhaurín develop into a self-sufficient town full of contrast which has a lot to offer for locals and immigrants alike. It has managed to achieve a balance between rural and town life which will doubtlessly make it an attractive place to settle for many newcomers for many years to come. However, its strong character and sense of tradition will hopefully ensure that it never loses its true identity.
Size: 72.6 Km²
Population: 17.950
Residents known as: Alhaurinos
Monuments: Cobertizo Arch, Moorish Tower, Los Corchos Morisco Mill, Church
of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación.
Tourist information: Town Hall, Plaza del Convento, s/n. 29120.
Phone: 952 491 275
Fax: 952 490 252