Guadalhorce

Guadalhorce

Rarely venturing inland away from the hustle and bustle of the coast, many visitors and even some residents are unaware of the beautiful Andalusian countryside. The mountains of Andalusia or the Sierras, as they are known in Spanish, are full of ravines, caves and hidden valleys - once an age old refuge for thieves and vagabonds. Today the rolling hills scattered with almond and olive groves, forests of pine and the rivers and lakes are more a refuge for rural tourists and those wishing for a quieter life. The pace of life is slower and more relaxed than on the coast and real estate is a good deal cheaper.

Villages such as Mijas just a stones throw from Fuengirola have long been known to the visiting millions but further into the mountains lie hundreds of other gleaming white- washed villages, some nestling in verdant valleys, others spilling down hillsides crowned with old Moorish castles. Coin, Monda, Pizarra, Álora and Antequera are just a few villages worth a visit. South of the market town of Antequera with its prehistoric dolmens and beautiful Baroque churches, lie the vast limestone outcrops of El Torcal, shaped over millennia into strange natural sculptures. Not far from El Torcal is the impressive El Chorro gorge - a huge cleft cut through limestone cliffs which plunge down to the lakes and reservoirs. Laguna de Fuente de Piedra, a saline lake near El Chorro, is the only inland breeding ground in Europe for the greater flamingo whose flocks provide an amazing spectacle from October to July.

The area offers a myriad of sporting activities including shooting, hunting and fishing, hiking and climbing, paragliding and hang gliding, horse riding and quad biking - all amongst some of the most picturesque and stunning scenery you could wish for.