by Michael Madsen, your guide to the authentic
Just outside the historical town of Antequera, in the middle of Andalusia, you find El Torcal National Park. This enchanting place is located on top of a mountain with views all the way to Malaga and the Mediterranean on a clear day. El Torcal is also called the ‘Flintstone country’ due to its peculiar rock formations and limestone cliffs.
This area that spans 17 square km is said to be some of the most beautiful and impressive limestone landscapes in Europe. The whole area was under sea over one hundred million years ago. Over time, the movement of the Earth´s crusts forced it upwards into hills and mountains. Then millions of years of rain and wind chiselled away at these layers forming these incredible shapes.
There are three clearly market Hiking routes to choose from:
- The green route is the shortest and easiest, it is 1,5 km long and it takes the average hiker about 30 minutes.
- The yellow route covers most of the area, it is 2,5 km long and takes you to “Las Ventanillas” (The Windows). This is a viewpoint at 1.200 m, which gives you stunning panoramic views of the valley of Málaga.
- The red route is the longest and most difficult, it is 4,5 km long and takes you about three hours to do. It ends at a view point 1.339m above sea level, were you have views of the entire El Torcal Park and on a clear day the African Coastline.
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El Torcal is a truly unique natural experience that should not be missed. Unfortunately, it has already become quite popular, so there can be quite a few people, both locals and tourists. However, due to the size of the park you don´t often bump into people, so it is far from crowded.
Avoid the weekends, where it fills up quickly with people. Weekdays are best, as there are fewer people and on many stretches, you feel as though you are all alone in the midst of these magnificent rock formations. It is best to avoid rainy and humid days, when the cliffs become dangerously slippery.
Three comfortable places to stay near Antequera and El Torcal:
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Arte de Cozina. Remember that you found it on Autentical. Book it on
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Convento La Magdalena. Remember that you found it on Autentical. Book it on
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Finca El Arpa. Book it here on
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My Story:
Ever since childhood, I have experienced artificial tourist areas. But when I tried to create holidays with authentic experiences myself, I ran into big problems… It was deeply frustrating, I couldn’t make a living from it and I was afraid of losing everything.
I was weak and vulnerable – it was a painful time. But I succeeded in the end – and it is a fantastic feeling to know the secret to having authentic holidays. You can also ensure holidays without tourist crowds – fortunately, there is still hope!
Read my full story