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Frigiliana sits just 7km north of popular Nerja on the coast, and is renowned as one of the prettiest Andalucian village. Frigiliana has only recently come to the fore within the context of a recent boom in the La Axarquia area of east Andalucia. Resembling a triangle on the map, the revived and rebranded area of Axarquia east of Malaga pushing up to Alfarnate and down to Frigiliana and Nerja on the coast is rich in ancient sites, many Moorish, and archaeological finds from the Phoenecian, Roman and Arab periods. The spectacular caves at Nerja, one of Spain's most visited natural wonders, is the pivotal hub of all this activity.
Frigiliana sits just on the edge of the Sierra De Tejeda Natural Park, in the east of the La Axarquia region. Its position at the foothills of the stunning Almijara mountains makes it all the more scenic. Peaks within the Almijara range reach up to a maximum 2000m! As pretty as Nerja, but quieter, Frigiliana is attracting property interests currently. Within the town you'll discover a number of impressive historic sites including the Castillo de Lizar, a couple of Palaces, the Algar culture menhir standing stone and the Phoenician necropolis. If you're in Nerja for a day trip, it's well worth detouring too up to Frigiliana to catch a glimpse of the Almija mountains and these prized ancient historical sights. As the Costa Del Sol pushes east towards Granada, the Axarquia region and the east has more Moorish links. The Moors left their mark on the Axarquia region particularly, seen everywhere from architecture to irrigation channels.
Frigiliana is at the centre of Moorish history in the Axarquia region. The site of the El Fuerte hill just north of the village was the location where the Moors' rebellion was crushed by the Christians in 1569. Climb to the top of El Fuente to see some remains of an ancient fortress.
Frigiliana is also an important centre for wine, as are numerous locations now in the Axarquia region. Wine tours are beginning to emerge in the area. You can taste local Frigiliana wine in the choice of bars in this attractive village. More caves, alongside the mammoth caves of Nerja, have also been discovered in the Frigiliana area as recently as 1987. Cueva de los Murcielagos (the bat cave) is the most well known. Call in at the Town Hall Tourist information point in Frigiliana for directions.
Easy to potter about on-foot, Frigiliana now has a fine selection of arts and crafts shops, especially for pottery and ceramics, and its narrow meandering streets have changed little since the Arab, pre-Christian period. The Moors certainly put up a fight in the La Axarquia region, and although Frigiliana was taken initially by the Christians in 1485, the Moors later rose in rebellion in 1569. Their rights, including the right to speak their language and wear traditional dress had been eroded. The rebellion finally was crushed on El Fuente where many Moors, rather than face capture, jumped to their deaths. There are similar accounts of the original settlers of the Canary Islands - the Guanches - throwing themselves to their deaths in the interior of Gran Canaria and La Gomera rather than face capture and slavery by Christian Spanish imperialists (see weblink right).
Frigiliana Tourist Information Centre, Town Hall, Calle Real, 80, 29788, Frigiliana. Tel. 952 533 002.
You might have guessed that some of the most awe-inspiring peaks in Andalucia were to the east. If you've visited Nerja and seen mountains plunge down to the sea near the Nerja caves and in the distance behind the resort, then you have glimpsed some of the Almijara range of mountains, designated a natural park in 1999. Sitting half in the Malaga province and half in the Granada province, the park covered around 40,662 hectares and is called Tejeda after the Tejos woodland plant which grows in abundance in the area. Almijara comes from the Arab 'almijar' essentially meaning drain. Rainwater runs down at great speeds from these mountains into the sea.
The tallest peak within Almijara is La Maroma which reaches heights of more than 2000 metres. Due to the high peaks and rugged landscape of the Tejeda it's one of Andalucia's most inaccessible natural parks. Many villages like Frigiliana in the east are not connected to other inland villages, so you need to return to the main AP7 motorway to connect. There are however around 11 marked trails with the park, including the Frigiliana to Fuente del Esparto Trail (for more information on all 11 trails see the Visit Costa Del Sol weblink right, and view the Tourist guides for Nature and Routes and Excursions. Directions are also here for how to enter the park from various villages and cities).
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