Discover Benamargosa: Festivals, Trails and Holiday Apartments

Benamargosa lies on the Ruta del Sol y Aguacate, one of five routes in the Axarquía Costa del Sol. The Río Benamargosa runs through the village; its vegetation-lined banks offer views of the agricultural landscape. Benamargosa is known for its lemon, mango and avocado groves and is associated with the Axarquía’s tropical agriculture.

When comparing a holiday apartment in Benamargosa, you can check travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions side by side on the respective offer pages. The differences between culture, landscape, festivals and trails provide several thematic focuses for planning your own days.

Landscape and local flavour

Local flavour includes Baty Cate, a typical drink from Benamargosa: an avocado milkshake made with avocado, cinnamon, sugar and milk. At the Feria del Campo, visitors can try Batycate, Ensaladilla Cateta, Zoque or “Limón Pera”, cherry tomatoes, Callos and Ajo-Bacalao.

Culture and townscape

The hillside townscape of Benamargosa features an Arab-influenced layout with winding stairways, as well as Roman arches, murals, pillars and fountains. In the lower part of the village stands the Iglesia de la Encarnación, regarded as the oldest and most important building in the municipality and built on the site of a former mosque.

The Iglesia de la Encarnación was built at the end of the 16th century on an octagonal floor plan; it has three naves and an attached tower. An octagonal chapel and an octagonal Camarín for Jesús Nazareno date from the 17th century and are finished with Rococo stucco work.

The Arco de la Huerta bears witness to Benamargosa’s former agricultural importance and was used to irrigate numerous cultivated areas in the Vega. The Puente de los Diez Ojos connects the banks of the Río Benamargosa and was built to provide access to the adjoining fertile fields. The Ermita del Cementerio is a simple, vernacular cemetery chapel commissioned in 1840 by Doña María de Santiago for the burial of her husband.

Festivals and religious traditions

During the Corpus Christi celebration in Benamargosa, blankets and cloths decorate the balconies; on Corpus Christi Sunday, residents set up altars in the streets. During the Corpus Christi procession, the procession stops at the altars; prayers are said there and the altars are blessed, while children throw flower petals at the monstrance.

The festival in honour of San Sebastián takes place on 20 January; the patron saint’s image is carried through the streets of Benamargosa and visits the homes of the Mayordomos. The Romería in honour of the Virgen Inmaculada is celebrated in June.

The Feria de Agosto takes place on the first weekend of August and is considered one of Benamargosa’s oldest and most important festivals. On Saturday and Sunday, from midday onwards, it includes a Feria de día with music and furnished drinks stalls for locals and visitors. In the evenings, the Feria de Agosto offers an orchestra, various performances and concerts, as well as an amusement area in the Caseta Oficial.

Hiking and trails

The Ruta de la Corta leads from the bridge in Benamargosa along the Río Benamargosa via the Puente Salto del Negro to Laguna La Corta and back; it is 9 km long, easy and takes approximately two hours. The Ruta de la Fuente de la Gota leads from Pechuelos Altos via El Castañar and the Fuente de la Gota to Benamargosa along the upper Arroyo Limón; it is 3.5 km long, moderately difficult and takes approximately two hours.

The Ruta de Málaga leads from the bridge in Benamargosa via the road to Cútar to the municipal boundary of Almáchar and back; it is 4 km long, moderately difficult and takes approximately two hours. The different trail lengths, approximate durations and difficulty ratings give you several points of comparison for planning your day.

The Ruta del Tinao leads from Benamargosa via Arroyo Carvajal, Loma Banca, Zambucha, El Tinao and Los Cahorrillos back to Benamargosa. The Portugalejo-Benamargosa-Comares route passes through scenic rural areas and showcases the region’s rural culture; it is rated moderately difficult to challenging because navigation is difficult.

The Ingenio de San Rafael was built in 1900 to produce sugar cane honey; it is considered one of 37 surviving examples of the sugar industry in Málaga province and forms part of Málaga’s industrial history. A one-kilometre-long Vía Verde leads in Benamargosa to the Ingenio de San Rafael.

Getting there

The route to Benamargosa follows the A-7 Mediterranean motorway, the A-356 towards Vélez-Málaga and then the signposted MA-3113.

More destinations

More destinations: Alhaurin El Grande, Marbella, Casares, Los Morales, Valle De Abdalajís, Parauta, Torre de Benagalbón, Alhaurin De La Torre

To the main travel overview: Málaga.