Antequera – an Iberian Newgrange & Burren rolled into One!
The historic quarter of Antequera is a glorious monument to the rich history of Spain and its Christian and Islamic past. it even extends way past those influences with the location near the old town of impressive passage graves – on a scale not too dissimilar to Newgrange at Brú na Bóinne, which I recently cycled around. Most people will visit Cordoba and Granada to explore the magnificent Alhambra and the other stunning Moorish architecture but here has its own attraction. Antequera has so many gems, without the mass tourism that is a perfect place to be paced for a few days of exploration.
My interest in Antequera was piqued by talk of the largest Dolmen in Europe – a boast we have for our own Browneshill Dolmen just 2 kms out the road. The Dolmens of Antequera are passage tombs more comparable with Newgrange. Like passage tombs in Ireland, they were used for burial purposes. Their construction remains a mystery, being built from large carved rocks, they were obviously created to endure for eternity. The first passage tombs appeared on the Iberian peninsula and in Brittany before the construction of similar passage tombs on the island of Ireland. There are three tombs very close to the centre of Antequera, El Romeral, Menga and Viera. All three are located in a heavy industrialised area which does take away from the natural beauty. All three are really interesting places worthy of visits.
About 12kms away is the amazing El Torcal region high above Antequera. Like the Burren in Clare, this is a karst limestone landscape, with a ruggedness full of unique rock formations and natural sculptures. El Torcal, the Dolmens and Peña de los Enamorados were designated a World Heritage Site in 2016. There are two walking routes through El Torcal, the shorter takes about an hour to complete and the longer takes two hours. Delighted to catch glimpses of the Iberian Ibex grazing high up among the rocky outcrops but unfortunately too far away to photograph with my phone. We took the longer route and would loved to have stayed to also complete the shorter version but we had a lift to catch!
The Alcazaba of Antequera is a Moorish fortress that was erected over Roman ruins in the 14th century to counter the Christian advance from the north. The fortress is rectangular in shape, with two towers. Its keep is considered amongst the largest of Al-Andalus – the Muslim ruled area of the Iberian Penisula. It’s a magnificent ruined fort. The Church of Santa Maria La Mayor’s Collegiate Church alongside the Alcazaba was constructed between 1514 and 1550 and was the first Renaissance-style building to be erected in Andalucía. The town is packed full of other old churches scattered all over the old town. The narrow streets and row upon row of white houses give Antequera a really picturesque back drop that you could spend hours wandering around.
Antequera has a very relaxed atmosphere and a place you feel very welcome and safe. We were particularly taken with the sense of community as we descended, one evening, the winding streets down from the Ermita. It reminded me of photos I’ve seen of Bridewell Lane back in the 1950s – families out on the street, a young woman sowing a dress on her doorstep, elderly grandparents out chatting with neighbours and everyone looking out for each other. It felt good!
Spain is one of the best countries to cycle in – the roads are safe and there’s lots of off road tracks to take as well. We were delighted to get the opportunity to cycle a section of the Camino Mozárabe back from Cartoaojal to Antequera. A common sight I’ve seen while cycling in Spain are the local village deliveries – be they bread men, or fishmongers. A toot of the horn tells the locals to come out on to the street to buy their fresh anchovies and squid, from a little van just like this:
Peña de los Enamorados – Lovers Rock
Camino Mozárabe route
If you like an active holiday, it’s hard to beat Spain – it has the weather, the roads, the friendly people, good food and so much history. Next time we go here we will book a place in the old town to stay in as we were located a little bit too far out of town and faced a lengthy uphill walk before we started to explore each day! Here’s a You Tube video to give a real flavour of Antequera.
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