The best traffic-free bike rides around Valle De Abdalajís

Álora, a Spanish municipality in the province of Málaga, Andalusia, is located in the Guadalhorce valley and covers an area of 169.62 km². Its history dates back to prehistoric times in Hoyo del Conde, with influences from the Turdetani, Phoenicians, and Romans, who fortified the castle, whose foundations are of Phoenician origin. The inhabitants are known as aloreños or perotes, the latter name being attributed to the first councilman Don Pero. Álora lies between hills on the banks of the Guadalhorce River and on the railway line towards Málaga, Seville, Córdoba, and Granada. The municipality includes the El Chorro natural area with the famous Caminito del Rey and a landscape of pine forests and hills with cereal and olive plantations. The landscape is characterized by the Guadalhorce valley and the mountains of the Sistema Bético with citrus and olive cultivation.

Laura Aguirre Hilla, known in Álora as La Señorita Laura, was a defining figure in the social and religious life of the community during the 20th century. She dedicated her life to the care and education of disadvantaged children and young girls, championing education, social welfare, and Christian values. Her commitment led to the establishment of institutions that later merged to form the Providencia Parroquial Virgen de Flores. Her work extended beyond youth services to include supporting the elderly and vulnerable over the years. As a token of appreciation, a monument was erected in her honor near the Residencia Virgen de Flores. The initiative originated with the Álora City Council and was realized with the support of the Málaga District Council and the local community. The monument symbolizes her decades of selfless dedication and her lasting impact on the social fabric of the city. To this day, her legacy is cherished, among other things through church initiatives that deal with her life and work.

Great view of the reservoir

You can't get enough of it.

The large mural by artist Lalone (Eduardo Luque) attracts the attention of locals and visitors alike. Located on Avenida Peñón Gordo, it was created as part of a community street art project aimed at transforming Álora into an open-air museum. The artwork presents a vibrant and detailed depiction of Álora's identity, focusing on the striking Arab castle, the spectacular Caminito del Rey, and the rocky landscape of the Desfiladero de los Gaitanes. In his signature style, Lalone combines realistic elements with a surreal compositional approach, seamlessly blending landscape, architecture, and human figures. The mural has been featured in numerous regional media outlets and was selected by the Street Art Cities platform as one of the best murals in the world. It symbolizes not only artistic quality but also the community's pride in its history and natural environment.

Arabian Stairs: The name is misleading. The stairs are not historical, but probably no more than 100 years old, and serve to avoid a massive detour over the later saddle. They were presumably built to facilitate other projects in the region behind the mountain. A local guide reported that the pine forests at the beginning of the tour used to be villages. You can see ruins and threshing floors. During the Franco dictatorship, the villages were destroyed, the inhabitants relocated, and the pines were planted to prevent their return (formerly grain fields): subsistence farmers were difficult to control, and workers were needed for industry.

It's amazing what has been created here

Construction site again