Archez Malaga Spain

The small whitewashed village of Archez sits in a pretty valley below the village of Canillas de Albeida. Archez is one of several Pueblos Blancos that can be found within a short distance of each other in this part of The Axarquia, surrounding the town of Competa.

It is located some 40 minutes inland from the coastal towns of Algarobbo or Velez Malaga depending which way you want to wind up the mountains. Both routes provide some dramatic scenery passing through various villages until you reach Archez at a height of 435m above sea level. Although it is this high up, Archez sits in a valley surrounded by the mountains of the Tejeda and Almijara ranges.

The mountains provide an abundance of water, which runs through the town and under the bridge at the Village playground. It later forms the River Algarobbo and this water is the main reason for Archez’s being. It is thought to have started as a Moorish farming community in the 13th Century although historic records are a tad chequered. There is much evidence of a Moorish Origin including a perfectly preserved Minaret or Tower, that later had a belfry added after the “Reconquest” by the Christians.

Still very much a traditional Spanish village, it has a small population of 500 but the village and surrounding countryside are home to a growing number of extraneros who rub along well with the locals. It has pretty much everything you need in terms of supermarkets, a small town hall, several bars and restaurants, including an excellent Thai eatery. The valley sides surrounding the village are heavily planted with groves of almonds, olives, oranges and avocados, and the mountains above allow for some excellent walking as well as providing a dramatic backdrop.

Archez Malaga Spain

Archez, Malaga Towns