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The
municipality of Guaro, between Coín and Tolox
and adjoining the River Grande, one of the tributaries of the Guadalhorce,
is one of the ports of entry to the Sierra de las Nieves Nature Park, which
has been designated by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve. This advantageous location
will give some idea of the beauty of the setting. It is just a short distance
from the Costa del Sol but at the same time is insulated from the hustle and
bustle of the coast, all the more so by the fact that traffic is restricted
in many of the village streets. A state of balance has thus been reached between
the needs of contemporary life and the traditions of an eminently agricultural
and therefore slow-paced village. For more information about property
for sale in Spain in or near Guaro please contact us.
This territory sprawls out gently among hills whose altitude varies between 200 and 500 metres and that are covered mainly by olive and almond trees and low brush, with groves of cork oaks here and there where the terrain is not suitable for crops. The landscape has an unmistakably agricultural flavour but is nevertheless compatible with the installation of new cultural and leisure facilities.
Remains discovered in the area of Ardite show that the first settlements in these lands occurred in prehistoric times, and there is also evidence of the Roman imprint at Cerro del Polvillar. The village was founded by the Arabs, however, at a date that has not been determined with certainty.
The Muslims first settled at Guaro Viejo (Old Guaro) and shortly afterward at present-day Guaro. It received the designation of “villa” (royal burgh) by decree of Felipe IV in 1614. Some years later, in 1648, this king wished to pay for certain services performed for the crown by Juan Chumacero Sotomayor Carrillo de la Vega, so the villa of Guaro was converted to a county and that person became its first Count. Coin was taken by Christian troops in 1485 and Guaro surrendered immediately afterward. There is every indication that relations between Mudéjars and Christians were peaceful for a long period, and it is even recorded that in matters of justice the counsel of a distinguished Mudéjar personage was sought for the purpose of reaching a verdict.
Fiestas
On 15 May Guaro celebrates a popular pilgrimage in honour of San Isidro (Saint
Isidore the Farmer) and in memory of his remarkable agricultural activity.
The celebration begins with the bearing of the saint in a procession from
the church to the main plaza of the village, where the image is placed in
an ox-drawn cart that starts on the road to the hermitage at Río Grande.
The local Fiestas Mayores (Main Fiestas) take place in late August and, like
the San Isidro pilgrimage, they are closely associated with this area’s
agricultural tradition. The last days of August used to be the time for harvesting
grain and almonds.
The Festival de la Luna Mora (Moorish Moon
Festival) during September certainly has a shorter history but it has broad
public appeal. It is a sort of homage to the three cultures that have left
their stamp on the municipality. For two weekends (the second and third in
September), the village completely changes its appearance and turns into a
medieval Arabic bazaar bustling with the extremely large crowds that come,
among other reasons, to see the more than 20,000 candles that at night light
up the whole village. Objects of all kinds, diversified cuisine and music,
especially Andalusian, enliven these days that in the space of just a few
years have assumed an enormous role in the province. The Las Mayordomas (Female
Stewards) celebrations in honour of the Inmaculada Concepción (Immaculate
Conception, patron saint of Guaro) are held on 6 and 7 December. This fiesta
dates back to the nineteenth century and consists of selecting between two
and six girls who will be responsible for caring for and decorating the image
that is venerated in the San Miguel parish church.
The big day of Guaro’s Semana Santa (Holy Week) is Good Friday, with
the processions of Jesús Nazareno (Jesus of Nazareth), the Crucifixion
and the Virgen de los Dolores (Virgin of Sorrows), which perform an encounter
in the village square. In the afternoon are the processions of the Santo Entierro
(Holy Burial) and the Virgen de los Dolores, with the latter again being borne
in the Soledad (Solitude) procession that night, accompanied by women dressed
in black. On the morning of Easter Sunday the images of the Corazón
de Jesús (Heart of Jesus) and the Virgen Blanca (White Virgin) are
carried in a procession.
Food
This municipality’s principal crop is almonds. Therefore, they
form the base of the area’s most traditional dishes. This is especially
true in the case of confectionery, with their use in the preparation of the
popular tortas de almendra (almond cakes), bocaditos (muffins), and roscos
de Navidad or roscos de miel (types of spiral pastries), in which the local
olive oil is indispensable. As for first courses, the most frequently encountered
are sopa poncima or cazuela de pan (a soup made with bread) and “sopa
hervía” (a soup of bread and vegetables), all made with vegetables
gathered in the family garden. The most popular foods among village families
are gazpachuelo and galipuche, soups that are prepared when their most distinctive
ingredient, wild asparagus, appears in the fields surrounding the village.
How to get there:
Although there is more than one route to this village it is best
to leave the city of Malaga by the A-357 in the
direction of Campillos. After passing Cartama
take the A-355 to Coin and there take the A-366. Three
and a half kilometres past Coin turn onto the A-6207,
which leads straight to Guaro.
Tourist information:
Town Hall, Plaza de la Constitución, 5 (29108). Telephone:
952 457 573; Fax: 952 457 660.
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