Almachar
Almáchar, the capital of the muscatel grape area, is situated 35 kilometers from Málaga and 20 minutes from the beach.
It derives its name from “Al Maysar,” which is Arabic for “The Meadows,” or “The Land of the Meadows.” The village used to be known as Almáchar de la Cruz because of the cross that stood on a nearby hill, and the symbol is incorporated in the town’s coat of arms. Almáchar, along with Cútar, El Borge and Moclinejo, together formed the “Four Villages” during Muslim occupation. These four towns were under the protection of Comares, and following the re-conquest in 1487, their dependence on Almáchar persisted.
The town’s natives are called Almachareños, who speak a distinctive guttural, jerky dialect—quite difficult for a foreigner to understand. The entrance to the village boasts a new fountain that surrounds an enormous bunch of silver grapes and is bordered by flowers. This is also the entrance to the car park. It’s possible on normal days to drive up the hill into the village and find a place to park before taking a stroll through the steep, winding streets. However, on special days like the first Saturday of September, el Día del Ajoblanco, it’s impossible to get anywhere near the centre of the village with a car. For this local holiday, the car park fills with coaches from all over Andalucía as people come to sample the famous cold garlic and almond soup. Día del Ajoblanco, officially designated a Festival of Tourist Interest, starts at about 12pm, and signs will point you to a number of stands handing out this delicious, free soup, complete with a bunch of grapes (a nice but important touch as the soup itself is a little sickly if you have too much).
Locals believe the myth that there is a horde of jewels and gold that was left behind in 1497 by the retreating Moors. They believe that the treasure is hidden somewhere in a cave underneath one of the fountains near the river where it is guarded by a spirit.
There are many interesting places to visit as you stroll through the narrow streets of Almáchar such as the Jardines de El Forte, the Barrio de las Cabras and the Plaza del Santo Cristo where you’ll find the Museo de la Pasa (the raisin museum, open every day from 9 am-1 pm and 6-8 pm). This museum shows the way of life over the past 500 years and demonstrates every family member’s role in the making of raisins, from the fittest hauling the grapes to the drying beds to the older women snipping the stems from the dried fruit. Every September the hills are alive with the sound of this snipping!
Villagers are friendly, helpful and love to chat and help you explore their town. They’ll point out places of interest and show you property for sale. Each person you speak with will have their own idea of the price, but remember that when they say “millions” they are talking in terms of pesetas not euros, a currency they have still not come to grips with!
