You may have the sensation of having made a wrong turn when you leave the main road (A-369) and take the MA-535 towards Benalauría.

There is nothing to indicate you are approaching a village but it suddenly appears, with no outlying houses to announce that a population centre is near. This is the first but by no means the only surprise in store for you on your visit to this locality, which has been almost arbitrarily set down in a beautiful site between the Genal and Guadiaro river valleys.
One’s first impression of this village is of the instinctive equilibrium of cubic volumes between its white houses that climb the mountain slope and the rocky and likewise whitish background of the peaks of the nearby Loma de la Sierra and Peñón de Benadalid ranges, which rise to more than 1,100 metres. Closer at hand, near the village, stretches a multi-hued forest mass of chestnut, pine and walnut trees that share space with olive groves. The River Genal augments the beauty of the riverside landscape with its capricious bends and turns, while the Guadiaro provides gentle terrain for grain cultivation.

There is nothing in the village or its environs to indicate prehistoric human settlement, and not even the Roman presence left any mark here. The history of Benalauría begins under Muslim rule; the year 715 is thought to be when the locality was founded by the Arabs, to be precise the Berber tribe of Ben Al Auría (son or sons of Auría), the name that was given to the village in that precise form. The first cultivated crops were raised in that era, taking advantage of the abundant springs.
These lands were conquered by the Christian troops in about 1485 and granted by the Catholic Monarchs to the Count of Feria, who in turn sold them to the Duke of Alcalá. After the expulsion of the Moors in 1570 the Duke brought people from his other feudal holdings-from Coronil, it appears-to repopulate these properties. Later the lands would pass into the hands of the House of Medinaceli, which, bit by bit, sold them to local residents. In the late nineteenth century the municipality achieved official status with the establishment of a representative local government composed of the citizens.

Throughout the eighteenth century this region experienced remarkable economic growth based on vineyards, grain and olives, and nearly tripled its population. These economic good times can be seen today in the construction that was carried out, such as the “Pósito de labradores” (farm labourers’ granary), the parish church, the Town Hall and a number of secular buildings.

Outstandings Visits:
The Ayuntamiento (Town Hall) was built in the eighteenth century and is the most interesting building in Benalauría. Its façade, with porch, is notable for its rustic brick and Ronda-style grillwork. In front of the Ayuntamiento is, not only a vantage point commanding a fine view of the Genal valley, but also El Lagar, an ancient building that was used in times past for trampling grapes and today is the site of handicraft groups. The Santo Domingo de Guzmán parish church is also worth a visit. It is a nineteenth century work built over an earlier sixteenth century church.
Up Calle Alta, which ascends a decidedly steep slope, is the Museo Etnográfico (Ethnographic Museum, Telephone: 952 152 548), housed in an ancient oil mill from 1750. In it are displayed all the tools relating to olive oil mills, farm work implements and other traditional articles no longer in use. Except for Saturdays, Sundays and holidays it is necessary to make arrangements for visits.

How to Get There:
The route to Benalauría starts from the A-7 expressway or the old N-340 in the western part of the Costa del Sol. At San Pedro de Alcántara take the A-376 to Ronda, and in that town take the A-369 to past Benadalid and then turn onto the MA-535, which leads to Benalauría. If you start from Manilva take the A-377, and after going through Algatocín turn onto the MA-535, which goes to Benalauría.

Interesting Facts:
Surface Area: 20.6 square kilometres
Population: about 500
What the natives are called: Jabatos
Monuments: the Casa Consistorial (Town Hall), El Lagar (former winery), Santo Domingo church, and the Museo Etnográfico (Ethnographic Museum)
Geographical Location: in the Genal valley (a region of the Ronda highlands), 30 kilometres from that city and 143 from the city of Málaga. The village centre is about 670 metres above sea level. The average rainfall is 1,170 litres per square metre and the average temperature is about 15º C.
Tourist Information: Town Hall, Plaza Teniente Viñas, 1 (29491). Telephone 952 152 502; Fax: 952 152 538.