Malaga Mountains

Located north of Malaga, just five km. from the city centre, Malaga mountains are the lungs for the city, it is a natural place which worth visiting.

There are more than ten Malaga Mountains trekking routes where we can observe both the flora and fauna of the park and as well the imprint which recent history has left in the numerous estates and farmhouses.

Typical Malaga gastronomy

The good foodstuff and beverages from the Malaga Mountains are still present in the numerous inns bordering the park. In Malaga you can taste dishes such as:

• Gazpacho: Tomato, pepper, onion, garlic, bread, water, vinegar, oil and salt, all well mixed in a blender.
• Porra: Similar to gazpacho, but without water and accompanied by boiled eggs and chopped ham.
• Ajo Blanco: Bread, garlic, vinegar, oil, all ingredients well powdered; afterwards grapes are added.
• Migas: Bread crumbs, moistened with water, garlic and oil, all fried in a pan, we add eggs, sausage and fried peppers, etc.
• Gazpachuelo: Mayonnaise soup with boiled potatoes, you may also use rice, bread or fish.
• Asparagus: scrambled, prepared in soup or tortilla.
• Lomo in butter: Delicious and typical dish in Malaga.

Malaga wine and vines

In the area of Montes de Malaga are existing up to 34 varieties of vines, which were used both for different types of wine and raisins, and also for food. But this diversity was reduced to three varieties: the "Pedro Ximenez" used for dry and sweet wine, the "Moscatel" for the wine of the same name, and "Rome", also used for wine.

Malaga mountains Natural Park fauna

The Montes de Malaga Natural Park has a typical Mediterranean fauna where live the most common species from Europe live. Its proximity to Gibraltar, makes the province of Malaga an important point in the route of bird migration, enriching its fauna with African species.

The wealth of the fauna, although not quantitative, is important qualitatively, especially if one considers the short period of settlement of this repopulation (which has transformed from being a predominantly agricultural to a forest area due to major reforestation in hardly 50 years). The main problem is water scarcity (especially in the months of drought) and the increasing human presence.

Although it has not been possible to establish a complex animal community, or at least not with all the complexity that the area can support (there is a notorious lack of large herbivores), the regeneration of a Mediterranean-type animal community is now quite satisfactory; this constitutes an event of great scientific importance, regarding the information that is available for regeneration and protection of the rich fauna of Andalusia.

Among the most characteristic species we can find in wild boar populations, in many cases mountain pigs, polecats, foxes, badgers, martens, weasels, rabbits and a diverse population of reptiles. There are also large populations of birds of prey, both diurnal and nocturnal, stable and migratory, pigeons and a wide variety of birds and there is also a squirrel population.

Outstanding is the presence of the chameleon, a very rare species which has in this Natural park one of the few enclaves of Europe where it lives.

As for the fish fauna, it has almost completely disappeared in the area of the Natural Park due to the scarcity of water resources (except the portion of Guadalmedina that crosses the area of “El Frances”).

There are areas bounded mainly for hunting wild boar, rabbit, partridge, turtledove, the thrush and the wood pigeon.

Don't forget to share!