THIS IS THE SPA TOWN. BUT ITS RICHNESS LIES NOT ONLY THERE. ITS NATURAL SURROUNDINGS, ITS HISTORICAL REMAINS, ITS FIESTAS AND TRADITIONS AND ITS INTRINSIC INTERNAL PEACE MAKE CARRATRACA ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING RURAL DESTINATIONS IN THE PROVINCE OF MALAGA.

Across from the Alcaparain mountains, to the northeast of the abrupt Ronda mountains, is Carratraca. Its location, between mountains and the extensive Guadalhorce Valley, has affected its history and its lifestyle. But the main feature that has marked this town is the sulphur water spring.

According to oral tradition, very common in these surroundings, the discovery of its curative properties was made by a beggar called Juan "Camisón" (nightgown), so called because he always wore a long nightgown with which he hid and protected his ulcer-ridden body. Seemingly, this good man arrived at a property situated beside the spring to beg the charity of its inhabitants and he saw that a shepherd was pouring this water over animals that had skin ulcers. Some time later, he returned and saw that the goats had healed. That was when he decided to bathe in the waters and after several immersions, his many skin lesions disappeared.
The spa was built in the 19th century; a beautiful neo-classical building that at present is undergoing reforms.

In 1830 King Fernando VII ordered construction of a large inn next to it so that he could stay with his retinue. In 1855 the spa was enlarged, using land donated by the Count and Countess of Teba, under the condition that a private bath was to be reserved for them and for the emperor of France Napoleon III.
The fame of the spring quickly spread throughout the country and soon houses and inns sprang up, a bullring and even three casinos. One of the most notable buildings from that time is the Town Hall, popurlarly referred to as the "Casa Arabe" it is a palace of neo-mudejar style that belonged to Trinidad Grund. Such famous intellectuals as Rilke, Lord Byron, Alexandre Dumas, Guatavo Doré, Campoamor, Julio Romero de Torres or Vicente Alexandre all stayed there at one time or another.

A new village with a remote past
The origins of the town date back to the 19th century, when it seceded from Casarabonela after the signing of 1821. According to documentation that was found, there was only one house in this area, known as the Cortijo de las Aguas Hediondas (Farm of the Stinking Waters). However, the different baths found at the edge of the spring, the tombs and ceramic remains found in different areas of the village prove that it was inhabited in Roman times, although for some unknown reason it was abandoned and then mysteriously covered with thick holm oak groves. The best proof of this are the copper and silver coins found in the La Glorieta site, with the faces of Tiberius, Claudius and Caesar, as well as the necropolis of Los Maderos, close to the Las Cañas stream.
Other remains, this time prehistorical, recently appeared in a 40 metre deep chasm, among which are a Neolithic burial, a cruciform painting and ceramic with grooved decorations.
Another of the interesting places within the Carratraca town centre is its unique bullring. The design is polygonal and it is carved in the rock itself of Sierra Blanquilla. In spring, the bullring becomes a miniature Jerusalem over Easter thanks to the villagers. The passion and death of Jesus is represented there, by more than one hundred actors all of them inhabitants of the town. Carratraca is a therapeutic village. Its tranquillity and customs emanate like a spring from each of its houses, bars and plazas, exercising a curative spell over the visitor that stop there.

Basic data
Size: 21 Km²
Population: 860
Residents known as: Carratraqueños
Monuments: Town Hall, Plaza de Toros, Spa, Church of Nuestra Señora de La Salud
Geographical situation: In the Guadalteba area, at the northern limits with the Guadalhorce Valley, 65 kilometres from Malaga at 540 metres above sea level.
Tourist information: Town Hall, C/ Glorieta, 2. 29551.
Phone: 952 458 016 Fax: 952 458 276

Places to be visited
Town Hall
The Town Hall building is situated in the north-east of the town, in calle de la Glorieta, which is between the Spa and the Plaza de Toros. It is known locally as the Arab House, for its Mudejar style, although it dates from no further back than 1885, when Doña Trinidad Grund de Heredia had it built. It was originally a second home for her and her upper-class Malaga family. It has a tower integrated into the building that leads on to a garden area. The tower fell down in 1963, and the building was restored in 1991, a new tower being built and the gardens being restored. The ground floor is now devoted to exhibitions and the Town Hall has the middle floor, while the third floor is offices and store-rooms.
Plaza de Toros
The bullring is situated to the north-east of the town, on the side of the Sierra Blanquilla or Baños, the easiest access to it being by calle de la Glorieta. Before it was built in 1878, bull-fights were held in the town’s main plaza, but with the large influx of visitors to the Spa and the town itself, this was considered dangerous and a proper bullring was built. It holds 3,000 spectators, and has surprisingly effective acoustics. Many famous bullfighters have performed there, and in our own day it is the scene of minor bullfights during the August Feria. It is also used to host festival events like the "Embrujo de Luna Mora" (Bewitchment of the Moorish Moon) and the theatrical representation of the Passion of Christ during the Holy Week celebrations.

Tourist Routes
The improvement in roads in the area allows us easy access to neighbouring towns like Pizarra, from where we can continue on to Casarabonela. Another route, the Ruta de los Pantanos, takes us to Ardales and Álora, where we can see the splendour of the lakes and many monuments of great artistic and historic interest.

FIESTAS
One of the most traditional festivals in Carratraca is the Passion and Death of Christ, in which more than 100 people from the town act. It takes place in the bullring on Good Friday and Easter Saturday, at five in the afternoon. The Corpus Christi festival is also very popular, with the streets and houses of the town decorated in flowers and aromatic herbs in preparation for the procession through the town centre. A recently recuperated tradition is the Night of San Juan, at the end of June, when a huge bonfire is built. The August feria takes place around the Day of the patron saint, Nuestra Señora de la Salud, on August 15th.

GASTRONOMY
The most typical dishes in Carratraca are the soups and stews like callos (pigs’ trotters and snouts), the cabbage dishes and the delicious rabbit dishes. In summertime the people of the place like to eat something lighter like omelettes with bread crumbs and parsley, garlic and eggs, and potatoes and almond. The tarts cooked in olive oil and sponge cake are very good here too.