Benarraba

At a distance of 35 kilometres from Ronda and within "El Valle de Genal", Benarrabá is a small town with a population of some 700 inhabitants whose urban centre is situated by the mountainside, creating twisting, steep and angular streetlets which maintain a strong Muslim impression, only betrayed by the dome of glazed tiles of the tower of its parish church.
In other times, Benarrabá was a very famous castle due to its strategic positioning and considered the watchtower of the valley; it overlooked the towns of Gaucín, Jubrique, Genalguacil and Algatocín. In etymological terms, its origin is derived from the term Banu Rabbah, name of the Berber tribe which built the town on the side of "El Monte Porón".
With the castle no longer standing, its most important monuments are the Parish Church of the Eighteenth century and the Shrine of the Seventeenth Century.
The most interesting festivities are those which dramatise some scenes of "El Auto Sacramental de los Reyes Magos" (Inacting of the Three Kings at the Epiphany) on the 5th of January, apart from the town´s holidays and feasts on the 20th of January and the 24th of June in honour of San Juan.
In winter, there is nothing better than to sample a good tripe stew. In summer, the cold vegetable soup is common and, for the whole year, the products derived from the Iberian pig.

Ronda Villages