A town in La Axarquía of little more than 400 inhabitants is like embarking in time travel and returning to the Eighteenth century, as its appearance has hardly changed since. Its streets, of labyrinthine layout true of an Arabic settlement, and its cobbled paving have so powerfully attracted the attention of visitors many of whom, especially artists and lovers of romanticism, have moved there residence here.
In its natural environment, washed by the streams of Macharaviaya and of Fuente Horno, there is an abundance of very steep cliffs and, in places of easier access, vine plantations, the basis of the agricultural and economic activity of the town.
The Church of San Jacinto, built in 1505, is one of its most representative monuments. One also needs to point out the card factory, which held the sales monopoly of this product in América and had an annual production of 30.000 packs, and, at two kilometres from the town centre, the house in which the poet Salvador Rueda was born.
The main festivities are celebrated in August, coinciding with the feast day of its Patron Saint, San Bernardo. At these, one can taste the typical dishes of Macharaviaya.: “los maimones”, “el gazpachuelo” and grapes in brandy, apart from game, which is very abundant in these parts.