Although belonging to La Axarquía (not for nothing, known as “La Puerta de la Ruta de la Pasa”, (The Doorway to the Route of the Raisin), Moclinejo is nearer Málaga than Vélez. Its town centre is made up of low- lying houses and a street distribution which maintains the winding and anarchic original layout. The heart of this town of 1.100 inhabitants is found in the main square, open space in which the towns main built- dings are situated. According to some historians, its name is derived from the Arabic term moclin, which means “place of district”.
Due to the exploitation of its vineyards, Moclinejo experiences a certain amount of growth up until the destruction of the plantations by the phylloxera plague in 1878. The Parish Church of Ntra. Sra. De Gracia, built during the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries, stands out within the town centre.
Its gastronomy is typical of the administrative district of La Axarquía and its most noteworthy products are the wines and spirits extracted from the vine crops, presently recovered, and its oil of near artesan production.