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Some travelers visit Archidona for its landscapes, others for its religious life or its historical heritage. Whatever the gateway, the experience in this town in the northeastern region of Malaga, Nororma, will be unforgettable. Enjoying a mollete with olive oil, attending the Dog Fair or knowing the oldest Easter Week in the province are just some of the proposals to discover it.

Declared a Historic-Artistic Site, the city is steeped in history in each of its buildings, squares and streets. Archidona has prehistoric remains and has been populated by Phoenicians, Romans and Arabs, and even became the capital of the province during the VIII-XIX centuries.

We suggest starting the visit at the Plaza Ochavada. This square is one of the most emblematic enclaves of Archidona and an essential reference of its social and cultural life. It was built in 1786 and is one of the most outstanding squares of the Andalusian Baroque. The splendor of the Andalusian era is demonstrated in its castle and walls. This fortification that runs along the slope of the mountain dates from the ninth century, but was rebuilt four centuries later by King Alhamar. Do not miss the Puerta del Sol.

Ascending the mountain you will find the hermitage of the Virgen de Gracia, an example of how different cultures overlapped in Archidona. This church stands on top of the old mosque. And both monuments are visible today on a tour of the temple.

Archidona also stands out for its conventual and religious architecture: In the convent of Las Mínimas you can see a beautiful baroque façade and a red brick tower with a polychrome ceramic spire. The convent was built in 1551, and its church in the 18th century. On the other hand, the convent of Santo Domingo has an emblematic founder, the Count of Ureña. Founded in 1531, it is currently the headquarters of the Hotel Escuela Convento de Santo Domingo.

The church of La Victoria (16th century) stands out thanks to its Mannerist façade and the beautiful image of the Dulce Nombre (Sweet Name) attributed to the famous sculptor Pedro de Mena. Next to the Escuelas Pías we will find the church of Jesús Nazareno, and we will continue with the hermitage of San Antonio, from the XVIII century.

Escuelas Pías and former Colegio de Padres Escolapios, nowadays Instituto de Educación Secundaria “Luis Barahona de Soto”, was established in the middle of the XVIII century, in this place, one of the first centers of this Order in Spain and one of the main educational referents of Andalusia. Next to the Escuelas Pías we will find the church of Jesús Nazareno, and we will continue with the hermitage of San Antonio, from the XVIII century.

To finish the tour, we recommend a visit to the Town Hall and Municipal Museum. The Museum is also known as the building of the Cilla or Casa del Pósito, because it was built by the Duke of Osuna to store grain. It is a sixteenth century building converted into a museum in 2004, and is distributed in three rooms.