El Saltillo de Canillas de Aceituno

Description

The El Saltillo route belongs to Canillas de Aceituno and connects with the next village, Sedella, and with the Gran Senda de Málaga. It is situated in the heart of the Natural Park of Sierras Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama. It offers views of the Axarquía, La Maroma (the highest point in Málaga) and even the sea.

Nicknamed El caminito del Rey de la Axarquía, the route runs alongside an irrigation channel and crosses the ravine of the river Almanchares, where the famous suspension bridge, one of the three largest suspension bridges in Spain, is located.

What to do in Canillas de Aceituno, Málaga

Muslim remains of the castle

C. Castillo, 23, 29716 Canillas de Aceituno, Málaga

From the viewpoint of the castle and the slope of Calzada street you can still see the remains of the defensive wall that surrounded the village and of what was once a Muslim fortress, taken and occupied by the Christians during the reconquest of 1487 and converted into a castle.

Medieval Cistern-Arabic Cistern

Scattered around the village, different constructions show the importance of the use of water in these lands. An obligatory stop is the 16th century Arab or Medieval cistern, located in Calle Huertezuelo. Other more modern ones are those of El Pilar Grande and El Chico.

Parish Church of Our Lady of the Rosary and Saint Leo the Great from the 16th century.

C. Castillo, 7, 29716 Canillas de Aceituno, Málaga

Located in the upper part of the village, its terrace overlooks a beautiful landscape. Built on the site of the old mosque in the 16th century, its style is Gothic-Mudejar. It was renovated in the 19th century.
It has a tower located in the chancel that begins in a square base and ends in an octagonal shape. Inside, there are two Baroque chapels from the 18th century, an image of the Virgen de la Cabeza, with silver attributes from the 18th and 19th centuries, an oil painting with the theme of the Pietà from the end of the 17th century, and three medium-sized sculptures: San Antón, from the 17th century; San Francisco Javier, with influences from Zayas, from the beginning of the 18th century, and a San Antonio, from the circle of Mena, from the end of the 17th century. The sacristy contains important pieces of silver.

The balcony of the Axarquia

Canillas de Aceituno, Malaga

Canillas de Aceituno, with its winding, narrow streets, reflects its Moorish origins. The village has no squares, and its streets are characterised by their arched entrances, such as those of Calle Agua and Calleja. Highlights include the Casa de los Diezmos, the Casa Esgrafiada with Moorish details, the Aljibe Árabe, the 16th century Church of Ntra. Sra. del Rosario and the remains of the castle in the square of the same name.

However, the most impressive feature is the floral decoration that adorns its streets, making flowers a key element of the local architecture. Canillas de Aceituno is part of the "Mudejar Route" and retains a unique charm with its Muslim heritage.