Alozaina area guide: classic whitewashed village
History is everywhere in Alozaina. From the recent – in 1976 Alozaina was voted Spain's 'prettiest village'… to the ancient – the Phoenicians traded heavily, in and near to the village, centuries before Julius Caesar was but a twinkle in his father's eye… everywhere you tread you are reminded of the past, with only your breath, your being and your iPhone a reminder of the present.
In fact, take yourself out of the picture and you've got yourself a village where time has not only stood still, but got bored and left, leaving behind an achingly pretty hilltop village with mountains and empty horizons for its neighbours.
But come on now, this is Southern Spain, and Alozaina is perched high and relatively far in the Guadalhorce Valley, some 60 kilometres from Málaga and 41 kilometres from Ronda. Not vast distances, granted, especially since the roads are good.
An undeniably good-looking, classic Andalusian whitewashed pueblo, with only its history steeper than the hillsides that surround it. Alozaina came to prominence in the 14th century, from where much of the village's main monuments and buildings date, including the castle and the haunting Church of Santa Ana, which used to be a mosque. There are Moorish ruins dotted throughout the centre of the village, as well as plenty of more traditional Andalusian attractions, including bodegas, tapas bars and pretty squares.
Well this is easy – explore. There's a maze of tight, steep and winding streets to amble along, and even if you move here it feels like you never get to know every nook and cranny of Alozaina, despite the village having a population of just 2,200. Beyond the village's confines is some of Southern Spain's most dramatic, and classic scenery, which takes in the Río Grande valley to the south and the beginning of the extremely rural Sierra Prieta to the north. This landscape is characterised by verdant forests and rocky outcrops, with the prehistoric Tajo de Jorox caves a short drive away – visit if you fancy seeing signs of Neolithic settlements and Roman ruins.
Back in the village, the sedate pace of life is strangely compelling, and a weekend spent here is sure to reduce even the highest blood pressure rating to that of a resting mouse. There are local lace shops, greengrocers, a bakery, some bodegas and some nice restaurants, plus plenty of affordable property, so if this is the life for you, Alozaina could soon become home.
With history, religion and ruins playing such a big part in the village's existence, Alozaina is both classic and conservative, holding on to its beauty through careful gentrification and an aversion to change, so for a night out here get ready for chats over a barrel of sherry, a couple of small beers, plentiful tapas and the family as focus.
To some, that sounds wonderful, while for others it may prove a nice distraction. So bear this in mind – Alozaina is pretty, traditional, peaceful and, yes, a bit isolated. It's not a place to dip into here and there, it's a place to live in. So if you're ready for this, there are few better tasters of true Spanish life, but be warned – the pace of life is much, much slower than you could ever have imagined.