Among the 103 municipalities of Spain's Costa del Sol we find monumental towns and cities or old quarters where time seems to stand still in their streets, especially with the arrival of autumn, when the end of the holidays restores tranquillity to many towns.
Ronda
This is the case of Ronda, whose old quarter, declared a heritage asset, concentrates a large part of the town's monuments and stately homes.
The old quarter, reminiscent of Arab culture and with a medieval layout, spreads out to the south of the Guadalevín River, which crosses the town dividing it into two with the famous Puente Viejo bridge over the El Tajo gorge. Several beautiful churches and monuments can be found in the old quarter, such as the Espíritu Santo and Santa María la Mayor churches and the Arab baths.
Strolling around its peaceful streets, admiring the stately homes and mansions, such as the Mondragón and Marqués de Salvatierra "palaces" and the so-called Casa del Moro (House of the Moorish King), is a real treat for the eyes.
Antequera
In Antequera, the streets around the castle remind us of the Arab origin of the town. The rest is laid out in wide streets, with many corners decorated with small chapels and religious images.
Its old quarter houses many religious and civil buildings that justify its description as a monumental town.
Churches such as the Santa María La Mayor collegiate church, San Zoilo and the 16th-century San Agustín reveal Antequera's rich Renaissance past.
Outstanding among the civil buildings is the castle, in the higher part of the town, and the palaces, mainly from the 17th and 18th centuries, which show visitors the town's aristocratic past.
Frigiliana
In the region of Axarquía, the old quarter of Frigiliana, of Moorish origin (Mudejar), is one of the best preserved in the province and has been declared a Site of Historical and Artistic Interest. The whitewashed houses of the Barribarto area are a clear example of a typical Andalusian "white town".
Visitors, walking along its steep white streets, will think that time has stood still, that they have been transported back to earlier times, when there was no hurry and the atmosphere was one of peace and harmony.
Genalguacil
This small town, located in the Ronda mountain range, preserves all the charm of the mountain towns of the interior of Málaga province, and it is also surrounded by large areas of chestnut forests.
Its steep, narrow streets and its low houses, whitewashed and decorated with colourful flowers, have the added charm of being an open-air museum, as it is possible to discover one of the marvellous sculptures participating in the Genalguacil Art Encounters anywhere in the town.
