The municipal region of Colmenar is a frontier between, on the one side the natural regions of the Axarquía and the Montes de Málaga, and on the other the Antequera mountain range. It has limestone areas similar to those of the Cordillera Antequerana in which there is more rock than vegetation, and other less steep areas as the slaty landscape of the Montes de Málaga becomes evident, allowing the growth of olive trees, cereal grains and low brush. The former cover the extreme north of the municipality marked by the escarpment of the rocky places which predominate over the vegetation, while the latter have alternating areas of olives with the scrubland and some very isolated circles of forest type trees.

Archaeological sites that have been discovered in some parts of the municipality show beyond a doubt that there were already human settlements in this area in prehistoric times, which is only to be expected given the location of Colmenar, which must have been one of the routes that linked La Axarquía and the Málaga mountains with the Guadalhorce valley. This can be inferred from the remains found in the Cueva de las Pulseras (Las Pulseras Cave, from the Neolithic period) and at El Cortijo de Gonzalo along the Las Zorreras stream, which are from the Metals Age.

Except for a few coins and ceramics from the Roman era, however, there are no remains showing the existence of a city or fortress from that age. It would not be strange, however, if sooner or later some such traces-a villa, at least-did show up, since they have been found in places not very distant from Colmenar. There is also no remaining construction of any kind from the Arabic domination, but there is a very interesting relic: a slate mold for casting coins that was found at the Las Guájaras farmstead.

One really cannot properly speak of the history of Colmenar before the taking of Vélez Málaga by the Christian troops in 1487. It is the opinion of the historian Vázquez de Otero that, “when the Catholic Monarchs took over Málaga and its territory, Colmenar did not exist as a village, but rather as an estate like so many others…”

We do know that in 1488 the castle commandant of Comares acquired the farmstead of Colmenar, and that in the mid-sixteenth century (1558) it is already being referred to in documents as the Señorío de Colmenar (feudal holdings of Colmenar), whose ownership would be grounds for lawsuits for many years until the royal burgh managed to achieve its independence in 1777. It would later be the judicial district seat for several neighbouring villages.

The handicrafts are based on saddlery, an inheritance from its geographical situation as an obligatory pass way from the interior of the coast. There are also other handicrafts such as esparto grass weaving for making rugs, matting and baskets.

How to Get There

Unless you happen to be in the northern part of the province the best, or at least the prettiest, route is to leave the city of Málaga by the A-6103, popularly known as the Carretera de Colmenar (Colmenar Road). This is the old and formerly the only way to get to the interior of Andalusia (Seville, Córdoba, Granada) and the rest of Spain. The road is an unbroken succession of curves but it is worth it for the view it provides of the bay and mountains of Málaga. For speed and convenience, however, take the expressway towards Antequera (N-331) and once you have passed Casabermeja turn onto the A-356. The scenery is very beautiful here also, with stunning mountain views, but it is another type of landscape.