Alpandeire – History, Festivals and Hiking Trails

Today’s village of Alpandeire dates back to the 8th century. As a settlement, Alpandeire was one of the first fortified places built by Muslims in the Serranía de Ronda; its street layout still reflects the influence of Andalusian-Arab culture.

History

There are archaeological finds at Cerro de Castillejos in the municipality of Alpandeire. Chalcolithic dolmens were discovered in the Encinas Borrachas area. The Casa Natal de Fray Leopoldo is furnished to help visitors understand how people lived in Alpandeire during the second half of the 19th century. The house includes his room, his parents’ room, a simply furnished living room, a small chapel and a central courtyard.

Culture

The parish church of Alpandeire was built in the 18th century. The baptismal font in which Fray Leopoldo was baptised is located in the parish church, which is visited by numerous groups of pilgrims from all over Andalusia. The Baroque chapel of San Roque contains paintings from the Baroque period.

Festivals

The Fiestas de San Roque in Alpandeire include two processions through the village. The fiestas take place on the weekend closest to 16 August. The Niño del Huerto is a traditional celebration in Alpandeire held on Easter Sunday. Alpandeire celebrates the festival of the Virgen del Rosario on 7 October.

Landscape

In the Valle del Genal, extensive chestnut forests form the woodland known as the Bosque de Cobre, which surrounds Alpandeire and other white villages, among others. The Sendero de los Huertos passes through agricultural areas and traditional gardens, through landscapes rich in water and along irrigation channels. The route includes various climbs and changes in elevation and is not recommended for people with reduced mobility.

Hiking Trails

The Ruta de Fray Leopoldo passes through Jimera de Líbar, Atajate and Alpandeire. It follows the route Fray Leopoldo took from Jimera de Líbar railway station via Atajate and through the Audalázar to Alpandeire. The linear route between Atajate and Alpandeire connects the Sendero de los Huertos with the fifth stage of the Gran Senda de la Serranía de Ronda (GR 141). The route between Atajate and Alpandeire is a ten-kilometre linear hiking trail and takes approximately four and a half hours. In 2025, the Ruta de Fray Leopoldo was maintained and in use. In 2013, the section of the Ruta de Fray Leopoldo in Alpandeire was signposted with information panels and footprints embedded in the road surface, leading to Fray Leopoldo’s birthplace and the church.

Anyone wishing to stay in Alpandeire can consider booking a hotel as a possible accommodation option; the specific arrangements remain a matter of personal preferences, the available time frame and the pace of travel.

Other destinations

Other destinations: Marbella, Igualeja, Guadalmina, Gaucín, Casares, Álora, El Borge, Coín

To the higher-level travel overview: Málaga.