Ardales is small village of less
than 3000 people located a few kilometers past
Carratraca on the A357 road to Campillos. The ruined castle and
church perched above the village are clearly visible
from the road. Like Carratraca, the village is very
easy to reach as the main highway runs right past it
so it makes an ideal base to explore the inland areas
of Andalucia.
There is a main square with parking area
and several small shops, bars and cafes. Next the square
is an attractive walkway lined with orange trees where
children play and events can be held. On the other side
of the square is the attractive Ayuntamiento (town hall
) with a pedestrian area lined with trees and seating.
At the top of the hill is the church and above are the
ruins of the castle. A little higher up at the peak
of the village is the pretty hermitage Ermita del Calvario.
From there you have a spectacular view of the village
and you can also see the edge of the
Conde
de Guadalhorce reservoir lakes by El Chorro
The area is an ideal holiday destination for walking,
climbing, cycling and touring from late September to
June and looks particularly attractive in winter and
spring before the sun turn the countryside brown
