Cartama is a traditional market town of 18,000 people located around 17 kilometers north of Malaga and a popular location for both foreign residents and as a dormitory town for Malaga workers. Cartama is effectively split in two (Cartama Estacion and Cartama Pueblo) by a major road that connects Malaga to the town of Campillos though there's nine other smaller urban areas. It makes is a good central location to explore both inland and coastal Andalucia.
Cartama Pueblo is by far the more interesting of the two areas with some attractive traditional Spanish architecture, and several historical sites to see. From Cartama Pueblo you walk up to the top of the hill and enjoy panoramic views across Cartama and the Guadalhorce valley.
Cartama Estacion has built up over the years from the railway station that goes directly to Malaga. Most of the shops are also located in this part of the town and there is a very popular Sunday market that draws visitors from many surrounding villages. The area lacks the character of older part of the town though it does have an attractive river walkway.
Cartama, like many inland towns in Andalucia has seen a massive growth in the foreign population during the last five or six years who have mainly chosen to live in the outlying countryside having bought land from local smallholder's who've decided that they can gain more from construction than growing olives, lemons and almonds. 90% of smallholder's have nobody in the family to pass on the land to as the younger generation have higher expectations and chosen to move to the cities or seek other types of better payed employment.
The two nearest golf courses are Lauro Golf and Alhaurin Golf in Alhaurin el Grande.
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