Alhaurín De La Torre

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Why should I move to Alhaurín de la Torre?

Alhaurín de la Torre has a beautiful, central location. Being such a large town so close to Málaga it has a little bit of a cosmopolitan vibe but has managed to retain the feel of a typical white washed Spanish town.

Alhaurín de la Torre borders Cártama to the north, Málaga to the east, Torremolinos to the southeast, Benalmádena to the south, Mijas to the southwest and Alhaurín el Grande to the west. It boasts wonderful views of the Sierra de Mijas, covered in pine and oak trees, including the highest peak of Mount Jabalcuza and Jarapalo, making it a haven for hikers, being part of the Penibética Mountain Range.

There are numerous crops and orchards, mostly olives, citrus trees, avocado, beetroot, cereals, vines, vegetables and tropical plants, all irrigated by the Guadalhorce river.

Our team at Mediterranean Homes are leading Spanish inland property specialists, if you need an estate agent in Alhaurín de la Torre, look no further, checkout our properties for sale in Alhaurín de la Torre.

Alhaurín de la Torre is in a wonderful location if you work in Málaga or just love being close to the cosmopolitan hustle and bustle the big city provides but prefer a slightly more tranquil place to live. Despite being only 17km from Malaga, your money also goes a lot further than in the City!

From central Alhaurín de la Torre;
Málaga is 17km away which should take under 30 minutes to drive.
Cártama is 13km away, roughly a 17-minute drive.
Torremolinos is only 12kms away, an 18-minute drive.
Mijas is 28kms away, you have to drive around the mountain so it takes about 25 minutes.
Benalmádena is only 13 km away, a 23-minute drive.
Alhaurín el Grande is also 13 km away, and a 20-minute drive.
Coín is 21km away, a 30-minute drive.
El Chorro/Caminito Del Ray is roughly 50km away and will take about an hour to drive there.

Alhaurín de la Torre covers an area of 82km squared, it is elevated 427m above sea level and has a population of just under 40,000 residents. (Which is nearly double that of Alhaurín el Grande)

Schools in Alhaurín de la Torre

School is compulsory in Spain from 6 to 16 years old. There are a lot of state-run schools in Alhaurín de la Torre, from pre-schools (Infantil and guarderia, under 6 years), primary and junior schools (Primaria 6-12 years), secondary schools (Educación Secundaria Obligatoria 12-16 years old) and upper secondary - A-level equivalent (Bachillerato 16-18 years).

Many of these schools offer lunch (comedor), morning classroom (Aula matinal), school transportation and extracurricular activities.

There are also quite a few English-Spanish bilingual schools.

Escuela Infantil (Nursery) Schools in Alhaurín de la Torre

• Centro de Educación Infantil Buddies
• Centro de Educación Infantil Carol
• Centro de Educación Infantil EL Columpio de Crespi
• Centro de Educación Infantil El Pupitre
• Centro de Educación Infantil El Rinconcito de Ana
• Centro de Educación Infantil El Salón de los Peques
• Centro de Educación Infantil Novainfancia
• Centro de Educación Infantil Petete
• Centro de Educación Infantil Retamar
• Escuela Infantil Ángel de la Guarda
• Escuela Infantil San Sebastián
• Escuela Infantil Virgen del Rosario
• Zapata Nursery School

Escuela Infantil y Primaria (Nursery and primary School)

• Colegio de Educación Infantil y Primaria Santa Ana
  

Escuela Infantil, Primaria y Educación especial (Nursery, primary School and special education)

• Centro Docente Privado El Peñón
• Colegio de Educación Infantil y Primaria Algazara
• Colegio de Educación Infantil y Primaria Clara Campoamor
• Colegio de Educación Infantil y Primaria Isaac Peral
• Colegio de Educación Infantil y Primaria Los Manantiales
• Colegio de Educación Infantil y Primaria Maruja Mallo
• Colegio de Educación Infantil y Primaria San Juan
• Colegio de Educación Infantil y Primaria San Sebastián
• Colegio de Educación Infantil y Primaria Zambrana
• Colegio de Educación Infantil y Primaria Torrijos
• Centro Docente Privado Juan Pablo II

Infantil, Educación Primaria, Educación Secundaria Obligatoria, Bachillerato, C.F.G.M y C.F.G.S

(Nursery, Primary, Secondary School, Upper Secondary, Professional Training and Specific vocational training)

• Centro Docente Privado El Pinar
• C.F.G.S (Specific vocational training)
• Centro Docente Privado Feda Málaga Formación Profesional
• Educación Secundaria Obligatoria, Bachillerato y Educación especial
• Instituto de Educación Secundaria Capellanía
• Instituto de Educación Secundaria Galileo
• Instituto de Educación Secundaria Gerald Brenan
• Instituto de Educación Secundaria Huerta Alta

Educación Permanente de aldultos (Adult education)

• Sección de Educación Permanente Alhaurín de la Torre
• Escuela de Música y Danza (Music and Dance schools)
• Escuela Municipal de Música y Danza Miguel Ángel Huesca Mariscal
• Conservatorio Profesional de Música Miguel Angel Huesca Mariscal
• Escuela autorizada de Danza Noelia González
  

For more information you can visit the ministry of education's website.

If you feel like you would prefer your child or children to go to a private or international school there are some popular ones nearby, for example Sunland International School, St Anthony’s College, El Pinar and MIT Malaga. Most offer a transport service if you are interested.

The school your child goes to will heavily impact your everyday life, we all want our children to be happy and good schooling is fundamental for our children’s well-being. You will have to take this into consideration when looking for properties for sale as you will need to be within your chosen schools catchment area.

You will need to think about if you want to live within walking distance of the school, to avoid the school-run traffic, or be on the outskirts of town which will involve driving to and from school every day but may mean you enjoy a bigger garden or plot of land. Here at Mediterranean Homes, we can help you make the right choice for you and your family, as expert inland estate agents who are very familiar with Alhaurín de la Torre, we will help you find your dream home in the right catchment area.

History of Alhaurín de la Torre

Alhaurín de la Torre’s history goes back to 1000-700 B.C. when the Phoenicians, from Libya, became the first Iberian settlers.
There are a few theories as to how the town’s name evolved, one of the most popular is that it came from the name of the Berber tribe that lived there after the Romans, the Hawwara, the village grew into a large collection of farmhouses and was called al-hawarin, which when Castilianized is Alhaurín.

In 1485, the reconquest by the Christians started the origins of the town we know today, the Catholic Monarchs set up a new system for land ownership which has remained to the present day. The population has steadily increased from the influx of Christian settlers after the 1570s.

In the 18th Century the town was referred to as Alhaurínejo, which means little Alhaurín, differentiating it from Alhaurín el Grande.

At the end of the 19th century, most of the village's vines were destroyed by a phylloxera epidemic. The bug was introduced to Europe when enthusiastic botanists from Victorian England brought back specimens from American vines in the 1850s.

Alhaurín de la Torre remained a small town, growing slowly until the 20th century. Since then it has grown quickly, mainly due to being a dormitory town for Málaga, Cártama and Torremolinos where most people work.

Sightseeing in Alhaurín de la Torre

Church of San Sebastián

Located in the Plaza de la Concepción, it was built over a mosque, it is first historically referenced as a church in 1562. Its structure was affected by the 1680 earthquake. In the 19th century, the expansion of the church began, with a blend of Neoclassical and Andalusian styles, it was inaugurated in 1886. In 1931 is was looted and lost a lot of its heritage. After the Spanish Civil War, it was decorated with works from several recognised artists.

Casa del Conde

The Count's house is a large mansion that was built in the 16th century, located close to the Parish Church of San Sebastián in the centre of town. It has its own orchard, tower and mill. The miller Diego Ortega was the original owner, then Juan Contador the Regidor of Málaga who then sold it to the Laso de la Vega, Counts of Puertollano. They didn’t live there, they only visited occasionally, it was mainly used as an office, warehouse and a place of residence for the administrators. In the 18th century it was renovated due to deterioration and the town hall remodelled the plaza (square) next to the house, adding fountains and benches.

Its uses have varied over the years. Up until the 20th century, it was a grain warehouse and home to the noble administrator. It was used as a prison during the Civil War. In 1938 a private individual bought the house. It was then used as the local headquarters for a political party before being used as a school, court and workshop for textiles. It was briefly used as a home for local teachers. It has even been used as a TV studio to broadcast the live feed for Holy week during the 2000s. The City Council opened the Andalusian Museum of Education in 2019, giving it socio-cultural uses.

Hermitage of Santo Cristo del Cardón

Tales have been told of a miracle that happened in 1484 when a Christian soldier's life was saved by a wooden cross with Christ painted on it, during the Reconquest. At the end of the 18th Century, a shrine was built for protection on Callejones, and there is a procession to view it on Holy Wednesday. The cross is believed to be the oldest preserved historical religious piece, thanks to some residents of the town that hid it during the burning of 1931.

Zapata Aqueduct

The aqueduct and pipeline was built in the 18th century, designed to carry water between Málaga and Alhaurín de la Torre, it is also called the Feunte del Rey aqueduct. It was originally 5,500 meters long, now 3,500 meters remain. The structure was built with masonry and bonded with lime mortar, making it very strong. The project was never completed. Works started in 1727 and progressed efficiently over the following six years, unfortunately in 1733 the main local promoter of the project, the governor of Málaga and the architect (Martínez de la Vega) died. The local government of Malaga and the Council State couldn’t agree on who would take over the project. In 1781 the San Telmo Aqueduct was constructed which made finishing the Zapata Aqueduct unnecessary.

The bridge section of the Zapata Aqueduct over the Guadalhorce river was started by Martínez who built three of the arches, the rest was completed privately. Three more arches were built between 1792 and 1799 and the last three were completed in 1820. All works were officially abandoned in 1930. There are also a series of houses that have been built under the arches, such fascinating architecture, they have become known as ‘Arcos de Zapata’.

Hermitage of San Francisco de Paula ‘El Alamillo’

The small chapel belongs to the Félix Saenz family and can be found on the Alamillo estate. It is a chapel dedicated to San Francisco de Paula, a very popular saint and founder of the Friars Mínimos, during times of drought processions are held praying to him for rain. The chapel was damaged during the troubles of 1936 but has been lovingly restored and maintained by its owners. During Holy Week, on Wednesday, the Via Crucis procession ends here.

Fuensanta Convent

In 1604 – 1835 the monks of the Minimum Order ran the monastery of Nuestra Señora de la Fuensanta del Valle. It was a notable religious landmark as at the time there were many Moorish inhabitants. The convent had a fountain which was said to have beneficial properties for people’s health and so the convent used to be called Fuente Sancta. People would travel to drink or bathe in the waters, especially the sick. People believed that the water was blessed with healing properties because inside the chapel, where the water came from, was carved like an oven out of stone and brick, there was an image of Our Lady hidden inside the top. The fountain acquired such great devotion that those who made the pilgrimage to the Holy Fountain were given a papal bull of indulgences by Pope Leo X. Today the image is kept safe in Puerto Real, in Cádiz, it was relocated when a local saved the carving from being looted in 1936. In 1836 the convent and land were divided up and passed to private owners, and some ruins remain.

Interesting Sights

There are many monuments, sculptures and interesting things to see around Alhaurín de la Torre. Escalera de color. From Calle Salvador Rueda there are rainbow-coloured stairs, not only does it look pretty but it symbolises that Alhaurín de la Torre is a supportive and strong community, especially with the LGBTQ+ community.

Monument to Manzanita

José Manuel Ortega Heredia, known as Manzanita, (Madrid 1956 - 2004 Alhaurín de la Torre) was a Spanish singer and guitarist. A bronze statue to honour the singer can be found in the central gardens, close to the street where he lived. The artist José María Olid made the bronze sculpture of Manzanita playing the guitar with hands coming up from the ground applauding.

Peña Flamenca

A monument to symbolise the unity between the municipality and flamenco art was created to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Torre del Cante festival. It is located on the corner of anvenida Isaac Peral and anvenida de la Vega. The sculpture was made by artist Sandra Martínez Céspedes, a wonderful piece of art showing an upright guitar morphing into a tower with the words ‘Alhaurin de la Torre’ in metal along the side of the tower, ‘Peña Flamenca’ in metal along the front and ‘Torre del Cante’ along the side of the guitar.

Fosforito Monument

Dedicated to Cante Hondo. A sculpture in honour of flamenco singer Antonio Fernández Díaz who was known as ‘Fosforito’. He won the fifth golden key of flamenco singing, an award so prestigious that only five have been awarded since its inception in 1862. ‘Cante Hondo’ directly translates as ‘deep singing’ it is a vocal style of singing performed in flamenco, the original Andalusian folk music. The sculpture can be found at the top of Alhurín Gardens on Avenida del Mediterráneo facing Calle la Torre. It consists of the outline of the upper body of a guitar with the strings ending just above the body, in the middle there is a circle with a bust of Fosforito showing his head, shoulders and arms.

Tower of Alhaurin de la Torre

The flagship Tower of Alhaurín de a Torre is located on the corner of Calle Álamos and Avenida Reyes Católicos.

 

Local Fiestas

Alhaurín de la Torre loves a good music event, the three main ones are:

Torre del Cante Flamenco Festival which is held in June and known throughout Andalusia.
Festival Portón del Jazz celebrates all things Jazz and is held in July.
Raíces is a traditional folklore gala in September.

There are many religious festivals throughout the year, the main ones are:

In January

• Cavalcade of the Magi in January
• The San Sebastían festival, the patron saint of winter

February

• The Candelá
• Carnival

Easter

• Holy week has many celebrations including processions on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

May

• Cruz de Mayo

June

• Corpus Christi
• San Juan Festival, celebrating the patron saint of summer
• Festival of Saint John the Baptist
  

El Jardín del Retiro

Located on the east side of the A7, the historical garden el Retiro is a botanical and ornithological garden (originally is was an Ornithology museum dedicated to the scientific study of birds). It was founded in the 17th century, in 1669, by the Bishop of Málaga, Fray Alonso de Santo Tomás, to be used as his retirement home. The estate covers 140,000 square meters and has around 6,000 animals of which include 400 different species such as birds, small mammals, reptiles and fish from both freshwater and saltwater ponds. The beautiful gardens include an eclectic mix of styles including French, Italian, English and Moroccan. From the gardens, you can enjoy views of the mountains, countryside, coast and the city.

El Jardín del Retiro was declared a National Historic Monument in 1984 and a site of cultural interest. One of the most impressive and oldest flora to be found within the grounds is the El Olmo, a 200-year-old elm tree. You can also see around 30,000 other trees throughout the estate including magnolia, cypress, palm and many fruit trees.
The gardens are divided into three main sections, El Huerto (the orchard), El Patio (the patio) and Jardín Del Cortesano (the courtier’s garden). El Huerto (the orchard) is the oldest of the three gardens and originates from the 17th century when it was first built. It is designed in the shape of a cross with the Fuente de la Batalla (battle fountain) in the centre and surrounded by fruit trees. Here we can also find the unique sundial which is made from Carrara marble and engraved on it is the coat of arms of Bishop Fray Alonso de Santo Tomás. El Patio (the patio) was designed by the Architect Martín Aldehuela and is a rectangular shape next to the large country house on one level. The impressive Mermaid fountain (La Sirena) can be found in the centre, consisting of a mermaid and merman embracing in the centre with many smaller sculptures around them, it is carved from Italian marble

El Jardín Del Cortesano (the courtier’s garden) was also designed by the Architect Martín Aldehuela. Inspired by the Italian style it consists of many different sections and levels with lots of sculptures, fountains and water features, many of which were created by Juán Chaez, a local sculptor from Málaga. The main sculptures are a shepherd sitting down playing the flute with his dog resting beside him, the lion fountain and the mushroom fountain which has many jets of water. There is also a section called la tumba del Obispo (the Bishops Tomb) which ironically does not house the tomb of the Bishop.

The Gardens have only recently opened its doors to the public again after being closed for 15 years while a long legal battle ensued between the owners and the Junta de Andalucia. In 2005 it was an ornithological park but closed in 2007. Since then the current owner refused to give the public access claiming that it belongs to him alone. Environmental activists and botanical experts campaigned to reopen the gardens to the public again as by law there must be a visitation regime in place because it is a site of cultural interest. An agreement was finally made and it was opened on the 8th of March 2022. It is open on Tuesdays from 10am – 1pm. There are three guided tours lasting around an hour each with a maximum of 15 people. You need to reserve your place by calling 634 776 226.

Club de Tiro Jarapalo

The Royal Shooting Society of Málaga is located just outside Pinos de Alhaurín. Club de Tiro Olympic Jarapalo is a non-profit sports organisation specialising in the sport of clay pigeon shooting in the modalities of propellers, Olympic pit, universal pit, skeet, double trap, American pit shooting and others with five different shooting ranges.
The Club is open throughout the year. The opening times in the summer is from 10am to 2pm and 4 – 8pm. In winter it is open from 10am – 2pm and 3 – 7pm.

As well as the ranges there are also lounges to relax in and a restaurant serving an extensive daily menu, coffees and cocktails. They have a function room you can hire for private events such as weddings, anniversaries and other celebrations which they also use for flamenco and other music events.

El Portón Estate

 

La Finca Municipal el Portón is dedicated to sociocultural activities. Located on Calle Juan Carlos l and with wonderful surroundings, there is an open-air auditorium with a 1,000-seat capacity, the Municipal Art Gallery and beautiful gardens. Many events are held here including concerts, dance, theatre, exhibitions and festivals.

Albaicín Caves

In the 12th century a series of natural underground caves were formed from running water currents. They were used in 1487, after the conquest of Málaga, to repopulate the area, thus forming Albaicín, the ‘Old Quarter’ in the centre of town. These caves can be found under 13 houses, there are inner courtyards with access to the houses and caves. Over the centuries the caves have been used for many things; warehouses, stables, storage rooms etc. Most of the houses and caves are fully integrated with a coating of tiles and lime. These unique houses are currently being studied and catalogued to determine their value so they can be protected and restored.

Jardín Oriental Bienquerido

This park is a well-loved and well-cared-for Oriental Garden, locally known as the Japanese park, located in the east of Alhaurín de la Torre, on the corner of Avenida de Málaga and Calle Moriles. It is a charming space of around 12,000 square meters and since it opened in March 2011, it has been very popular. Entry is free, opening and closing times differ throughout the year so check first if it will be open when you want to go. Pets are not allowed. You will find many oriental plants and trees such as bamboo, bonsai, reeds, Japanese cedars and others alongside native plants and trees like pine, acacias or carob trees, some of which have been cut in a Japanese style to create a calm, Zen atmosphere in the park. There are some Pagodas, one of which has two floors in the form of a tower and some simple oriental-style bridges that go across banks and the small stream that runs through the park (this quite often runs dry in the summer) along with some Japanese style gazebos, also called tea gazebos.

There is a lovely pond with a waterfall, fish and turtles near the entrance with a Japanese gazebo in the middle accessed via two bridges. Statues following the oriental style can be found throughout as well as benches to sit and enjoy the tranquillity of the gardens and the beautiful views of the mountains. Within the park there is also a well-equipped playground for children and little ones with climbing towers, slides, swings and more, alongside this is an exercise park with body weight machines. The gardens are meticulously well cared for, making the Bienquerido oriental Garden an exceptional place to enjoy a family walk while taking in the unique design and wonderful mountain views.

We hope you enjoy exploring Alhaurín de la Torre, there are many well-cared-for green spaces and parks throughout the town from manicured gardens to open green spaces. The Municipal park and Parque San Juan Pablo ll are family-friendly beautiful places to walk, play and enjoy nature with the breath-taking views of the mountains around you.

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Further Reading...

Estate Agents with properties for sale in Alhaurin de la Torre

Read about other areas on the Costa del Sol

Events being held on the Costa del Sol

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