Monda is a beautiful small town with a big personality and stunning views, located inland in the province of Málaga, Andalusia, on the periphery of Sierra de las Nieves. Monda has a central location between Sierra de las Nieves, the Guadalhorce Valley and Marbella along with the rest of the Costa del sol.
Inhabitants of Monda are known as Mondeños.
Come and take a sneak peak around the beautiful Andalusian Town of Monda in Spain.
Monda is a traditional Andalusian whitewashed town which provides a warm welcome, where the locals welcome you like part of the family. It has steep and winding narrow streets with many homes decorated with hanging flower pots, it’s really picturesque and laid back, the sort of place featured in romance novels.
You can easily be swept away with the charm and feel of the place. As you are enjoying a stroll or a fresh coffee in town, it’s not uncommon to see the local farmers with their donkeys crossing the square, making their way to their orange or olive groves.
Monda provides the best of both worlds. You have all the tranquillity of a small friendly Spanish pueblo and if you fancy a more lively scene then the bustling, cosmopolitan vibe of Marbella is only a 20 minute drive away.
We are the leading Spanish inland property specialists, if you need an estate agent in Monda, look no further, check out our properties for sale in Monda.
Monda is your quintessential inland whitewashed Spanish village with an excellent location for a happy, relaxed life taking in those beautiful views and yet is only a stones throw away from the coast.
From central Monda:
Monda covers an area of 58km squared, it is elevated 427m above sea level and has a population of roughly 2,500 residents.
Monda is the perfect location if you like walking and hiking, being so close to the Sierra de las Nieves National Park. At the centre of the Park is its largest peak, Mount Torrecilla, reaching 1919m, 18,530 hectares (covering an area of roughly 300km2).
As its name suggests, the mountain range can be covered in snow during winter, Sierra de las Nieves (snow mountain). Previously, in 1989 it was a natural park, covering an area of 201.63km2, in 1995 UNESCO declared it a Biosphere Reserve and expanded its area to 93,930 hectares which included 11 municipalities and in January 2021 it was declared a National Park.
The boundaries of the Sierra de las Nieves are the district of Guadalteba to the north, the Guadalhorce Valley to the east, the western Costa del Sol to the south and the Sierra of Ronda to the west.
There has been very little human influence as the area is mainly uninhabited, apart from a few villages forming a rural mountain community. No agricultural cultivation means there is a wonderful variety of indigenous flora, such as pine, ash, wild olive, fir, chestnut, oak and juniper trees. Fauna including mountain goats, ibex, roe deer, foxes and mouflon (a wild subspecies of sheep) can also be spotted.
There are many walks, hikes and climbing routes to explore, all with stunning views to take your breath away. There are also many mountain bike tracks to get your heart racing or you can even horse ride through the mountains.
There are three different types of mountain landscapes:
The infamous Monda castle is now a boutique hotel and restaurant. A star attraction for the town, it has a wonderful mix of history and modern facilities, filled with beautiful quirky character, a warm welcome, delicious food and breath-taking views, an unforgettable experience not to be missed!
Originally an Arab fortress built in the 9th century on the hill Cerro de la Villeta, Al-Mundat was destroyed in 932AD, one of the original towers is still visible today, as well as parts of the foundations throughout the interior. It was built again in the 11th century. In 1568 the castle was demolished during the riots between the Moors and the Christians. It remained in ruins until 1969 when Francisco Prieto-Moreno, an architect, started an ambitious restoration project of Monda Castle. It was completed in 1996 and the hotel was opened.
Inside the castle are guest rooms, dining rooms, a bar, a spa and many communal areas. There is also a salt water pool to cool off in the summer. Due to it’s vantage point it boasts stunning 3600 views, including the picturesque white washed village of Monda at the foot of the hill.
Monda is a small town so it won’t have the vast and varied choices of a city, but that adds to the charm. There are still many very good choices available.
Here are a few top rated restaurants and bars you can try:
Located inside Monda Castle you can enjoy fine dining in this spacious and light dining area with spectacular views. Feel like you are dining in history, the exotic ambience is created from the Moorish vibes and contemporary, modern comforts which gives you an extra special dining experience not to be missed.
The cuisine is international with a Mediterranean twist, the a la carte menu regularly changes according to the seasons as they like to use fresh, local ingredients. The homemade desserts are delicious.
Serving fresh Mediterranean and European food in a friendly, typical Spanish style bar, café, restaurant. Expect tasty food with large portions, very reasonably priced. They have an outside dining area with a playground for little ones right next to it. Highly praised and very popular with both locals and visitors.
An authentic village café situated on a nice square, Plaza de la Ermita, next to the fountain with the coalman monument on top, where you can relax and soak up the Spanish atmosphere.
A traditional cosy Andalucian bar that serves reginal homemade food with a friendly welcome. Their tortillas and paellas are very popular. You can also buy locally made olive oil, cured meats and sausages, all at very reasonable prices.
A pizzería, bar, restaurant. Enjoy delicious homemade pizza, to eat in or take away, and tapas at very reasonable prices.
Wonderful fish and seafood restaurant, run by a couple, José and Isabel, serving very fresh fish at a great price. Be aware there is no menu as the food depends on what is caught that day. The restaurant has a charming alfresco dining area with a friendly family feel. Also be aware they do not speak English, making the restaurant even more authentic and a perfect chance to practice your Spanish, if you struggle you can always point to the fish you want at the counter.
A lovely traditionally Spanish tapas bar, located in the centre of town opposite café Bar Luna and Lavadero de la Jaula (Historical landmark). Very authentic and relaxed feel with very reasonable prices.
There is only one main school in Monda and a nursery. There is also the Marbella Design Academy and a school for adult education. School is compulsory in Spain from 6-16 years old.
Escuela Infantil Monda – Infantil (Nursery)
Colegio de Educación Infantil y Primaria Remedios Rojo – Infantil/ Educación Primaria/ Educación Secundaria Obligatoria/ Educación Especial (Nursery/Primary/Secondary/Special education)
Centro autorizado de enseñanzas artísticas profesionales de artes plás Marbella Design Academy Costa del Sol – Artes Plastícas (Arts)
Sección de Educación Permanente Monda – Educación Permanente de adultos (Adult education)
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.
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 wellbeing. 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 Monda, we will help you find your dream home in the right catchment area.
The Arts school has brought lots of life to the village of Monda. In 2008, the new building was completed and the Academy moved from Marbella to Monda. Helle Byrn, the academy’s founder, designed the new building in Andalusian style to complement the Spanish village and countryside beautifully, while providing all requirements of a modern design Academy. The Ministry of Education in Spain awarded the Academy State Recognition, on completion.
The Academy is linked with the University of Bedfordshire in the UK. They award students who successfully graduate their Bachelor of Arts degrees with an official BA (Hons) degree. Lessons are taught in English.
80% of students live in Monda so they can walk to the Academy and what an amazing place to study! Such stunning landscapes and views to draw inspiration from, the weather is amazing and it’s a short distance to Marbella if they want a lively night of partying.
There are many historical sights to see in Monda.
A religious monument from the eighteenth century, this altar is located just outside town, made of a whitewashed brick main body with three finals, each with a wrought iron cross. Believed to be commissioned by the Cozár family, it is the final station of the Vîa Crucis procession, during holy week the crucified Christ and the Virgin Mary are carried here by candlelight.
The Mari Gloria House Museum is a beautiful, typical Andalusian house, one of the oldest surviving houses, in the centre of town. Inside you can see how people lived at the beginning of the twentieth century, many tools and objects have been collected and are displayed. Farm tools, antique furniture, clay vessels, a sewing machine and everyday objects. The house was once a bakery and the tools used to make the bread have also been kept for display.
Step back in time to discover the traditions and charms of life in Monda for the great grandparents of the people of the town. Entry is free.
An old fountain and covered laundry located in the centre of town, next to café Bar Luna and opposite Bodeguita la Jaula. The fountain originated form the 16th century. Its name comes from the Arabic word al-Haura, which means ‘source from the outskirts or from the depth’, as the water comes from the Lucía stream (La Arroyo Lucía), which runs through Monda. The fountain has four pipes with water falling into a troth, with dark stone and a white cross with ‘MONDA ANOD 1788’ carved under it. The fountain was used to provide water for the people, their animals and also to irrigate the orchards. The fountain was renovated in the 18th century and the public covered laundry room was added, with arches to the sides and a large troth inside for washing clothes. At night it is lit up in different colours.
The parish Church of Santiago is located in the Plaza de la Constitución in the middle of town, next to the Ayuntamiento de Monda (Town Hall). The church was built on the grounds of a demolished mosque in 1505. It has been renovated many times including in the seventeenth century by Pedro Díaz Palacios, an architect.
The church is whitewashed inside and out, through one of the entrances you can see the Arab-Mudejar style reflected through a red brick arch. Originally it had just one nave with a tower and later the side naves were added which are separated by arches and pillars, there are three chapels/altars at the end of each nave which were added in the 18th century.
Remains of the old Roman road and Teja stream, can be found just outside of Monda leading to Coín. The old road connected Monda to the ancient city Malaka through Cartima (Cártama) the Guadalhorce Valley and to the port where products like olive oil, cereals and wine could be shipped to other parts of the Roman Empire. The road is in very good condition considering it was built two thousand years ago, the parts that have been preserved the best are those with the largest slabs. The road has been repaired during mediaeval and modern times. Along the road, on the sides, there are stone monoliths indicating the distance remaining to the next town, these are marked at every mile and are called miliaries.
There are remains of a single arch bridge over the Teja stream, also from the Roman times. Take a walk through history and imagine what life would have been like for the people who first used the road nearly two thousand years ago.
The Statue of the Coalman can be found in the Plaza de la Ermita. Standing on top of the circular fountain is a life-size bronze sculpture of a coal worker, the monument is a tribute to Mondeños who worked hard for many months in the fields making charcoal from oak, or cork oak firewood and many other hard trades included in agricultural and livestock work.
The Villa fountain can be found at the foot of the hill La Villeta, where Monda Castle sits atop, on the road leaving the village towards Guaro. The fountain has three cast iron pipes protruding from a white washed and natural stone wall, the water flows into a long trough that cattle would drink from, it then used to flow to a laundry room, that has long been destroyed, and then onto irrigate the orchards. Today there is a tourist information centre where the laundry room used to be, and you can enjoy the marvelous views from the fountain.
Legend tells of an underground tunnel that linked the fountain to the fortress above, so during times of siege they had access to clean water. Some even say there are riches hidden in those tunnels.
Mea Mea fountain is a small, simple fountain, consisting of two cast iron pipes protruding from a small whitewashed house, with water falling into a simple stone trough. This fountain was moved further along Calle Marbella in 1890 in order to accommodate the growing town.
This fountain is called the corner fountain because it used to be located on the corner of Doctor Jiménez Encina Street, which is close to the Church of Santiago, as it was mentioned in 1572 by an ‘Old Christian’ Martín de Mármol. It is now located on Calle Fuente (Fountain Street), with an inscription stating that is was renovated in 1897. It is very similar looking in design and materials to Fuente Lavadero de la Jaula, a whitewashed surround with dark stone where the three spouts emerge, pouring water into a long basin. It has an abundant flow and when it rains the water comes out with some force. The locals are adamant the water from this fountain is the best to prepare the olives with.
The vaults is an exhibition space, owned by Monda City Council, which can be found under the Town Hall. It was built in the 19th century and was originally used to store grain, it went on to be used as stables, a warehouse and was even used as a prison. It is an unusual space with a system of arches supported on quadrangular (square) pillars made of baked clay bricks, cemented with lime and sand mortar. Some of the bricks have footprints left by animals, such as dogs, who must have walked over the bricks before they were set in the ovens.
Today the vaults are an intriguing space used for artistic exhibitions, displaying paintings, pictures, crafts and sculptures.
The Mudejar olive oil mill is located just outside of town. They have been producing olive oil for over 20 years, since the year 2000. They have many varieties of olives; manzanilla, campiñera, picudilla, lechín and verdial. Grafted from wild ancient olive trees that are cultivated using ancestral techniques that respect the environment, minimising or excluding the use of insecticides, herbicides and chemical fertilisers. You are able to tour the mill, seeing the entire process of making the oil, from picking the olives, how they ripen them, the pressing and packaging of the oil. You can buy oil from the shop, of course you can also enjoy tasting the different types of oil they have.
Día de la sopa Mondeña (day of the soup) is an important day in the town of Monda and is held on the last Sunday of March every year. A traditional soup is made in a one-piece carved wooden bowl and served to the people of the village and to visitors for free, usually around 7,000 people. The soup is made from 120kg of stale bread, dried tomatoes and vegetables, sometimes egg is also added. The festival dates back to the 19th century when the thick broth would be served to the miners to provide them with a nutritious meal.
Monda’s position, since the beginning, has been an important one. There was an ancient communication route that connected the inland settlements to the coastal ones and ran parallel to the Mediterranean coast. All travellers had to pass through Monda. The Romans later paved this road.
Monda, during the 3rd to 1st centuries BC, developed into an Ibero-Roman fortified enclosure, which was strategically significant as it protected the indigenous Iberian population and also defended the road which lead to the bigger town, coín.
Monda’s name evolved from the word ‘mondare’ which means ‘valley between mountains’.
In 45 BC the Roman Civil War finally saw an end to four years of fighting, with the famous battle of Munda, where Julius Caesar defeated the forces of Pompey, led by the sons of Pompey the Great. A victory short lived for Caesar as he was assassinated a year later.
There is much debate over the location of this battle. Many believe the Roman Munda and modern day Monda are same place. Others believe the battle could have taken place further north, either near Montilla or somewhere between Ecija and Osuna. Either way the battle brings Monda to the history map and they believe that is where it belongs.
Parts of the old Roman road from Monda to Cártama can still be seen today, just outside of the village, along with remains of the ‘Puente del Arroyo de la Teja’ (Roman bridge over the Teja stream).
The settlement was abandoned when the Romans left until the Moors arrived who built a fortress, Al-Mundat Castle was built on the hill Cerro de la Villeta, they also established a stable community.
From its stunning and advantageous viewpoint the castle witnessed many battles and changes including the revolt by Umar Ibn Hafsun (in the 9th century after his rebellion in Bobastro), the uprising of the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba in the 10th century, where it was destroyed in 932. It was built again in the 11th century. Al-Andalus faced many changes with the Almoravids, the Almohads and the Taifas who also renovated the castle.
In 1485 the Christian armies arrived and Monda surrendered peacefully, the Moors were allowed to keep their property and religion if they submitted to the Catholic Monarchs. This agreement didn’t last long, in 1501 they were forced to convert from Muslim to Christianity after rebelling, they were then called Moorish or new Christians.
There was a period of strained coexistence as new Christian families were brought in and given more rights than the Moorish (Mudejar), the old mosque was demolished and built in it’s place was the Church of Santiago Apóstol. In 1568 the Mudejar rebelled again, feeling persecuted by religion, humiliated and treated like second-class citizens, the castle was demolished during the riots. The rebels who survived were either turned into slaves or expelled and 80 Christian families were brought in to set up a new town which developed into the town we know today.
There's often some confusion as to how to spell Andalusia so just to clarify... Andalucía (with an accent on the i) is the correct Spanish spelling. Andalusia is the Anglicised way of spelling. So, if you are writing in English, Andalusia is the correct way of spelling it. If you are writing in Spanish, Andalucía is the way to spell it.
Carmen the opera is set in southern Spain, it was composed by Georges Bizet and is based on the novella Carmen, written by Proser Mérimée in 1845.
Mérimée studied Roman history and visited Andalucia to research the site of the battle of Monda, his findings were published in 1844 in the journal Revue Archéologique.
Mérimée’s Carmen was originally published in 1845 in the journal Revue des deux Mondes. Bizet encountered the story during his stay in Rome in 1858-60, in his journals he records that Mérimée was one of the writers he had read and admired.
Carmen the opera was first performed in 1875, unfortunately Bizet suddenly died after the 33rd performance, unaware of the international acclaim the work would go on to achieve.
We hope you enjoy exploring Monda, as you can see it is a beautiful
town, steeped in History with stunning scenery.
If you have any questions about properties in the area or need help finding your dream home, as an estate agent in Monda with over 30 years of collective experience, we are here to help, just click our logo for more information.
Disfruta Monda!!
