Vélez-Málaga, a historic town of some 60,000 inhabitants, is the capital of the Axarquía region of the eastern Costa del Sol.  It is mainly Spanish in character with a growing population from Northern Europe, and is situated a few kilometres inland from Torre Del Mar, and 30 kilometres east of Málaga.  The town has a long and varied history, reflected by the interesting architecture of its historic heart, with archaeological remains from as far back as the Phoenicians and Carthaginians to be found in the surrounding area. It was also a strategic and cultural centre during the Moorish occupation of Andalucía.  Although Vélez-Málaga cannot compete with the cities of Cordoba, Granada, Seville and Málaga, it does have its own charm, and provides a pleasant alternative for those who enjoy a typically Spanish environment.

The completion of the A7 motorway over the last few years has seen a massive growth in residential and holiday tourism in the area, with a corresponding growth in housing and services.  The area is home to the regional hospital, and there are several international schools in the area, as well as primary and secondary schools in the Spanish system.

Vélez-Málaga is the gateway to inland Axarquía, an area renowned for its micro climate, giving mild short winters, beautiful spring and autumn seasons and summers which, whilst normally in the range of 30º to 35º centigrade, have a low humidity and an onshore breeze from the Mediterranean which makes the area the perfect choice for many northern Europeans.

From Vélez-Málaga it is easy to travel inland for 20 to 30 minutes to Lake Viñuela and the choice of a village or country lifestyle.  It should be emphasized that whilst many people have been attracted to the area from Northern Europe, and particularly from the UK, the area is still predominantly Spanish.

We have tried to give a description of each of the villages or areas separately – just click on the village names for more details.