Alcaucin is a chocolate-box pretty village, located 54 kilometres from Malaga and 25 kilometres from the coast at Torre del Mar. At an altitude of 510 metres, Alcaucin is situated on the lower western slope of La Maroma in the Sierra Tejeda mountain range. It lies within the area of Axarquia, on the scenic Route of Olive Oil and Mountains, and has a population of 2,200.

The nearby small village of Venta Baja is situated within the municipality of Alcaucin.

On Halloween, the last day of October, Alcaucin celebrates an ancestral tradition by paying tribute to the chestnut! The gathering at the Chestnut Fiesta brings people from all over Malaga Province to participate in the consumption of thousands of kilos of the dried fruit together with another speciality of the area, roast sweet potato. Live music, entertainment and dancing accompany this fun day out. Details of Alcaucin´s other annual festivals can be found at the fiestas link at the bottom of this page.

An interesting feature of the nearby countryside is an enourmous U-shaped gap in the mountains, known as El Boquete de Zafarraya. A road runs through the gap linking the Provinces of Malaga and Granada.

Prehistoric sites have been discovered at various places in the municipal area of Alcaucin, including a cave near to El Boquete de Zafarraya where the remains of a Neanderthal Man were found.

Also near to the village is the Castle Zalía of Phoenician origin, later used as a fortress by the Moors. The village layout is typically Moorish; the name Alcaucin is derived from the Arabic Al-Cautin (arches). An 18th century parish church, Nuestra Señora del Rosario, stands in the village square.

The Alcázar Nature Reserve and the sulpherous springs of Las Majadas are both found within the municipal area.

Useful Numbers:
Emergency Doctor: 061
Emergency Police: 091
Town Hall and Council: 952 510 002
Council website: www.alcaucin.es