Colmenar is located at the most westerly point of Axarquia, on the scenic Route of Olive Oil and Mountains. It is situated 35 kilometres from Malaga and 35 kilometres from the coast at Rincon de la Victoria. The town has an altitude of 700 metres and a population of 3,600. The foothills of the Sierra de Camaroles lie to the north and Mount Miraflores to the south.

Colmenar is known for its cold meats and sausages and hosts an annual Wine and Chacina (dried pork meats) Fiesta each December. During the fiesta, visitors are invited to taste all kinds of the best local cold cuts accompanied by thousands of litres of local wine. A contest is held in which specialists prepare sausages and other delicacies in front of the public whilst folk and contempory music continue long into the night. Details of Colmenar´s other annual festivals can be found at the fiestas link at the bottom of this page.

The economy of the town is based on agriculture, livestock farming and several food and drink industries including the production of honey. In the surrounding countryside there are numerous beehives from which the town name was derived ('colmena' is Spanish for beehive).

Colmenar has two distinct areas; an upper area with steep, narrow streets clustered around the 17th century hermitage of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, and a lower area of more recent construction. There is also a 17th century parish church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción.