The Route of Sun and Avocado is 75 kilometres long. It is largely a coastal route of unspoilt sea-side villages between Rincon de la Victoria and Torre del Mar, where the cultivation of sub-tropical products such as avocado and sugar cane takes place. It traverses the municipalities of Rincon de la Victoria, Macharaviaya, Velez-Malaga, Benamargosa, Benamocarra and Iznate.
The route begins in Rincon de la Victoria in the far south-westerly point of Axarquia. From here we take the N-340 coastal road in an easterly direction toward Torre del Mar. After 3 kilometres we turn left on to a 9 kilometre road to Macharaviaya.
On leaving Macharaviaya the route returns to the N-340 heading easterly once more for 14 kilometres. This coastal road is dotted with watchtowers built in the 16th century for defense over the beaches. These are just beginning to be restored and are floodlit at night. Four of these watchtowers are passed on route to the next stop. These are at Chilches (Torre de Chilches), Benajarafe (Torre Moya), Valle Niza (Torre Jaral) and in the delta of the River Velez (Torre Manganeta).
At Valle Niza the road passes the 18th century Castle of the Marques on the left. On a hill to the left, after the village of Almayate and opposite the go-kart track just prior to the River Velez, a huge Osborne bull stands. Close to the mouth of the river, three important archaeological sites containing remains left by Phoenicians have been discovered. These are Toscanos, Alarcón and a necropolis at Jardin, all of which are dated from the 8th to 6th century BC. Just after crossing the river the route takes us to the coastal resort of Torre del Mar. Five kilometres inland we follow the Route of Sun and Avocado to Velez-Malaga.
Leaving Velez-Malaga the route takes the C-335 through the small village of Trapiche. Here there is a junction on the left signposted to the next stop of Benamargosa which is 8 kilometres from Trapiche.
The route then returns to the C-335 until a junction on the right, 2 kilometres before Velez-Malaga, where the road leads 4 kilometres to Benamocarra. Another 5 kilometres brings us to the last stop at Iznate.
The return to the coast road N-340 is a further 10 kilometres passing through the small village of Cajiz to Valle Niza.
[…] following a route from the coast through wine-producing countryside, returning to the coast. Route of Sun and Avocadoes – a 75 kilometre tour beginning at the coast and travelling through tropical landscape where […]