Tolox

The white pueblo village of Tolox lies at the heart of the Sierra de Las Nieves Natural Park in Andalucia, Southern Spain. It lies midway between Malaga which is 57 kilometres south east and Ronda which is 52 kilometres north west. Tolox pueblo and campo covers an area of 95 sq kilometres and is 312 metres above sea level. The population of Tolox is just over 2,000 registered inhabitants of which 50 are foreigners. As Tolox is approx 4 kilometres off the main Malaga to Ronda road it has meant that visitors usually bypass and carry on to villages further north.

The first picture of Tolox was taken on the drive in. You don't see Tolox at all until you get very close and then it appears around the corner with the dramatic mountain ranges as a backdrop. The second picture was taken from the other side of the village.

Tolox is situated in the Sierra de Las Nieves ( Mountains of Snow ) Natural Park and United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation ( UNESCO ) Biosphere. The mountains of Tolox were officially declared as the Natural Park of the Sierra de Las Nieves in 1989 due to the areas exceptional ecological value and in 1995 was given World Status by UNESCO because of the presence of the Pinsapo or Spanish Fir which has survived from the last ice age but of which there are only a small number left in Southern Spain.

The mountain range comprises two areas, the Sierra Blanca and the Sierra Parda. The highest peak in these mountains is Torrecilla the highest in the province of Malaga at 1,919 metres above sea level. It has the third deepest pothole in the world, the Sima G.E.S.M. at 1,100 metres deep and the Cave of La Tinaja, among others, where pre-historic remains were found.

As well as it's Spanish Fir it is also famous for the Gall Oak groves.

For wildlife there are mountain goat or Ibex, the mountain cat, the royal eagle, the hawk and many more.

Tolox is the ideal base for birdwatchers and walkers with it's direct access into the sierras. 

The origins of Tolox date back to the Neolithic period, as witnessed by La Tinaja cave in which remains of decorated ceramic vessels were found. The villages turbulant history is evident in the few surviving traces of it's heritage. Just a few references in street names enable us to reconstruct the layout of what was once the castle, the scene of Moorish rebellions and bloody conflicts between Christians and Muslims. Part of the church and it's surrounding village walls date back to the Moors and is worth a visit.

The church of San Miguel.

The first two pictures show how steep some of the Tolox streets are and the third picture was taken outside the church and next to the main plaza.

There are 4 rivers in Tolox. The Rio Caballos and the Rio de Los Horcajos run through the village and then join together at the bottom of the village to form the Rio Riachuelo which then runs into the Rio Grande where there are pools deep enough to swim and dive into.

Tolox is well known for the Fuente Amargosa Spa. It is a medicinal spa which makes use of the natural thermal springs which produce 14,500 litres a day at a constant 21 deg C. The water gives off a mild radioactive gas which is said to work wonders with respiratory ailments. People with kidney and urinary problems come to drink the water and those with respiratory problems come to inhale the water vapour. The spa is only open in the summer from 1st June to the end of October and patients must see the resident doctor before undergoing a two week treatment. During the summer when the spa is open there are fiestas and weekend entertainment provided free in the village main plaza.

The road to the spa is lined with mature eucalyptus trees planted by the children of the village at the turn of the century. In recent years the tradition has been revived and various plaques name the generations that have taken part in the project.

Outside the spa standing on a high pedestal surveying the surroundings is a statue of the Tolox goat or Ibex.

         Eucalyptus walk.                          The Tolox goat or Ibex statue.

Tolox also has a small museum on the main street which has a gift shop attached. Both are worth a visit.