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Benalauría AREA: 20,60 km² ALTITUDE
ABOVE SEA LEVEL: 667 metres AVERAGE ANNUAL RAINFALL: 1170 l/m²  
As with Benarrabá, this town separates from the main road and enters the Genal valley, remaining almost hidden to the traveller. It also extends its lands from the Genal valley to the Guadiaro valley. Standing out in its landscape is the small mountainous alignment formed by the Loma de la Sierra (1.137 m.) and the Peñon de Benadalid (1.116 m.), situated in the neighbouring municipality of Benadalid. The white of the limestone crests of these sierras, strongly contrast with the green woods of chestnuts, pines, and walnuts which extend over the surroundings of the town, mixed with olive trees. The Genal which is the administrative boundary of the municipality, presents a course based on numerous meanders together with the vegetation on its banks which bring spots of singular beauty. Further from the Loma de la Sierra, in the Guadiaro valley, the landscape presents a softer relief occupied by dry farming cereals and pastures mixed with cork-oak copses, which extend to the south of the municipality in the northern slope of the Cerro del Panderon, giving way to spectacular views in which the river and the railway fit together in a narrow valley. Judging by the town’s name, it could have Arab origins and it seems that the first settlements were in 715 due to the presence in these lands of the Berber tribe called Ben al Auria (son or sons of Auria). The village belonged to the Granada kingdom until around 1485, when the area was conquered by the Castilla kingdom whose kings gave it to the Conde de Feria, as an estate. Later, the Duke of Alcalá bought the estate from the Count and as a result of the Moor's expulsion, he repopulated it with people from Coronil, property of the Duke. The last owner of the village, would be the Casa de Medinaceli, who proceeded to sell the land to the inhabitants of the area, until at the end of the 19th century it became a municipality with its own Town Hall.
Another town in the highland surroundings, which looks out over the Genal valley with red roofed white houses occupying the hills at an altitude of 700 metres. Standing out in the town centre is the county council, which dates from the 18th century, with a brick front and railed windows in the Ronda style. There is also the church of Santo Domingo, built between the 15th and 16th century. Benaulauría has interesting places nearby, among them the speleological grotto of the Tajo de los Aviones, the camping area of Las Siete Pilas, Monte Poyato, etc.
Benalauría’s gastronomy is also delicious, based on dishes which can be eaten all the year round, such as pork products, loin, tomato soup, and hot soup in the winter and 'el mojado' in the summer, fennel broth with chick peas, sticky buns, and pastrymaking with appetising sweets such as 'tortas de masa', 'chicharrones', 'buñuelos' etc. And there is homemade grape brandy.
The most celebrated festivities are the fair of Santo Domingo, which takes place on the first week in August, while on the first Sunday of August Benalauría is added to the list of towns in Malaga who celebrate the stage setting of the Moors and Christians. Here it is almost the same as in Benadalid, where the neighbours dressed in Moorish clothes of the era, capture the image of Santo Domingo in the first confrontation with the Christians and the people of the town feel captive and have to pay a ransom. The battle ends when the Christians take over the castle and its defenders and make them convert into Christians.
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History and Landscape
Places to Visit
Shopping
Gastronomy
Festivities and traditions