Venta of Alfarnate : the oldest venta in Andalucia
Lunch in the oldest venta in Andalucia in Alfarnate
In this article you will find the essential information about the venta of Alfarnate in Andalucia
- A few words about the venta
- The history of the venta
- What is a venta?
- Lunch in the venta of Alfarnate in Andalucia
- Cinema in the venta!
- Where is the venta of Alfarnate?
- Some useful links about Andalucia
- Experiences to discover in the province of Málaga
A few words about the venta
This venta is considered to be the oldest in Andalucia.
The venta is located about 3km from Alfarnate. It is on the ancient road of the Nasrid kingdom, which linked Malaga to Granada.
This village is located in Axarquia, in the province of Malaga.
There are beautiful views all around the village.
Alfarnate is nicknamed, together with Alfarnatejo, the village next door, the Pyrenees of the Costa del Sol.
To have lunch in the oldest venta in Andalusia is also to pass through one of the “Pueblos magicos de España” of the province of Malaga.
The history and the venta
The venta dates back to the 13th century, at the height of the Al-Andalus period.
Later on, it would host King Alfonso XIII for lunch during his trip to Axarquia and the province of Málaga.
It was Alfonso XIII who gave the name “Balcony of Europe” to the rocky promontory of Nerja. And the famous Caminito del Rey owes its name to the fact that this king walked this famous path in 1921.
And of course, there are stories of bandits, as in every venta!
What is a venta?
Ventas in Spain are old inns. They were used as resting places for men and horses, in charge of transporting mail and goods.
Lunch in the venta of Alfarnate
We quickly get into the atmosphere of the venta with what we can read just before entering:
This is reputed to have been a hideout for a number of Andalusian bandits, and the interior decoration quickly reminds us of this.
On the outside walls, the story is also told:
For me, this venta is an experience, you can eat very well there, typical local dishes, but it is also a small ethnographic museum with tools from the fields of the last century.
You can even have lunch in the old stable where the horses used to rest. The stagecoaches also changed horses in the ventas during their journey. And not much seems to have changed!
It has also retained its prison cell (probably used for transporting prisoners). This prison cell is in the dining room to the right of the entrance.
I have unforgettable memories of this. It costs 25 to 30 euros for an all-inclusive meal.
Cinema at the venta
Here is a short clip from a film recently shot in the Venta de Alfarnate. We see the singer Diana Navorro performing a buleria.
Where is the venta of Alfarnate?
Booking accomodation in Alfarnate and surroundings
Booking.com
Guided tours in Axarquia
A very good local guide, Cipriano, offers thematic and seasonal guided tours of Axarquia.
Cipriano organises these tours from Nerja, Torrox and Torre del Mar.
The guided tours are always done in small groups (2 to 8 people max.) to discover the authentic Axarquia.
In the following link you will find all the details and prices of the tours he offers.
Here are all the guided tours from Torrox, Nerja and Torre del Mar.
Some useful links about Andalucia
Here is a great car rental agency in Andalusia and more specifically at Malaga airport : book a rental car.
If you are in Andalucia as part of a tour with several major cities to visit, here are some links that may be of interest:
- Discover must-sees before visiting Cordoba
- Visit Malaga on foot.
- All you need to know about Granada, the Alhambra, the Albaicin neighbourhood before visiting Granada
- If you are passing through the geographical centre of Andalusia, then you can visit Antequera, with the incredible natural site of El Torcal right next door.
Experiences to discover in the province of Malaga
Find more ideas for visits to authentic Andalusia: see the blog pages on Andalucia.
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