El Torcal, a unique Natural Park in Málaga

El Torcal, is a unique Natural Park in Málaga, which is a must-see. The province of Málaga has many beautiful natural areas. Each area is unique and looks completely different. But El Torcal is very special and is our favourite place. From the holiday homes of Finca Las Nuevas, you can already see the special rock massif of El Torcal Natural Park.

A visit to El Torcal is not to be missed

The mountain towers above the rolling landscape. At first glance, it just looks like an ordenary rock. But as you get closer, a whole new world opens up to you. Walking, cycling or driving to discover one of the most beautiful and spectacular limestone landscapes guarantees a great day out.

Even if you can’t walk very well, it’s still worth visiting El Torcal. The way up is breathtaking. Once at the top, you can enjoy this unique landscape from the terrace at the visitor centre or perhaps walk to the starting point, which can be reached via a flat path.

A piece of El Torcal history

One hundred million years ago, this area was below sea level. Powerful movements in the earth’s cost pushed this area up to mountains of 1,300 metres. The mountains were formed from limestone. As this is a soft rock, wind and rain took millions of years to form the mountains. This produced the beautiful layered rocks we can still see today.

The rocks look like a mountain of pancakes balancing on top of each other. A ‘pancake’, or layer, took a million years to form. This makes El Torcal, a unique natural park in Málaga.

El Torcal, a unique Natural Park in Málaga

Everywhere you look, you never cease to be amazed by the spectacular rock formations. The area has something mystical about it. Despite being a tourist attraction, the nature is beautiful. With a bit of luck, you will see mountain goats or ibexes jumping from rock to rock.

Tip for El Torcal, a unique natural park in Málaga

Before you drive to the El Torcal Natural Park, check that there isn’t a big cloud hanging over the mountain. If so, take an extra sweater/jacket with you, as the temperature on top of the mountain can differ by as much as ten degrees from here.

If you have a few more days on holiday, we advise you to go to El Torcal another time, so you will surely get a nice view.

Parking and hiking routes

On weekends and holidays, El Torcal can be crowded. As there is limited parking space on top of the mountain, they often close the road up. As a result, you may have to park your car at the bottom of the mountain and then continue by bus or on foot. At the top, next to the car park is a small visitor centre with a restaurant.

Two signposted hiking trails also start from this spot, which you can read more about in our ebook.

We would advise you to bring your own packed lunch to this spot. That way, you can pick your unique picnic spot and enjoy this magical place for longer.

Combining El Torcal with Antequera

We love making combinations. Do you love that too? Combine your visit to El Torcal Natural Park with a visit to Antequera.

This pretty town lies on the other side of the mountain at the foot of El Torcal. And while you are there, you might also want to visit the Dolmen of Antequera.