How to visit stunning Torcal De Antequera

There are places like this that make you wonder what could have happened in the history of our beautiful planet to give rise to such corners! Famous for it’s stunning limestone formations that have been formed over millions of years, this Karst landscapes really impressed us… The least we can say is that the Torcal de Antequera is definitely a must-see if you come to Andalusia.

Things to know

El Torcal is located in Andalusia, in the province of Malaga. It lies in the municipality of Antequera, around ten kilometers from the south of the city
The park is always open (day and night)
It is completely free
If you need information, refreshments or to use the sanitary facilities, you can go to the visitors’ center right next to the parking lot.
The trail is really well marked.
For those who don’t want to hike at all, it’s also possible to make just one stop in this park. The rock formations are visible everywhere on the plateau. And a viewpoint, accessible via a footbridge, offers a superb view of the valley below.

Just a bit of history

To understand what happened here, we’ll take you back in time. 200 million years ago, this region was under water. During the Tertiary era, the movement of tectonic plates caused this small mountain range to grow right into the heart of what is now Andalusia. Over the centuries, karstic erosion has done its work, sculpting a landscape that looks as if it’s straight out of the Jurassic era! Water, ice and wind have shaped this spectacular landscape. If you’d like to learn more about the site, a guided tour is available.

If you are ready, it is about time to choose your path !

Green route | 1.5 km | 45 min| The green route is the shortest route and goes in a circle, and starts and ends at the visitor centre. Simply follow the signs.
Yellow route | 3 km | 2 hrs | The yellow route is also circular and has its start and endpoint at the visitors center. On this route you will see several interesting rock formations/figures and some amazing trees.
Orange route | 7 km | 4 hrs | This route starts and ends at either the lower or the upper car park. It’s 3,5km one-way. The best way is to start at the lower carpark so you can have a break at the visitor’s center midway. It is also recommended to have a guide for this trail.

We decided to take the shortest one since we wanted to find a spot for the night at El Chorro. It allows you to discover the park’s beautiful formations in a relatively short space of time.

The hike lasts just under an hour and including photo stops. It could be a bit more if you bring your picnic. The walk was pretty easy and the view on the odd shapes rocks were awesome!