The Torcal de Antequera Natural Park is contains one of the most impressive examples of karst landscape in all of Europe and owes its name to its sinkholes and torcas; interesting formations in the form of circular depressions.

Limestone predominates in El Torcal with rocks that are more than 150 million years old and formed of marine sediments that have suffered constant erosion caused by rain, snow and wind. Its caves and chasms are ideal environment for caving, and there are traces of prehistoric man in some of them, such as that of Toro and Marinaleda.

Two routes lure you to lose yourself in this stone “city”. The trail that starts from the Torcal Alto Visitor Centre, known as the green route, is where the karsts are most spectacular. Allow yourself to be led along “Dark Alley" or “Tobacco” Alley, two of the many passageways caused by the collapse of the fractures in the terrain. The rocks here are a collection of natural sculptures, some with familiar shapes, such as The Torcal Screw Natural Monument, Sombrerillo, Cáliz and Dado, among many others that are waiting to be defined by the imagination of those who walk through fascinating

This environment of great beauty and inhospitable appearance also contains rich and varied vegetation with some native species. In its landscape, holm oaks, Portuguese oaks, rowan trees and maples intermingle with plants adapted to living in the rock crevices. Vegetation is of the rupicolous kind, and Torcal Bajo is the best place to see it.

Its fauna boasts birds such as the griffon vulture and the Eurasian eagle owl, as well as mammals such as the fox and the weasel. The Ventanillas viewpoint overlooks the Campanillas River valley, offering beautiful views of the landscape and the town of Villanueva de la Concepción.

Antequera is nearby and geographically it is in the centre of Andalusia, therefore it is culturally rich. The castle walls and numerous towers and convents are just some of the architecture to be admired, featuring Moorish Monk and Nun tiled roofs and whitewashed walls. Exquisite traditional sweets such as alfajores, angelorum, and bienmesabe are made in these convents. Try its renowned moflettes (soft bread buns), “ajoblanco” and “porra”. Willow, esparto, glass, iron and wood are used in traditional artisan crafts in Antequera as well as goldsmithing being a traditional trade.