It’s that time of year again. The days are still sunny but temperatures have dropped to a little above 20, and chestnut vendors have returned to Marbella’s streets, adding to the wonderful atmosphere of autumn on the Costa del Sol.
As you stop for a paper cone of the freshly roasted chestnuts it’s worth a thought to consider where this delicacy comes from. You might think deep inland, but in reality the chestnuts consumed along the Costa del Sol area come from within a one-hour radius. In fact, the area between Marbella and Ronda is one of the foremost chestnut growing regions not just in Spain, but in Europe.
Chestnuts are perhaps more associated with temperate green zones in the heart of Europe than with the shores of the Mediterranean, but in truth the deeply incised Genal Valley at the heart of the Serranía de Ronda is green, temperate and perfectly suited to the cultivation of chestnuts and related products.
Visiting chestnut country at half an hour from Marbella
Not surprisingly this is also a region of great natural beauty, where white-plastered Andalusian mountain villages hug the slopes surrounded by the deep greenery of forests and meadows that contrast with rock formations and the deep blue of Southern Spanish skies.
Here you will find eagles and vultures soaring overhead, but also wild boar and deer roaming the deeper forests, and trout in the fast-flowing mountain streams that occasionally cascade spectacularly into some of the prettiest waterfalls in Spain. This stunning natural zone is also home to one of the largest chestnut growing zones of Europe.
From Marbella you take the Ronda road past San Pedro Alcantára up into hill country. After ten minutes you leave La Zagaleta, and with it civilisation, behind, and enter a beautiful region of vertiginous green peridotite mountains. About halfway up the Ronda Road you turn left and follow the winding mountain road to the village of Parauta, the first of a series of traditional white mountain villages, or Pueblos Blancos, in the heart of chestnut country.
From Parauta to Pujerra, Júzcar, Alpandeire and Atajate, the route hugs the slopes and you are enveloped by the lovely green embrace of endless chestnut trees. The cooperatives that harvest, produce, pack and market the local crop manage one of the most important industries in this remote region – and supply fresh chestnuts to supermarkets, shops, restaurants and street vendors across the region – and Spain.
Having this world on our doorstep is yet another example of the diversity, beauty and ongoing surprises this fascinating area offers. In other words, Marbella is about far more than golf, glamour and beaches alone. If you would like to spend more time in this region, either owning a holiday home in Marbella or buying a fulltime property here, please contact Residencia Estates – the property specialist with a great heart for the Marbella lifestyle.