Carratraca - Málaga
Carratraca adjoins the mountainous region of and the region of Antequera, it has been considered like an entrance to the valley Guadalhorce. It is located in the side of the Sierra Blanquilla, where its famous spring emanates. The town, with Arab origin grows during the XIX century due to the existence of sulphurous waters whose healing effects knew the Romans. Around the middle of this century it was built a beautiful neoclassic spa, frequented by many people in order to treat several complaints.
The origin of Carratraca is from the XIX century. In 1725 José Salgado wrote a monograph, where he said that in this area there was only a house, known with the name Cortijo de Aguas Hediondas. However, the baths found in the slope of the spring, the tombs and remains of ceramic in different points of the town and above all, the traces of a wall, presumably these places were lived in during the period of Roman domination and, abandoned then because of causes we do not know, were covered of oak woods.
Carratraca was formed under the protection of its sulphurous waters. According the tradition, the discovery of the therapeutics properties was made by a beggar, Juan Camisón, called in this way because his only clothes are a long nightdress to avoid the pains of the ulcers that covered all his body. This man arrived a country state located next to the spring in order to beg for the charity of its inhabitants, and he observed that a goatherd threw the water the animals that had ulcers in its skin, and after some time these ulcers cured, then he decided to swim himself and after some immersions, he also got well.
With a very well documented basis, in 1817 there was a doctor responsible for the study and analysis of the waters and the ills.
Carratraca was created in 1821 because of the division of Casarabonela. The first session that appeared in the Libro de Actas was celebrated December, 14th 1836.
We have to emphasize the creation of the Balneario, that in full view of numerous public that came to have a bath and the estate of neglect in which the ancient reservoirs were found, by Real Orden May, 9th 1847, it was agreed to put up for auction the construction works of the Balneario, whose plans and costings were passed by the Real Academia de Arte of San Fernando.
Monuments
Town Hall
Spa
Urban Area
Church of Ntra. Sra. de la Salud
Bullring
Gastronomy
The typical dishes in Carratraca are the soups and stews such as the tripe, the cabbage, the beans or chards stew and the rabbit one. In summer we can taste the breadcrumbs and parsley omelettes, garlic and eggs and the casserole of potatoes and almonds. With respect to the confectionery we have to emphasize the tortas de aceite (light, crispy and flaky biscuits), lemon biscuits and the sponge cake.
How to get there
 You have to depart from Málaga and take the road A-357, that, without any detour, it leads to the area around Carratraca. A visible sign shows you the Access to the town.
Distances
To Málaga 47 km
To Ronda 54 km
To Pizarra 17 km
To Antequera 45 km
To Ardales 6,4 km |
