Monda

Navigating around Monda for the first time in the dark isn't easy. We had arrived in Malaga airport with a three hour delay due to heavy rainfall in October '24, and after those delays we rolled into Monda at 11pm. With one of the main streets being worked on and many streets being one-way traffic streets, we ended up touring around the town numerous times .

And it must be said that many of Monda's streets are narrow. Finally, we were able to find our hosts at the agreed rendezvous point.

But that was just our initial impression of Monda, after a few days , we were well familiar with the network of one-way streets and navigated around it as swiftly as the locals.

So welcome to Monda, a small town in the mountains just inland from the Costa Del Sol. With a population of less than 2000, you are off the beaten track away from the busy tourist resorts. The town is overlooked by Castillo de Monda, a hotel that sits atop a three covered hill where once stood the Moorish castle named Castillo de Al-Mundat. The town doesn't receive many tourists, and the few bars and restaurants are frequented by locals.

Things to do in Monda:

1. Plaza de la Ermita:

The central square of Monda has a few bars and is a meeting point for the locals. It is here that you find the monument of the miner, a life-size bronze sculpture representing a cisquero.  The cisqueros used to transform oak wood/cork wood into charcoal 

2.  Fountains:
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Monda's history has always been closely linked to water. In Andalusian times, the Muslims developed and exploited this vital resource. In Monda, they developed four spring fed fountains and public wash houses which in turn fed beautiful orchards downstream.

Laundry & Fountain La Jaula La Fuente and Lavadero de La Jaula are located in the centre of the town.
The fountain dates from the 16th century and owe their name to the Arabic term al-Haura, which means “the outskirts”. It is located in a hollow of the La Lucía stream, which runs through Monda.
The fountain was restored in the 18th century.

Fountain De La Villa: In the direction of the municipality of Guaro, there is another fountain that has provided water to the town for centuries. This fountain has three cast iron pipes that protrude from a whitewashed wall to pour water into a long pillar that served as a trough for cattle.

Fountain Mea Mea: This modest fountain was moved to its current location due to the town expanding around the 1890's. , which once stood at the lower end of Calle Marbella.

Fountain La esquina: This is a small 19th century fountain, topped by an iron cross. This three spouted fountain has provided drinking water to the village for more than 500 year. Animals watered here and water was collected for all domestic activities, cooking, cleaning,washing,... 
It is located in a small square building with four water fountains. 

3. Casa Museo Marigloria:

The Marigloria house museum is an old traditional house that is very well preserved by its owner. Within the museum, you ca admire a large collection of traditional tools from the countryside and rural life. The house itself displays traditional Andalusian architecture with its whitewashed walls, windows and balconies decorated with bright coloured flowers that fill the air with its fragrance and a gable roof covered in Maroccan tiles.

Within the detailed rooms within the museum, it appears as if time has stood still. An old bedroom with its wrought-iron bed, the kitchen with its bread oven and the traditional Andalusian patio with a stable full of farming tools show the traditional way of life of a typical Andalusian town.

4. Walking:

The area around Monda lends itself perfect for walking and hiking. With La Sierra de las Nieves on its doorstep and many paths leading up the hills/mountains around Monda, it's perfect for a short or longer hike.

A short walk from the town is The Mirador de la Peragüera, a viewpoint located between the Marbella road and Calle Consejo. From the viewing point you get magnificent panoramic views of the town of Monda in the foreground and the Sierra de las Nieves behind.

Another worthwhile walk is towards the old Roman path. It is located on the outskirts of the town, in the direction of Coín, 
It was the road that connected with the city of Malaka through the Guadalhorce Valley. Products such as oil, cereal and wine were taken to the port to be shipped to other parts of the Roman Empire.

So, when you are staying in one of the Costa Del Sol seaside resorts, venture off the beaten part and discover the beautiful region around Monda.