El Torcal, One Of The Most Beautiful Karst Mountains

The karst mountains of Torcal de Antequera are unique. Located in the Andalusian province of Malaga, they can be considered, without any doubt, one of the most spectacular formations of its kind. Still don’t know them? Well, we hope that, when you finish reading these lyrics, you will begin to prepare a getaway to this place in Malaga.

Karst mountains, sierra and the Mediterranean Sea

Possibly it is the long list of tourist claims that the province of Malaga treasures that makes the Torcal karst mountains not as well known as they deserve.

And it is that many associate tourism in Malaga territory with the enjoyment of the beaches of the Costa del Sol. Or with the discovery of the beautiful villages of the Serranía de Málaga, with Ronda at the head.

However, there are countless wonderful corners in this Andalusian province. Places as fascinating and unique as the landscape that make up these unique karst mountains.

Where is El Torcal

The most popular name for these karst mountains is Torcal de Antequera. But, to be fair, it must be said that the place is in two municipal terms. Of course, in Antequera, but also in Villanueva de la Concepción. In fact, the main access is almost equidistant from both nuclei.

The antiquity of the Torcal

Geologists believe that this landscape would be formed in Jurassic times. A time when this entire area was a shallow sea. There would be these rocks that would later emerge during the Tertiary.

Limestone rocks in which tectonic forces, natural chemical processes and meteorological agents carved these peculiar and unique reliefs within the wide spectrum of forms that the karst mountains have throughout the planet.

Rocks and imagination

During the walk through the Torcal, following the paths that we are going to comment on later, you can see with your own eyes how capricious nature has been when it comes to sculpting this rocky landscape.

Of all the rocks in these karst mountains, the most emblematic is the one known as El Tornillo, so much so that it has become the image of El Torcal.

But there are many worthy of a good photograph. Over there are the Little Hat, the Dice, the Binoculars, the Chalice and many others. And even figures that you will invent yourself.

And underground

One of the characteristics of the karst mountains is its underground parts. And, of course, there are also several caves and chasms in the Torcal area.

There are them as deep as the more than 200 meters deep of the Union chasm. Or there are those with a more horizontal layout, such as the Cueva del Toro or the Cueva de Marinaleda, in which archaeological remains from Prehistory have been found.

Today’s visit to Torcal

The appearance of these karst mountains from those prehistoric times to the present has not had to change that much. Or so we like to think. Although it is true that at that time there would be much more vegetation than now. And the roads inside the Torcal would not be so well signposted.

Today, the visitor center will tell you in a very entertaining and educational way the most interesting of this landscape. Everything you want to know about their training and their history you will find here. And after visiting the center, you can now go outside and discover the magic of Torcal.

To travel it, you can choose three different routes, differentiated by colors: orange, yellow and green. The shortest and most familiar is the green one with only 1.5 kilometer of travel. Meanwhile, the other two are around 3 kilometers, which is not that much either.

However, and in any case, it is still a journey through nature. Therefore, it is advisable to prepare a little for the excursion and, at least, be minimally equipped for the occasion.