Cómpeta

About Cómpeta

Cómpeta spreads over a hillside at 638 metres below the Sierra de Almijara, whose peaks reach almost 1,800 metres, with views south to the sea. Its name may come from the Latin compita, a crossroads. The Moorish village surrendered to the Catholic Monarchs on 29 April 1487, and its Moriscos joined the 1569 revolt. Vines and olives still cover the terraces; about 3,800 people live here.

Life centres on Plaza Almijara and the 16th-century church of La Asunción, whose brick tower about 30 metres high was rebuilt after an earthquake. Beside it, the Paseo de las Tradiciones has ceramic murals of village life by José Antonio Rivas. Lanes climb to the hermitages of San Antón and San Sebastián, and the Plaza de la Vendimia has a floor for treading grapes.

Cómpeta is 52 km east of Málaga, about an hour by car via the A-7 and Torrox, and Loymer buses link it with Torre del Mar and Málaga Monday to Saturday. Park on the through road or at the edge; the centre is steep and partly pedestrian. Allow two to three hours. Only the plaza area suits wheelchairs. It suits walkers, wine lovers and families.

Spring and autumn suit walking; summer nights are lively. The Noche del Vino on 15 August, held since 1973, brings grape treading, migas and flamenco, and Cruces de Mayo is on 3 May. Try sweet and dry moscatel, raisins, migas and potaje de hinojos. The tourist office has maps of the signed trails into the natural park.

Cómpeta in pictures

What you’ll find

• Bus connectionPublic transportBuy
• Car parkParkingFree
• ChurchChurch visitFree
• FestivalAnnual festivalFree
• Hiking trailHikingFree
• Historic centreOld town walkFree
• Local foodLocal cuisineBuy
• Tourist officeVisitor informationFree
• ViewpointSightseeingFree

Nearby places to visit

Canillas de Albaida (2 km) is reached by a lane that drops into the Turvilla valley, with its Ermita de Santa Ana and walks to the old Fábrica de la Luz. Next door, Árchez (2 km) keeps an Almohad minaret with red brick sebka panels. A mountain track runs south-east to El Acebuchal and on to Frigiliana (8 km), whose Barribarto is the best-preserved Moorish quarter on this coast. The Nerja Caves (14 km) are the nearest big sight on the coast, and Playa de Lagos (11 km) is the closest beach, a quiet strip of sand and shingle between Torrox and Algarrobo.