Ojén

About Ojén

Ojén spreads up a hillside at about 300 metres between the Sierra Blanca and the Sierra Alpujata, among orchards and pine woods. It appears in the chronicles of the 10th century, when Abd al-Rahman III took its castle from the rebels of Bobastro in 921. The village surrendered to Ferdinand the Catholic in 1485; its Moriscos joined the revolt of 1569, burning the church, and were replaced by new settlers. About 4,800 people live in the municipality.

The parish church of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación, founded in 1505 on the site of the mosque, faces Plaza de Andalucía. Nearby, the Museo del Molino de Aceite keeps an oil mill of about 1800 with its original machinery, and the Museo del Aguardiente tells the story of the anise spirit distilled here from 1830. The Fuente de Los Chorros of 1905 pours spring water for the village and its huertas.

Ojén is 8 km from Marbella (15 minutes) and about 55 km from Málaga airport (45 minutes). Park in the car parks at the entrance to the village; the centre is hilly, with steep lanes and steps above the square, so wheelchair users will manage only the lower streets. Allow two to three hours. It suits families and walkers.

Spring and autumn are best for walking. The Ojeando music festival fills the village in summer. Try a glass of aguardiente, local olive oil and dishes with game from the sierra. Tip: drive up to the Refugio de Juanar for lunch and the Mirador del Macho Montés.

Ojén in pictures

What you’ll find

• Car parkParkingFree
• ChurchChurch visitFree
• FestivalAnnual festivalFree
• Hiking trailHikingFree
• Historic centreOld town walkFree
• Local foodLocal cuisineBuy
• Moorish quarterMoorish heritage walkFree
• MuseumFree museumFree
• ViewpointSightseeingFree

Nearby places to visit

The mountain road from Ojén climbs to the Refugio de Juanar, a 1906 hunting lodge of the Larios family set among pines and chestnuts, where a short track leads to the Mirador del Macho Montés above Marbella. Down on the coast, Playa del Pinillo (6 km) and Playa de la Bajadilla (7 km) are Marbella's nearest town beaches. Over the hill, Istán (9 km) has Moorish irrigation channels and a reservoir view, the spa village of Tolox (14 km) lies beyond Coín, and Mijas Pueblo (20 km) lies on the far side of the Sierra Alpujata.