Antequera Nature Reserves Costa del Sol Antequera Spain

Antequera Nature

El Torcal Natural Reserve
El Torcal is famous for its unusual limestone rock formations, some of the most impressive limestone landscapes in Europe. See map of Antequera. It is located about 30 km north of the city of Malaga, in the dirction of Antequera, near the village of Villanueva de la Concepción.

Up till one hundred million years ago, El Torcal Park as submerged under the sea. Plate techtonics forced the sea bed up into the hills and mountains into what we see today. Some mountains up to 1.300 meters in height.

The limestone formations kept their horizontal layered structure, but one hundred million years of erosion have chiseled away the vertical layers to form incredible and strange shapes.

To find El Torcal Natural Reserve, go to the village of Villanueva de la Concepcion and follow the signs for El Torcal. In the parking area of El Torcal is a small museum with an interesting display of flora and fauna wildlife. Orchid enthusiasts will be delighted by the 30 varieties of the plant that grow in El Torcal Natural Reserve.

Animal life in the park is more sparse than other natural spots in the area. This is partly due to the dry environmental conditions. Nevertheless there are numerous species of lizard which can be seen basking in the sun, on the warm grey rocks of El Torcal, notably the stunning, Eyed Lizard, which can be seen during the warmer Spring and Summer months. One of the largest reptiles in the area is the Montpelier snake, which can grow up to two metres in length.

There are many species of bird, like the magnificent Griffon Vultures, which circle constantly over the park. And other smaller birds that inhabit the trees and rocks, like the Abubilla.

Wild mammals aren't so abundant. But there are goats that wander the area. At night, in the lower regions, nocturnal mammals such as badgers, polecats, weasels and rodents come out to forage.

The best time to visit El Torcal is during the Spring and Autumn, when it's cooler. Although during the winter months, snow casts its white veil over the park, and the landscape becomes so beautiful that the cold weather in Antequera becomes almost unimportant.