Acting as a northern doorway to the province, it has a mountainous terrain, which is very unlike other areas, very lush, with large forests, in contrast with the arid nature of other parts of Almería. It is its situation as well which leads to the very rustic way of life, in close contact with its surroundings, which is so attractive for visitors seeking peace and tranquillity.

How to get to the different villages of Los Vélez

This northern part of Almería, the most separated from the rest of the province, has good communications with neighbouring provinces Granada and Murcia.

From the city of the Alhambra, taking the A-92, one can get almost directly to Vélez Rubio and Chirivel.

Likewise, the Autovía del Mediterráneo, which follows the east coast, allows tourists to reach the area from Murcia or from the beaches of the province itself.

Los Vélez The cradle of the Indalo

The area has many cave paintings such as el Indalo or “the Sorcerer” which has become a symbol of the province, but this is only a part of the rich heritage and monumental history of places such as Vélez Blanco or Vélez Rubio. Furthermore, Los Vélez, due to its unique geographical situation, right in the heart of the mountains, offers to the visitor the typical setting of mountain villages like Chirivel or María, with their little white-washed houses, where time seems to stand still. In winter, the snow-capped peaks are a beautiful sight.

Los Vélez Thousands years of history

It was more than 18.000 years ago that the first inhabitants arrived in these rich and fertile lands. The oldest signs of prehistoric life date from this period, in places such as the Cueva de Ambrosio, with its Palaeolithic remains, and in the wealth of cave paintings to be found all over the area. In fact, of the 79 examples of cave paintings found in Andalucía, 25 are in the Los Vélez area of Almería, and all of them have been declared a Heritage of Mankind.

The Iberians, Romans, Visigoths, and Moors followed these earliest cultures. The strategic position, to the north of the province, and near to Granada and Murcia, was of great interest to the Romans, who ordered the building of the Via Augusta, which crossed the area, and was a means of communication which facilitated its economic development.

From the period of Roman occupation, the site of El Villar, in Chirivel, has been conserved. Here, they discovered a beautiful sculpture of Dionysus, dating from the 2nd century A.D. and it has become the symbol of the village.

For the Moors, the area took on a defensive role, in their efforts to stop the Christians in their attempts to penetrate the Kingdom of Granada. In fact, the castle in Vélez Blanco became one of the most difficult and unassailable of the period.

Vélez Blanco was surrendered peacefully to the Catholic Monarchs in 1488. In 1506 they named Don Pedro Fajardo y Chacón Marquis of Los Vélez, and he began the construction of the fine castle which presides over the town. Vélez Rubio was later incorporated into the feudal estate of Los Vélez, as were María and Chirivel, villages whose origins were as clusters of farmhouses belonging to the Marquis´ estate.

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Fuente: www.dipalme.org