The best road cycling routes around Cuevas Bajas

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The Laguna de Fuente de Piedra provides an important habitat for large flamingo colonies and is one of the most significant breeding grounds for this bird species in Europe. The shallow salt lagoon offers ideal conditions for the birds, allowing them to be observed there in large numbers, especially during the warmer months.

about 5,600 years ago 😮 1,140 tons 😲

The Conjunto Arqueológico Dólmenes de Antequera (Antequera Dolmens Archaeological Site) is one of the most important prehistoric sites in Europe and is located on the outskirts of Antequera in Andalusia, directly on the Carretera de Málaga (Málaga Highway). The site comprises three large megalithic tombs – the Dolmen de Menga, the Dolmen de Viera, and the Tholos de El Romeral – as well as the two natural monuments Peña de los Enamorados and El Torcal de Antequera. Together, they have formed a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2016, uniquely demonstrating the connection between humankind, architecture, and landscape. The Dolmen de Menga is the largest structure in the site and is among the most impressive megalithic tombs in Europe. It was built between approximately 3800 and 3600 BC and consists of enormous stone blocks assembled to form a long burial chamber. Particularly noteworthy is its alignment with the rock Peña de los Enamorados, suggesting a symbolic or ritual significance. Human remains and grave goods were found inside. Just a few meters away is the Dolmen de Viera, which is somewhat smaller and more classically constructed. It was built between approximately 3500 and 3000 BC and is oriented precisely to the east, so that sunlight falls directly into the burial chamber at the equinox. The third structure, the Tholos de El Romeral, lies about four kilometers away and dates from the Copper Age, around 2500 BC. Its circular shape and corbelled vault distinguish it from the older dolmens and represent a further development of the architectural techniques of that time.

The city gate of Antequera was built in 1749 in the Baroque style, demolished in the 19th century, and faithfully reconstructed in the 1990s. Today, the Puerta de Estepa is a symbolic gateway to the city.

Fuente de Piedra is a charming village whose name derives from an ancient spring believed to possess healing powers. The area was already settled in Roman times, and the spring was then referred to as "Fons Divinus." In the Middle Ages, a small settlement grew up around the spring, which later acquired its present name. During the 18th and 19th centuries, Fuente de Piedra was a renowned spa town thanks to its mineral waters, until the spring dried up. Today, the village's name evokes this past, while its history remains closely intertwined with the use and veneration of the water.

The Parish Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (Iglesia Parroquial de Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada Concepción) is the main church of Alameda and is located in the town center. Built in 1633, it has been expanded several times over the centuries, including the 18th century with the addition of side aisles and a Baroque chapel. The church displays typical elements of Andalusian Baroque architecture, with a simple stone and brick facade and a striking round-arched portal. Inside, the high nave, flanked by two lower side aisles, and a barrel-vaulted ceiling create a harmonious atmosphere. The church is particularly famous as the burial place of the legendary bandit El Tempranillo, who died in Alameda in 1833. It also houses an elaborate image of the Virgen de los Dolores (Virgin of Sorrows), created in 1940 by the sculptor Castillo Lastrucci. The church is now a listed building and is considered one of the most important historical buildings in the town, combining both religious and cultural history.

The "Monumento a los vecinos de la Madina Antaqira" in Antequera was inaugurated on September 24, 2010, and commemorates the inhabitants of the Moorish town of Madina Antaqira who were expelled from their homeland during the Reconquista. Many of these families moved to Granada, where they founded the historic district of La Antequeruela. The monument is located in the Plaza del Carmen, in front of the Torre del Asalto, and consists of a sculptural group depicting the Muslim families in traditional clothing. It is one of the few monuments in Spain that does not celebrate the Christian conquest, but rather preserves the memory of the expelled Muslim population and keeps their history alive.