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Parish church in the central plaza in Villanueva de Tapia

Villanueva de Tapia is situated on the eastern border between Antequera and the provinces of Granada and Cordoba. The landscape is undulating countryside, occasionally contrasting with hills, and above all, the presence of that part of the Sierra del Pedroso mountain range - whose highest peak reaches 1,205 metres - that juts into the southern part of the municipality. There are some old oak and pine groves in the lower mountain area, although most of the land is covered in olive groves and cereal plantations, mainly to the north between the road to the Iznájar reservoir and the province of Cordoba. After the Christian conquest of these lands, the Villanueva de Tapia area became the object of court action between Iznájar (Cordoba) and Archidona, each of which town claimed the municipality as its own. This is the reason for the other name of the municipality, mentioned in 16^th century documents now in the Municipal Archives in Iznaéjar: Entredicho, meaning split or under injunction. To solve the problem, the advisors to the Real Hacienda, at the beginning of the 17^th century, decided that the municipality would form part of the Royal Heritage. But Felipe III, having decided that these lands were not showing enough profit, decided to sell them to a member of the Castille Supreme Advisory Body, named Pedro de Tapia. Thus the complete name of the town.

Places to be visited

Urban centre The architecture and layout of Villanueva de Tapia is typical of the towns in the Antequera area: 18th century houses and curious buildings like the old Santa Bárbara inn, now in private hands and conserved as it was in the past. Parish church The parish church stands out from the rest of the buildings in Villanueva de Tapia, as much for its height as for its bright colour. The tower is especially interesting, built in two storeys and roofed in colourful tiles. Natural surroundings The area surrounding Villanueva de Tapia is fairly suave, with occasional hills and the tail end of the Sierra del Pedroso mountain range, whose highest peak reaches 1,205 metres. Closer to the town itself are the hills of Artillería and Gordo and the Lomas (Hills) of Puerto and Cortijo Alto, while the rivers that flow though the municipality are the Cerezo and the Aulaguilla, supplied from the sources at the Nacimiento, the Borbollón and the Matea. Here too we can find Roman and Moorish remains, incomplete, of course, but offering a fascinating insight into the people who lived in Villanueva de Tapia in times gone by.

Where to eat

Bar Tomás. Specialising in roast ham. Avda. de la Constitución, 8. Tel: 952 750 262. El Nacimiento. Specialising in combined dishes. Ctra. Salinas-Iznájar. Tel: 952 750 229. Bar Miguel. Specialising in combined dishes. Avda. Constitución, 86. Tel: 952 750 177. Los Tres Pollos. Specialising in barbecued meats. Ctra.A-333.  Restaurante La Paloma. Specialising in combined dishes. Ctra. A-333. Tel: 952 750 114.

Where to sleep

Albergue rural la Higuera. Ctra. A-333. Barriada La Paloma. Tel: 952 750 219. Rural Accommodation in the province of Malaga (in Spanish)

Virgen de Gracia Park

FIESTAS
Villanueva de Tapia celebrates three of its most popular festivals in June, August and October. The first is the annual Feria, which takes place from June 12^th to 14^th; the second is the Day of the Emigrant, taking place during the second weekend in August, and the third is the festival of the patron saint of the town, the Virgen del Pilar, which is held every year on and around October 12^th. During this last one there is also a Cattle Fair, the most traditional of all of Andalucía, with a history going back a century. Deals made at the Cattle Fair are sealed in the traditional manner too, with a handshake. In the year 2000 a new fair was introduced, this being the Feria de Razas Caprinas Andaluzas de la Comarca Nororiental de Málaga. In this new fair, different breeds of cattle from all over Spain are shown, while local gastronomic delicacies are handed out to visitors. There are also conferences organised in which subjects relating to cattle breeding are discussed.

GASTRONOMY
The gastronomy of Villanueva de Tapia is based on local produce above all else, with specialities being gazpacho, stuffed peppers, soups and fried breadcrumbs. Pork products are used a good deal in the local cuisine, and pastries are made for special occasions and festivals.

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