Guaro

The municipality of Guaro, between Coín and Tolox and adjoining the River Grande, one of the tributaries of the Guadalhorce, is one of the ports of entry to the Sierra de las Nieves Nature Park, which has been designated by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve. This advantageous location will give some idea of the beauty of the setting. It is just a short distance from the Costa del Sol but at the same time is insulated from the hustle and bustle of the coast, all the more so by the fact that traffic is restricted in many of the village streets. A state of balance has thus been reached between the needs of contemporary life and the traditions of an eminently agricultural and therefore slow-paced village.

This territory sprawls out gently among hills whose altitude varies between 200 and 500 metres and that are covered mainly by olive and almond trees and low brush, with groves of cork oaks here and there where the terrain is not suitable for crops. The landscape has an unmistakably agricultural flavour but is nevertheless compatible with the installation of new cultural and leisure facilities.

Remains discovered in the area of Ardite show that the first settlements in these lands occurred in prehistoric times, and there is also evidence of the Roman imprint at Cerro del Polvillar. The village was founded by the Arabs, however, at a date that has not been determined with certainty.

The Muslims first settled at Guaro Viejo (Old Guaro) and shortly afterward at present-day Guaro. It received the designation of “villa” (royal burgh) by decree of Felipe IV in 1614. Some years later, in 1648, this king wished to pay for certain services performed for the crown by Juan Chumacero Sotomayor Carrillo de la Vega, so the villa of Guaro was converted to a county and that person became its first Count.