Photo: Unodeaquí (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons
Istán: source of the Río Molinos and Charco del Canalón
From Marbella centre25 min
Duration1 h (walk to the spring); about 3.5 h one way to Charco del Canalón
DifficultyEasy (spring); moderate (Charco del Canalón)
PriceFree
Best timeAll year; the Charco del Canalón, especially in summer
KidsYes (walk to the spring)
AddressIstán, a unos 15 km de Marbella por la A-7176 (sale de la Milla de Oro, pasado el Hotel Puente Romano). Deja el coche fuera del centro: las calles son estrechas y es para recorrer a pie
Opening hoursOpen natural area. Istán Tourist Office (C/ Marbella): Wednesday to Saturday 10:30–14:00 and 17:30–20:00; Sunday 10:30–15:00.
About
- Istán is 'the spring of the Costa del Sol': water gushes from the rocks of Sierra Blanca at the Nacimiento del Río Molinos
- Walk to the spring through terraced orchards worked for almost a thousand years, Moorish irrigation channels (such as the Acequia del Chorro) and old flour mills
- PR-A 280 Istán–Charco del Canalón: 6.4 km one way, about 3.5 h, medium difficulty, among orange trees, avocados and the Bornoque cork oak forest
- Charco del Canalón: two pools of clear water on the Río Verde, under a waterfall between rock walls
- Museo del Agua, on the outskirts next to the viewpoints: free entry
Good to know
- You cross the Río Verde by a suspension bridge (if it's in good condition) or through the riverbed, only if the water level allows
- The stones are slimy with algae: wear shoes with good grip or water shoes
- The stretch after the El Albercón pool is steeper
- The water from the village fountains comes down from the mountains untreated; many people fill large bottles at the entrance
- Eating in the village: Troyano, El Barón or Entre Sierras
Near here
IstánVillage · Istán · 25 minMoorish village in the Río Verde valley, known as 'the spring of the Costa del Sol'.jpg/960px-Marbella_-_Picho_de_la_Concha_(Sierra_Blanca).jpg)
Climb to La Concha from the Refugio de JuanarHiking · Ojén / Marbella (Sierra Blanca) · 30 minLa Concha (1,215 m), the shell-shaped peak you can see from all over Marbella.jpg/960px-El_Juanar_al_fondo_(3335396244).jpg)
Refugio de Juanar–Los Castillejos and the Spanish fir forest (loop)Hiking · Ojén (Sierra Blanca) · 30 minCircular route of about 7.85–8 km and 525 m of ascent along the Senda de José Lima
Juanar: Mirador del Macho Montés and Cruz de JuanarHiking · Ojén (Sierra Blanca) · 30 minOfficial trail El Juanar–Puerto Marbella: 2.7 km one way, about 1 h 15 min, easy, along a track shaded by pines