Málaga Spots › Villages and viewpoints

Photo: Tyk (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons

Istán

Village · Istán

About

• Moorish village in the Río Verde valley, known as 'the spring of the Costa del Sol'
• Moorish irrigation channels that still water the orchards (Acequia del Chorro) and the wash house on C/ Chorro, with six spouts
• 15th-century Arab tower (C/ San Miguel), Iglesia de San Miguel (16th century) and the fountain-sculpture La Esfera (2003)
• Museo del Agua (free) and viewpoints of Tajo Banderas and Las Herrizas over the La Concepción reservoir
• Castaño Santo (Holy Chestnut), over 800 years old and 13 m in circumference

Good to know

• Tourist Office (C/ Marbella): Wednesday to Saturday 10:30-14:00 and 17:30-20:00; Sunday 10:30-15:00
• The streets are narrow: leave the car outside and walk in
• Routes: a walk to the source of the Río Molinos and, in summer, the pools of the Charco del Canalón (PR-A 280)
• Eating: Troyano, El Barón, Entre Sierras or El Potro; typical dishes, sopa de maíz (corn soup) and fried rabbit
• San Miguel festival on 29 September; food fair in spring

Near here

• 
  Istán: source of the Río Molinos and Charco del CanalónHiking · Istán · 25 minIstán is 'the spring of the Costa del Sol': water gushes from the rocks of Sierra Blanca at the Nacimiento del Río Molinos
• 
  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
• 
  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

Opening hours and prices can change: check before you go.