This tiny village is situated in a lovely valley setting in the north-east of the Axarquia region, just below the village of Canillas de Albaida. There is good car access and a forty minute drive takes you the coastal towns and resorts, but shops, banks, bars and restaurants in Archez can provide for all you daily needs.

The village was established by Arabs in the thirteenth century and its exquisite 14th Century minaret, bears witness to this legacy, while the belfry added at a later date, marks the passage of the “reconquest”

Archez has a population of about 500 people. The river runs through it – you will see horses being grazed along the river bed in summer – and the steep valley sides around are thickly planted with groves of avocado, lemon, orange and olive, as well as almonds, whose delicate white flowers at the start of the year look like the snow fall that the warm climate prevents. The Sierra Tejeda mountains form a dramatic backdrop to the village and are a reminder of the many walking routes to be enjoyed close by.

Archez, Salares, Sedella, Canillas de Albaida, Canillas de Aceituno, Competa, all villages which stand at the foot of the impressive Tejeda and Almijara Sierras; all morisco (Moorish convert to Christianity) villages, where vines were the main crop and are still an important element in the landscape as well as the economy; all display similar characteristics, reflecting the true essence of the Axarquia region, its scenery, its way of life and its history.

The layout of their streets and the architecture of their whitewashed houses, which create unforgettably-picturesque corners, gives them a unique seal of identity, so much so that, together, they make up what is known as the Mudejar Route (Ruta del Mudéjar).

The highlight of the village is the minaret of Our Lady’s Church.

 

You are welcome in Archez