FRIGILIANA The origins of Frigiliana date back to the Roman period, but it will not take its urban appearance until the Arab period. Located at the hillside of the Sierra Almijara Mountains and resembling a balcony, it offers one of the most spectacular and beautiful panoramic views of the Costa del Sol. In Frigiliana we can find a good number of expert craftsmen and craftswomen who work in their workshops with all type of materials, from the most common as clay to the most curious as water pumpkins, crystal, leather and straw. The textile company store Telares de Frigiliana makes all kind of carpet and tapestry with the same traditional technique and raw material used by the weavers centuries ago. The traditional craftwork is, then, the most outstanding sector in this municipality. There are village aroundo the villa they are, Nerja, Torrox and Competa. NERJA Nerja is located in the Eastern boundaries of the province of Malaga and is connected with the province of Granada. This municipality, which gathers both sea and mountains, is considered not only the most important tourist centre of Eastern Costa del Sol, but also the town with the most attractive coastal landscape of the entire Malaga coastline. Unusually in the Mediterranean coast, here the slopes of Almijara Mountains range jut in the sea wildly and depicts an extraordinary broken coast. This coastal setting has been designated Natural Reserve of Maro-Cerro Gordo Cliffs. Although access is not an easy task, it is worth enjoying in this area several little unspoilt coves. The first trace remains of human settlements in this municipality were found in the well-known cave Cueva de Nerja. This remains belong to the Aurignacian Upper Palaeolithic period. Nothing else is known about other civilisations in this area till the Roman rule established a little village called Detunda at present day Maro area. Maro is another population centre belonging to the municipality of Nerja, where the cliffs and the cave of Cueva de Nerja are located. TORROX The climate of Torrox is considered one of the best of Europe. Its old quarter is depicted by white houses and flowers, which characterise it with the well-known name of "White Village". The Church of "Encarnación" and the Convent of "Nuestra Señora de las Nieves" are two of the most outstanding visits. The Roman Villa of Caviclum is another must. Besides, its coastline, watched by to crenelated towers, offers many heavenly beaches. Following the Catholics Monarchs' Reconquest, Torrox was conferred the title of Muy Noble y Real Villa (a very noble and royal village). However, once that the Moorish were expelled, it sank into poverty. During the 17th and 18th century, the village recovered its magnificence and some palaces were built, as for example, the Casa de la Moneda (Mint House). This construction was a necessity for the international harbour trade and the village economy base. In the 19th century, wars and earthquakes provoked a backward step for Torrox. Nevertheless, it recovered gradually thanks to sugar cane cultivation. In the beginning of the 20th century, the sugar cane trade declined and it was replaced by tropical farming. Tourism appeared in this area by the middle of this same century as well as in the rest of the Costa del Sol. Its climate, beaches and cultural heritage make Torrox one of the most visited areas. COMPETA Competa is one of the most spectacular villages of the province of Malaga. A route through its forest trail, leading to Venta Panaderos through Casa de la Mina, may become an unforgettable hiking experience for mountain lovers: the marvellous views of the Verde, Tres Cruces and Cisne hills together with many other mountains which turn the Almijara Mountains into a wonderful natural scene. At the bottom of the village the mountains of the Axarquia area are also made out. Although they present a more humble relief, their beauty is comparable to those of Almijara. Here man has transformed the settings by growing vineyards dotted by white houses. Many of these houses still keep the typical paseros, where the grapes are dried to obtain the delicious raisins for dessert. Man's presence in this lands since far-off times may have been favoured by the abundance of springs, its key location between the old routes crossing the mountains ranges of Granada and Malaga, its good climate and the shelter of the mountains for protection against possible invaders. However, the known history of Competa begins in 1487 when Vélez-Málaga was reconquered. Soon after the Christian reconquest, the Moorish population of Competa supported theirs people's uprising in the Axarquia and became strong at the outcrop Peñón of Frigiliana. They resisted several attacks of the Christian troops, but on the 12th of June this stronghold was beaten. Those who managed to escape alive continued theirs harassing in country houses and properties of the Church. This fact made the Christian reinforce the garrison in order to improve the control of the Moorish's movement from Granada. The inhabitants of Competa have farmed the land for centuries. They have mainly cultivated vineyards and olive and almond trees. Nowadays, farming has been diversified and has changed into tropical cultivation, as for example, avocado, custard apple, mango and kiwifruit. This farming has been favoured by the mildness of the subtropical climate of the area. Together with farming, tourism has become one of the most solid economic mainstays of this municipality.