Parauta, Malaga: A Charming White Inland Village
If you want an all-immersive nature day trip from Malaga, Parauta and its surroundings are worth exploring.
Parauta is a lovely small village located in the province of Malaga in Southern Spain.
It’s in the Valle del Genal, not far from the town of Ronda, and within de la Sierra de las Nieves Natural Park, recognised as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. It is truly a fantastic destination for nature lovers.
Besides exploring Parauta and nearby villages like Igualeja and Juzcar (yes, the smurf town!), you can also make its recently famous hiking trail called Bosque Encantado (the Enchanted Forest), the main reason my family and I decided to go there for the day.
If you’re interested in visiting places where locals go, this is one of them, and I’ll tell you all about it.
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About Parauta Malaga
The moment you step into Parauta, you immerse yourself in history. This village dates back many years before the Muslim period in Andalusia.
Despite previous civilisations, the Moorish influence is the one that stands out across the town – its cobbled, steep and whitewashed streets, its Moorish arches and the architectural style of the buildings.
The town was later conquered by the Catholic Monarchs, as was the case with the other towns in the Serrania de Ronda area, and the Moorish population declined significantly thereafter.
Nowadays, Parauta feels like a sleepy town on weekdays. However, it becomes lively and busy during autumn because of the stunning yellow and brown leaves, trees, and chestnuts, especially on the weekends when people from Malaga and nearby towns come with their families, as I did.
Top things to do in Parauta
1. Wander its cobblestone streets
I’m not going to lie to you; the town doesn’t have many attractions, so it isn’t the sort of place you go to for a cultural visit.
As much as I love learning about places through museums, cathedrals and historical attractions, I also love exploring small, whitewashed towns and villages in my county.
They are small but unique and so picturesque. I can confirm it’s a photographer’s paradise. I couldn’t resist taking photos of every corner of Parauta.
When you enter the town, you have the “Welcome to Parauta” sign surrounded by small statues of fairies, dwarves and other magical creatures. This is a popular spot for families and kids to take photos.
Then, you have the lovely white-painted streets with old-style chairs hanging down the walls and colourful murals.
I advise spending some time getting lost in its narrow and steep streets.
2. Take a photo at the kissing bench
One of the prettiest corners in Parauta is “Bésame en Parauta”, which translates to “Kiss me in Parauta”. You’ll see the kiss me sentence, beautiful flower pots hanging down the wall and a wooden bench decorated with hearts.
This spot reminded me of the beautiful town of Iznájar in the province of Cordoba. They also have a kissing corner.
It’s the perfect spot for couples and families to take a photo that will remind you of this lovely day trip out.
If you go to Parauta on a weekend, you’ll likely have to queue to take a photo here.
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3. Taste local dishes
You can try some of the most famous traditional dishes in Malaga in Parauta, but Parauta also has dishes that are specifically typical in the town and not elsewhere.
As chestnuts surround Parauta, it isn’t a surprise that this town’s traditional dishes contain chestnuts. For example, you can have wild boar with chestnut sauce or chestnut cake.
4. Go on the Enchanted Forest trail
El Bosque Encantado is Parauta’s main attraction. It’s how others and I discovered this small town.
The Enchanted Forest is a small, adapted route where you can find wooden-carved sculptures of fairies, tiny houses, dwarves, and other creatures. Diego Guerrero is the local artist behind these creations along the trail and in the surrounding area.
With all these beautiful wooden carved sculptures, chestnut trees, and lovely brown and yellow leaves during autumn, you have plenty of opportunities to take photos.
This walking route is only 3 kilometres long, and the path is mostly suitable for prams. It has some hills, but they aren’t too bad.
I liked this walk because it was unique. However, I wish my family and I had visited it during the week, as we went on a Sunday, and it was packed. We had to park far away from the town, in the nearest petrol station, to be precise, and walk to the village because there weren’t any parking spaces there!
Ideally, go to Parauta on a weekday, but if you can’t, go early to stay away from the crowds and avoid walking to the town (I wouldn’t recommend it, especially with small kids!)
Where to eat in Parauta
Unfortunately, Parauta has few restaurants, and they’re relatively small, so they quickly fill up on weekends.
One of the most popular restaurants in Parauta is Restaurante El Anafe. I recommend booking a table if you really want to eat here or elsewhere in the town.
However, they sometimes have a food market near the beginning of the Enchanted Forest with one or two food stalls selling sandwiches.
The safest option is to pack a picnic with you. This way, you won’t be stressed about where to eat and will avoid queueing to enter a restaurant. There are designated picnic areas at the bottom of the hiking trail.
Conclusion on Parauta Malaga
Is Parauta worth visiting? For me, it’s a yes.
As I mentioned before, it isn’t a place to sightsee but to enjoy its charming white-painted streets, hiking trails and surroundings.
Visiting Parauta and taking its Enchanted Forest walking route won’t take the whole day.
You can make it a full day by visiting another nearby town like Igualeja, Juzcar, or even Ronda. Although I recommend exploring Ronda for more than a couple of hours and half a day, it has many things to do and see.
Enjoy your trip to Parauta!
Cristina x
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Things to do before visiting Malaga
- Book cheap flights to Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport with Skyscanner.
- Check out tours and activities in Malaga province with Get Your Guide.
- Book a free walking tour in Malaga with GuruWalk.
- Travelling around Costa del Sol? Check and compare car rentals with Discover Cars.
- Buy travel insurance for your trip. This is a must for any trip!
El Bosque Encantado looks like an enchanting place to visit!
I think you’ll like it! 🙂
Thank you for sharing this side of Malaga. In the UK we are only usually shown the British enclaves, but your write up makes me want to visit, thank you!