THIS IS THE SPA TOWN. BUT ITS RICHNESS LIES NOT ONLY THERE. ITS NATURAL SURROUNDINGS, ITS HISTORICAL REMAINS, ITS FIESTAS AND TRADITIONS AND ITS INTRINSIC INTERNAL PEACE MAKE CARRATRACA ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING RURAL DESTINATIONS IN THE PROVINCE OF MALAGA.

Across from the Alcaparain mountains, to the northeast of the abrupt Ronda mountains, is Carratraca. Its location, between mountains and the extensive Guadalhorce Valley, has affected its history and its lifestyle. But the main feature that has marked this town is the sulphur water spring.
According to oral tradition, very common in these surroundings, the discovery of its curative properties was made by a beggar called Juan "Camisón" (nightgown), so called because he always wore a long nightgown with which he hid and protected his ulcer-ridden body. Seemingly, this good man arrived at a property situated beside the spring to beg the charity of its inhabitants and he saw that a shepherd was pouring this water over animals that had skin ulcers. Some time later, he returned and saw that the goats had healed. That was when he decided to bathe in the waters and after several immersions, his many skin lesions disappeared.
The spa was built in the 19th century; a beautiful neo-classical building that at present is undergoing reforms.

In 1830 King Fernando VII ordered construction of a large inn next to it so that he could stay with his retinue. In 1855 the spa was enlarged, using land donated by the Count and Countess of Teba, under the condition that a private bath was to be reserved for them and for the emperor of France Napoleon III.
The fame of the spring quickly spread throughout the country and soon houses and inns sprang up, a bullring and even three casinos. One of the most notable buildings from that time is the Town Hall, popurlarly referred to as the "Casa Arabe" it is a palace of neo-mudejar style that belonged to Trinidad Grund. Such famous intellectuals as Rilke, Lord Byron, Alexandre Dumas, Guatavo Doré, Campoamor, Julio Romero de Torres or Vicente Alexandre all stayed there at one time or another.

A new village with a remote past
The origins of the town date back to the 19th century, when it seceded from Casarabonela after the signing of 1821. According to documentation that was found, there was only one house in this area, known as the Cortijo de las Aguas Hediondas (Farm of the Stinking Waters). However, the different baths found at the edge of the spring, the tombs and ceramic remains found in different areas of the village prove that it was inhabited in Roman times, although for some unknown reason it was abandoned and then mysteriously covered with thick holm oak groves. The best proof of this are the copper and silver coins found in the La Glorieta site, with the faces of Tiberius, Claudius and Caesar, as well as the necropolis of Los Maderos, close to the Las Cañas stream.
Other remains, this time prehistorical, recently appeared in a 40 metre deep chasm, among which are a Neolithic burial, a cruciform painting and ceramic with grooved decorations.
Another of the interesting places within the Carratraca town centre is its unique bullring. The design is polygonal and it is carved in the rock itself of Sierra Blanquilla. In spring, the bullring becomes a miniature Jerusalem over Easter thanks to the villagers. The passion and death of Jesus is represented there, by more than one hundred actors all of them inhabitants of the town. Carratraca is a therapeutic village. Its tranquillity and customs emanate like a spring from each of its houses, bars and plazas, exercising a curative spell over the visitor that stop there.