Although on its south side, the municipality of Jubrique borders the Western Costa del Sol region the ruggedness of its terrain, while not excessive, does confirm that it properly belongs to the Ronda highlands. In fact, one of the identifying features of the latter region, the Genal valley, makes up a large part of this municipality.

The highest elevations in this territory, which are generally gentle ridges, are covered by chestnut trees and grapevines, while the landscape in the vicinity of the River Genal is to some extent determined by small orchards and market gardens devoted to fruits and vegetables.
This municipality was formed by the union of four Moorish settlements-Rotillas, Monarda, Benamedá and Jubrique-of whose existence reliable documentation is recorded in the articles of surrender to the Catholic Monarchs. There is general agreement that the name does not come from the Arabic era but rather from the Latin or in any event from the Mozarabs.

 

 

There are no traces of other cultures in the area aside from the fact that a few Roman coins have been found. This latter fact is not strange considering that the entire Highlands region was intensively Romanised, but no ruins have been found that would indicate a Roman settlement in the vicinity of modern Jubrique. However, due to the fact that the events were more recent, it is documented that the Moors in this locality were especially warlike in their response to excesses by the Christians, against whom they rebelled and fought a battle, in which Captain Alonso de Aguilar and nearly all his men, died. They had been sent for the very purpose of putting down the rebellion.
The Moors from the former Nazarite Kingdom were finally expelled, with those from Jubrique being exiled to North Africa and Galicia, although some returned illegally and became highwaymen. Such was the case of Marcos el Meliche’s band, which was a clear forerunner of the bandit gangs that were so common throughout the Ronda highlands in the nineteenth century.

It was in the mid-nineteenth century that Jubrique achieved its greatest splendour. This was a direct consequence of the wealth generated by its vineyards and associated industries and by the exploitation of mineral resources in the mountains. The grape and wine tradition in Jubrique continued until well into the twentieth century, and even today the only distilleries in the region, in Ronda, belong to a family from Jubrique.

Outstandings Visits:
The village of Jubrique displays in an extreme manner all the characteristics of typical highland villages, where whitewash rules, and the streets form a maze that quickly becomes familiar, due to its small size. Once again traditional architecture shows its ability to adapt to the many challenges posed by irregular terrain.
The village’s most important building is without a doubt the San Francisco de Asís parish church, which was begun in the sixteenth or seventeenth century-it’s not very clear which-and which has undergone several modifications, the last in 1970.
The structure has a rectangular floor plan and later additions were the tower, in the eighteenth century, and the front of the church and the transept, which were completed in the nineteenth century. The church houses several interesting polychrome wooden statues from the eighteenth century, including a Saint Francis of Assisi, a Nazarene and a Virgin of La Candelaria.

How to Get There:
Go to Estepona on the AP-7 (N-340) and take the A-557 to Jubrique. This is a regional road with very curvy stretches but in compensation it provides truly incomparable scenery. If you are coming from Ronda, take the A-376 and immediately afterward the A-369 to Algatocín, where the MA-536 begins and which will take you to Jubrique.

Interesting Facts:
Surface Area: 39.1 square kilometres
Population: about 800
What the natives are called: Jubriqueños
Monuments: the San Francisco de Asís church, the Genal valley, hiking trails to neighbouring villages
Geographical Location: in the southern part of the Ronda highlands. The locality is 560 metres above sea level. It is 38 kilometres from Ronda and 105 from the provincial capital. The area records an average annual rainfall of 1,300 litres per square metre and the average temperature is about 14º C.
Tourist Information: Town Hall, Plaza Andalucía, 1 (29492). Telephone: 952 152 250; Fax: 952 152 336