We know this with his name, that designated the same area with the arabic name of the same area, The Eastern lands, that the Vélez river has as an axis and to Vélez Málaga as the head in all sense. The Axarquía is the land of wine and grapes traditionally, today also of almonds, oil and citric fruits, there are cherimoyos, avocados, mangoes, and many other fruits from overseas.
By the highway (N 340) you will arrive to the height of the Torre del Mar a little after passing the Peñón hill, with its Osborne tower in whose base there are stonemasons and Venitian graves at its base; from the Torre del Mar you can arrive to Vélez-Málaga in five minutes, and in Vélez you have to walk through the streets and gardens, and especially go up to Santa Maria, its most beautiful church that also dominates the whiteness of the city.
From Vélez you can begin the magnificent rout of the minarets; you are directed first towards Arenas, from there to Daimalos, where the first minaret is, whitewashed and simple. You can continue afterwards to Archez, where you will find the best of all, and you can ascend to Canillas de Albaida an Cómpeta, large cities worth a visit; from canillas there are interesting accesses to the sierra Amijara, and in Cómpeta we can try their famous wine. From there we can go towards the large towns that are worthy to be visited. From there we can go towards Torrox, going up a hill in the middle of its magnificent orchards, and in Torrox where it would be an opportunity to try its riche pieces, arriving to Frigiliana, very beautiful hillside town, dominating the sea and the fertile plain of the Higuerón river; its streets are an evocation of its Moorish past and its neigbours are proud of it.
From Archez you could have also continued towards the north, by Salares and Sedela, precius enclaves of the Axarqueña mountain, and leave by Canillas de Aceituno, already in the side of the Sierra Tejeda to descend the valley in a new road.
Going Up directly from Vélez to the north, you can direct ourselves to Periana, inland village, rural and on the verge of the mountains calcareous that hugs the region by the ports of Boquete de Zafarraya, natural pass to Granada, and of Sol, path to the lands of Alfarnate and Loja. In Periana there is a tourist village and at its end, in Mondron, the best oil.
From Velez you can take the path to the west and by Benamargosa you can arrive to the charming town of El Borge. But the spot that from almost all parts, we will distinguish, and that is essential to visit, is the central watchtower of Axarquia, Comares, elevated on a hill that dominated all of the region; we can arrive from Málaga by Olías or by the highway of Los Montes, or also from Vélez, by Benamargosa and Salto del Negro. Comares is beautiful towards the inside, its streets, small plazas, and the castle, and towards the outside of the region, for the extraordinary views that it offers.
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