See Antequera in a different light… moonlight!

Less than an hour’s drive inland from Málaga – and only 25 minutes if you hop aboard the AVE high-speed train – for the fifth year running, the historic city of Antequera  is currently holding its innovative ‘Luz de Luna’ programme of visits which takes place on Thursdays and Fridays until September, and with something on offer for pretty much everyone…

It all makes perfect sense, because in the sultry heat of high summer days on the Costa del Sol, who wants to go sightseeing when you can soak up the rays on the beach or chill out in your pool instead? But with ‘Antequera Luz de Luna’, actually you can do both. So, what’s on offer in the charismatic city known as ‘the heart of Andalucía’?

Well, there’s history, art, archaeology, astronomy, gastronomy, nature, kayaking, hiking and biking… all in the light of the silvery moon!

In the city itself, there are 2-hour guided tours in English to discover Antequera’s most important monuments – one which includes the castle and the Moorish fortress – while the other focuses on the city’s many places of worship, boasting magnificent religious artworks dating from the 16^th to 18^th centuries. In fact, it’s said that some 80 per cent of the entire province of Málaga’s art treasures are housed in Antequera.

You could also take in one of the atmospheric ‘Dream Nights at the Alcazaba’, where you can travel back in time to 1410, the year of the city’s Reconquest; or experience ‘The Taste of Andalucía’ at the Royal Collegiate Church – a sensorial spectacular, including dinner and a historical dramatisation from the pen of Spanish writer Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer.

Beyond the city limits, there are excursions to the Dólmenes de Antequera – huge megalithic monuments used for burials and ancient rituals more than 4,000 years ago. For stargazers, there’s the opportunity to visit the Observatory at El Torcal – amid some of the most impressive karst landscapes anywhere in Europe and where you can also take part in the moonlight Ammonite Walk, while other unmissable attractions include kayaking on the Guadalhorce River and biking in the Vega de Antequera.

Places are limited, and the kayaking, hiking and biking excursions only take place once a month, so if you want to discover the magic of Antequera by the light of the moon, you’ll find the complete programme of events here, including dates, prices and booking information.

And of course, if you want to stay over, there are plenty of welcoming hotels and B&Bs to choose from both in the city itself as well as the surrounding villages.

Go visit Antequera by moonlight this summer… it’ll be an experience you won’t forget!