If you are still undecided about which places to visit during the rural tourism holidays you have been planning, allow us to suggest a stay in Coín (Málaga), one of the white villages of Andalusia. It is located in the region of the Guadalhorce valley, next to the Sierra de Alpujata.
And what is it that characterizes Coín? This humble town stands out for its great religious devotion. It's for this reason that you can find numerous structures of this kind. The most important of them is the church of Santa María de la Encarnación, built over a mosque. The clash of cultures is also present in the church of San Juan Bautista, which mixes Mudejar, Baroque and Gothic elements, while, in the case of the church of San Andrés, it's over the chapel of the old Hospital de la Caridad.
Other buildings of this kind that stand out are the tower of the old convent of the Barefoot Trinitarians and the chapel of Nuestra Señora de la Fuensanta, the patron saint of Coín.
If you are interested in art and painting, you can visit the Antonio Reyna Manescau Centre in honour of this painter, where you can find exhibitions. The centre is in his old family home.
The ethnographic museum of Las Vistillas reflects the history and traditions of the town. There are also traces of Roman culture outside off the road and multiple caves from the 8th and 10th centuries. The Llano de la Virgen site is even preserved, a town dating from the Bronze Age.
What can you do around here? The most outstanding activities that you can try in the surroundings are hiking or cycling. We recommend that you try to go through the Barranco Blanco, a natural enclave surrounded by vegetation, where you can also take the opportunity to take a bath in one of the pools of the Alaminos River.
If you want to live a complete rural experience, we invite you to stay in one of the typical rural houses of the white villages. You will find yourself in the middle of a cosy and homely atmosphere to rest and recharge your batteries since you will still have a lot to do.
You can also take advantage of going to one of its most iconic celebrations, such as the Pilgrimage of the Virgen de la Fuensanta, which takes place at the beginning of June or the Orange Festival, during May, when this fruit is collected. You will find music and traditional food in the streets that you can taste.
Speaking of food, don't forget to try some of the star dishes and foods of Coín. As you may have imagined, the oranges are spectacular, but you can also highlight the boiled soup. It's a thick broth made with breadcrumbs, sausage, peppers and other delicious ingredients.
Don't miss the opportunity to spend a dream vacation in this peaceful rural environment that only Coín can offer you.
