Istan, Malaga

Just 20 minutes from the highlife of Marbella is this beautiful Andalucian village. The brightness of the white painted houses contrasts perfectly with the green slopes of the Sierra Blanca. The architecture mainly consists of cubic, flat-roofed houses reminiscent of Moroccan architecture. Istan means 'spring' and throughout the village you will find many springs, flowing with fresh water.

It's surface area is 100 square kilometres & it's population is about 1,400.

Getting there:

Since it is only about 13 kilometres from the coastal strip Istan can be reached in 15 or 20 minutes from the expressway that runs for the full length of the Costa del Sol. Leave the AP-7 (N-340) expressway at Puerto Banus, near Marbella, and take the A-6206 straight to the village.

Sightseeing:

The oldest and most important of its monuments is the Parish Church, constructed in the Sixteenth Century by order of Diego de Deza, Archbishop of Sevilla. Other outstanding buildings are the cave, which houses "La Casa de la Juventud", the public wash house and the Arabic tower which, situated at the highest point in town, formed part of the old fort.

Festivities:

The town's local holidays and festivities are celebrated between the 26th and the 29th of September, with the colourful procession in honour of San Miguel on the 22nd. The local gastronomy is very varied and very recommendable dishes are the goat basted in garlic, tomato soup with prickly pears and corn soup.

Tourist Information:

Address: Town Hall, Calle Empedrada, 32 (29611)
Telephone: 34 - 952 869 603 Fax: 34 - 952 869 665
Town Hall’s official web page: www.istan.es

Important Telephone Nos:

Police(local): 34 - 952 670 031 303