11-05-2025
This route through Malaga's mountains is Spain's most underrated road trip
Winding through the mountains of the Axarquía region in southern Spain, the 40-mile Ruta de la Pasa, or 'Raisin Route', links a string of whitewashed Moorish towns: Moclinejo, Almáchar, El Borge, Cútar, Comares and Totalán. Surrounded by arid landscapes speckled with vineyards and paseros where grapes dry out in the sun post harvest, the unassuming town of El Borge sits at the heart and carries the nickname 'Raisin Capital', proudly being the largest producer of muscatel raisins in the country. The area even has a Denomination of Origin, just like the impeccable wine of the region.
The schedule of our two-day road trip was entirely our own. With a nippy hire car, the local radio station turned up and a very creased map, we headed out of Málaga and veered inland, swapping the buzz of the coast for the stillness of the hills 45 minutes away.
Climbing higher towards our first stop, we quickly realised some roads were not for the faint-hearted. After a few failed hill starts, we felt we deserved a treat. Pulling into the main square in Almáchar, we slipped into the sun-warmed chairs outside Bar López. When I offered to order at the bar, we were swiftly waved back to our seats – that perfect blend of hospitality and nonchalance that only Spaniards have mastered. Not a drip of English was spoken, which turned out to be almost as refreshing as the coffee.
From our vantage point we spied St Matthew's Church in the town, built in the 16th century and still with its Mudéjar bell-tower – a distinctive Andalusian style blending Islamic and Christian architecture, borne from the centuries-long tussle that followed the Reconquista.
The bright white buildings of El Borge bunched together at the foot of the Cerro de Cútar as they came into view from the road. While grapes are being sun-drenched in the low seasons, the town remains full of life. Chatty residents leave their laundry out to dry on their paseos along the Calle Guillermo Pérez, and the sweetest wine is kept back for locals to enjoy (there's even a festival – Día de la Pasa, or Raisin Day – each September, celebrating the grapes). Each day, as the light descends, the shellac-smooth cobbles are criss-crossed on the way to Bar Paco, the main meeting place in the town of 1,000.
The patron of the bar is, unsurprisingly, a man called Paco. I tried to feign nonchalance as regulars had their usuals delivered without ordering, but nearly gave myself away with a stifled gasp of surprise when the bill came for our lunch – our food and a glass of wine for just shy of €5. Sensing my desire to blend, friendly Paco suggested we come back for the menu of the day and try the local speciality of ajoblanco (white gazpacho), and also directed us to the town's museum.
Tucked away on the hillside overlooking the town, the impressive Galería del Bandolero (3€ per adult, 1€ per person for groups of four or more) pays tribute to local legend and bandit Luis Muñoz García, known as 'El Bizco de El Borge' (the Cross-eyed Man from El Borge). With more than 1,300 relics, photos, and weapons, it brings to life the dramatic tales of the bandits who once roamed the nearby hills.
We checked into Hotel Posada Del Bandolero in the centre of town, where the theme continued, its six rooms all named after infamous bandits (all names we now recognised, thanks to Paco's recommendation). Owned by Miriam and Pedro, the inn was perfectly rustic; contented groups of Spaniards lounged cosily around historic millstones, savouring the last of their long lunches. The rooms were simple yet distinctly Andalusian, with tiles, dark beamed ceilings and period features, and from our balcony, we could hear nearby bell chimes bouncing off the hillside.
El Borge is the kind of town where the supermarket shuts for a three-hour siesta, but by 7pm the inn hums with life and the restaurant is fully booked on weekends. Featuring produce from Málaga and the Axarquía region, it draws plenty of locals from nearby villages and cities (always a good sign). Quality meats and hearty stews all washed down with Muscatel wine are the order of the day. We feasted on the speciality, goat 'Bandolero' style – and an exquisite sirloin with a local raisin sauce.
The following day, we returned to Bar Paco for sustenance before our next leg of the drive. Tracing the Islamic architecture within the town, we meandered through the hillside alleys, past the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary and the Plaza de la Constitucion. Paco gave us the insider scoop on the best views along the remainder of the route; having owned the bar since 1999 (taking over from his father, who ran it during Franco's rule), we felt he knew his stuff.
The tapestry of the green vines and the saddle-hued earth continued to weave all the way up to Cútar and Comares, the latter known locally as the 'balcony of Axarquía'. We were nearing the clouds as we spotted the castle where a Moorish fortress once lay. The light was sharper here, revealing a glistening stretch of the Mediterranean just 20 miles away.
On our descent, we spotted men toiling, dotted all across the scorched hills. The labour to harvest this exquisite, hand-picked produce is backbreaking; a glimpse of an Andalusia that has remained unchanged for centuries.
We said goodbye to the Ruta de la Pasa. Once guarding the inland towns from coastal threats, Totalán's 11th-century watchtower seemed to wave us off, its secrets safe for now. But with the Día de la Pasa festival on our minds – all music, dancing, delicious wine, and proud growers balancing grape-gold on their heads – we knew we'd be back.
Essentials
