Right in the midst of the Ruta de la Pasa (Route of the Raisin), in the Axarquia region of Malaga, sits a traditional white village called Cutar. This inland white village in Malaga has retained much of its Arab culture by preserving its narrow, winding streets and some of its Arab architecture too. The village grew out of an Arab farmhouse, and was later protected by a castle on the hill, which is sadly no longer there. There aren’t too many things to see in Cutar in terms of points of interest and attractions. But if you happen to be passing by this pueblo blanco as you’re driving around southern Spain, it’s worth stopping at for a quick look.
Cutar is one of 7 Andalusian white villages in Malaga that make up the stunning driving route known as the Ruta de la Pasa. If you’re wanting to go on a unique road trip in southern Spain, this is one of the areas around Malaga that’s often missed by tourists but it’s definitely worth adding to your itinerary. If you don’t have time to do the whole driving route, I would recommend picking a couple of the white villages to visit as part of a day trip from Malaga.
Since Cutar will take you less than 2 hours to walk around, you can easily add it to your list. Plus, it only takes an hour to drive from Malaga’s airport to Cutar as well. Here’s what I found to be the top things to see in Cutar.
Things to see in Cutar
Iglesia de la Virgen de la Encarnacion
One of the main things to see in Cutar is the Iglesia de la Virgen de la Encarnacion. This church sits at the highest point of the white village, and is easily recognizable from the main road. It originally dates back to the 16th century, but it has undergone a series of restorations during the 18th and mid-20th centuries. Much of what you see today comes from those time periods. In terms of attractions in Cutar, this is by far the largest and the easiest to locate as you walk along the narrow streets.
Arab arch
Situated next to the main church is a single arch connecting both sides of the whitewashed walls. This is known as the Arab arch. It’s one of the many examples you’ll see throughout Cutar of the village’s Arab influence. Other than taking a photo of the arch and passing under it, there isn’t anything else to do here. It did make it onto my list of things to see in Cutar though, because of the historic meaning it has to the village and its people. In fact, many of the white villages in the Axarquia region tend to have at least one Arab arch in them.
Museo del Monfi
Despite its small size, Cutar does boast a very interesting museum only a short walk from the main church called Museo del Monfi. The word monfí means exiled, which is what the Muslims who founded this village were known as. They abandoned everything and fled into the mountains to avoid being forced to convert to Christianity.
The museum focuses on the Arab influence that can be found in all of the white villages in the area. They have documents on display that date back to the medieval period which were found in some of the houses in the village. The museum was unfortunately closed when I visited, but maybe you’ll have better luck. It’s definitely one of the top things to see in Cutar if you love history.
Fuente Arabe
One of the most unique things to see in Cutar is its Arab fountain, located right near the entrance to the village. It’s the only perfectly preserved fountain of its kind in all of Malaga, and it dates back to the 16th century. A document from the 16th century calls it aina alcaharia which translates to the farmstead fountain, most likely relating to the fact that Cutar began as a farmhouse.
The positioning of Cutar means that it’s surrounded by fresh-flowing water, making the land extremely fertile and perfect for growing plants. There are 12 natural springs in the area, which is why the village is also referred to as the Fountain of Paradise.
Cutar viewpoint
This viewpoint wasn’t originally on my small list of things to see in Cutar. There are quite a few parking spots just past the Arab fountain and just next to those parking spots is where you’ll find a fantastic viewpoint of the white village. On a clear day, this would be the perfect place to sit for a while and take in the views. It may only be small, but Cutar looks like a very impressive hillside white village from a distance. If you want to get the best view of it, you’ll need to stop at this viewpoint.
There are many white villages in southern Spain to choose from, but unfortunately most people tend to visit the ones that are most talked about and photographed. There may not be too many things to see in Cutar, but that doesn’t take away from its deep rooted history and the traditional charm that makes walking around its quaint streets all the more enjoyable. The next time you’re in the mood to visit some hidden gems in Malaga, check out the Axarquia region of the province. You’ll find a lot of picture perfect white villages to visit such as El Borge and Comares. Chances are you won’t see many tourists hanging around!
Have you ever heard of Cutar? Or know of any other unique white villages in Malaga to visit? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below. Please feel free to get in touch with me via Instagram too – and give me a follow to keep up to date with my latest adventures!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission from the discount codes used or when a link/ad is clicked. All purchases made will come at no extra cost to you, and I only include products and services that I would personally recommend.
Pin this blog post for later!
