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Arboleas

Population circa 2,000

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A small town on the bank of the Almanzora River, Arboleas nestles in the foothills of the Filabres Mountain range. It has basic shops, bars, a school, post office, hotels etc. The main town of the area is Albox: the region is some 30 to 40 minutes' driving from the coast at Vera.

The main festival is that of San Roque in mid-August and features local dancing, paella, horse racing and the launching of twisted rolls from balconies.

The population in 2003 was around 2000, of which some 450 were 'foreigners' - many of them settlers from the UK, living in the nice small developments of villas around the town, by far different from many other busy urbanizations on the Mediterranean Coasts, even in Spain.

The town was captured from the Moors in 1488 when, along with other towns of the Almanzora Valley, it surrendered to the Catholic Kings in Vera. The 'victory' was sealed by the troops of Lorca, who went to the aid of the daughters of the Marquess of Vélez, who feared an attempt of rebellion by the Moors of Marquesado. The church in the centre of town was built in 1492 by the Cardinal Archbishop of Toledo, 'on a cliff so that it was not prone to river flooding'.

It has a strong agricultural economy growing citrus, olive trees, almond trees and cereals such as wheat and barley.

Arboleas has a British community spred out in groups of detached villas with lovely gardens at excellent prices mixed with the local Spanish community. There are several cafes, tapas bars and restaurants, and a good supermarket but most of the services are found at Albox or Huercal Overa.