On Saturday 29th November, the José Zorrilla Stadium will host this LALIGA HYPERMOTION matchday 16 fixture. Málaga CF will face Real Valladolid CF in another league clash under coach Funes. Alameda, the featured town, will be represented on the official poster and on the captain’s armband.
On the natural border between the Antequera depression and the plains of Córdoba and Sevilla rises Alameda, a town that gazes toward the horizon from the 430 meters of altitude provided by its gentle plateau. The municipality stretches at the foot of the Sierra de la Camorra and slopes down toward the Genil River. Amid valleys, ravines, and expanses of olive groves, the town forms a gently undulating plain that opens up toward the north of the province. On its southern edge, the Laguna de la Ratosa, dry for much of the year, adds a unique touch and has been declared a protected natural area by the Andalusian government due to its ecological value.
Its history stretches back to the Neolithic, with remnants spanning the Iberian and Roman eras, including notable baths that highlight its role as a strategic site within the Roman road network. After the documentary silence following Rome, a small 6th-century Visigothic treasure confirms continued life in the area, before Alameda became a borderland between Estepona and Antequera during the Andalusian period. Incorporated into the Marquisate of Estepa from the 16th century and regaining prominence at the end of the 17th century, the town was ultimately assigned to the province of Málaga in the 19th century, solidifying its agricultural identity and a name that, according to tradition, refers to the poplars that once dotted its landscape.
It's impossible to stroll through the town without being captivated by its beauty. The Fuente de la Placeta evokes the charm of a time when water was collected using a hollowed cane and a small funnel, a gesture so characteristic of the town that it eventually became part of its coat of arms. Nearby, the Roman Baths, declared a Cultural Heritage Site, display changing rooms, pools, and furnaces that highlight the significance of this site from the 1st to the 3rd centuries AD, now fully integrated into the tourist routes of the Ruta del Tempranillo. The Parish Church of the Immaculate Conception was built between the 17th and 18th centuries in Baroque style, featuring three Rococo chapels influenced by Écija and a valuable 14th-century polychrome sculpture of the Crucified Christ, accompanied by a rich collection of oil paintings that enhance the temple’s beauty and solemnity.
Alameda’s cuisine reflects the flavours of the land and its rural traditions, with olive oil and flour as fundamental staples. Signature dishes include rice with rabbit or hare, garlic migas with chorizo or blood sausage, and the unmistakable porra antequerana. Its pastries add sweets tied to local festivals and customs, such as pestiños, roscos, mostachones, magdalenas, and handmade mantecados.
Furthermore, there is something special about Alameda’s festivals, an energy that surrounds you and makes you feel part of the town from the very first moment. Every year on 2nd February, the Candelaria is celebrated, with bonfires lighting up the night and streets filled with gatherings, stories, and the town’s uniquely warm atmosphere. In May, on the 14th and 15th, the romería honouring San Isidro takes place, featuring carefully decorated floats, outdoor meals, contests, and music enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. And in August, the Feria arrives, with its festive tents, dancing, and the perfect blend of contemporary rhythms and traditional flamenco.
The artwork created for #RealValladolidMálaga brings together two symbols that define the essence of Alameda: at the top, the Fuente de la Placeta takes centre stage as a historical emblem of the town; below, the traditional attire of the Romería de San Isidro adds the colour and tradition of one of its most popular festivals.