Málaga CF will travel to Butarque to play matchday 10 of LALIGA HYPERMOTION against CD Leganés. The game will take place on Sunday 19th at 14:00, with La Viñuela featured as the spotlight municipality, appearing on both the match poster and the design of the Blue and White captain’s armband.
La Viñuela is situated in a privileged location, serving as a natural border between the Colmenar corridor to the north and the Axarquía mountains, which dominate the southern half of its municipality. Its landscape opens up into gentle hills of olive groves and cereal fields, with one undisputed centrepiece: the La Viñuela reservoir. This vast body of water defines the region’s panorama and offers, from its dam, a spectacular view of the Sierra Tejeda and the Boquete de Zafarraya.
The history of the municipality is relatively recent compared to other towns in the region, as its main settlement emerged in the 16th century around an inn located on the old royal road connecting Vélez and Granada. This spot, known as “La Viñuela” due to a small nearby vineyard, gave the town its name and origin. However, the land holds traces of a much older past: from the Middle Paleolithic to the Roman era, discoveries along the Guaro River reveal adobe huts, unique smelting furnaces for the province, olive oil mills, and Roman amphorae.
Among its landmarks, the original inn stands out, perfectly preserved and evoking the days when travellers would stop to rest. The 16th-century Church of San José is another key site, along with other notable locations such as the Hermitage of the Virgen de las Angustias and a 19th-century olive oil mill. The archaeological heritage is further enriched by sites in Los Asperones, Los Castillejos, and the Herrera workshop, as well as the Chiliano spring, known for its medicinal waters. And always, as a symbol, the majestic reservoir that has shaped the identity of the modern municipality.
The cuisine of La Viñuela draws from its fertile and diverse land. Olive oil takes centre stage, with the renowned Los Romanes oil as a standout example. Game dishes, particularly goat, complement traditional recipes such as ajoblanco and olla con pringá. Sweets include olive oil cakes, while subtropical crops, like avocados, mangoes, and cherimoyas, have been incorporated into a culinary tradition that today blends heritage with modernity.
The festive calendar begins with the Romería, held by the reservoir since 1991 and a continuation of ancient processions praying for rain. Summer brings vibrant celebrations with the fairs in the villages of Los Gómez and Los Romanes, as well as La Viñuela’s patronal festival honouring the Virgen de las Angustias. In September, the Feria de la Pasa pays tribute to Moscatel grapes and Málaga wine, a deeply rooted event that celebrates the area’s agricultural traditions.
The art of José Luis Puche will be with us once again for another matchday. His work will feature on the captain’s armband and the match poster for the game against CD Leganés, inspired by the Torre de la Atalaya, a 15th-century watchtower built from slate and lime to defend Zalia and communicate with the coastal towers, set against a blue background evoking the waters of the La Viñuela reservoir.
