Many Spanish municipalities in rural areas are experiencing an exodus. This also applies to several villages in the province of Málaga. One of the villages is trying to attract new residents through an innovative project: ‘Holapueblo’. Otherwise, this is in danger of becoming depopulated.
It concerns the village of Alfarnate, 55 kilometres from Málaga. In the past, this municipality lived in the primary sector, with a focus on agriculture and cattle breeding. Now pistachios, apples, olives, and the Alfarnate cherry, which gives its name to a local festival, grow there.
Innovative project
Holapueblo is an initiative of Redeia, IKEA, and AlmaNatura. Its purpose is to combat the exodus from the Spanish countryside. In Spain, there are 100 municipalities available for this initiative, all with less than 5,000 inhabitants and with good living and working conditions for people who want to take a new path in their lives.
Now in its fifth edition, the innovative project aims to connect people with a desire to live and work in rural areas with villages with low population density and thus generate economic and social activity in these villages.
Affordable houses, 55 kilometres from Málaga
If you want to live in a village in the province of Málaga where housing is affordable, Alfarnate is a good option. The village has 1,039 inhabitants and there are currently 27 homes for sale with storage and garage starting at €75,000. House prices range from €35,000 to €180,000. According to Holapueblo, rents range from €250 to €350 per month.
Entrepreneurship, jobs and co-working
According to research by Holapueblo, there are currently several opportunities for entrepreneurship in the municipality, such as catering, animal husbandry, food shops, architectural firms, opticians, tourism, or socio-cultural animation.
Alfarnate offers support in applying for grants and subsidies. For example, education for children, birth allowances, subsidies for energy consumption, and housing subsidies. In addition, municipal warehouses (industrial land) are available for setting up businesses and a space has been set up for co-working.
Attractive to tourists
According to the city’s mayor, Juan Jesús Gallardo, Alfarnate has remarkable tourist potential. “It has an important natural and cultural heritage, the land is very fertile, and the locals are friendly and involved in the development of the village. There are many associations and festivities where they come together to share and celebrate,” he says.
The city centre, called El Santo Cristo, offers panoramic views. Its religious heritage includes the 19th-century Church of Santa Ana and the 16th-century hermitage of the Virgen de Monsalud. Also noteworthy are the Town Hall, the oldest in the province, and Aljofar Alley, with Moorish influences.
Impressive scenery
Surrounded by mountains in a valley, Alfarnate has a variable climate, with cold winters and mild summers (temperatures between -2ºC and 30ºC). It borders towns such as Alfarnatejo and Villanueva del Trabuco. The limestone mountains provide an impressive landscape and there are beautiful hiking trails.
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