What to expect.

Benamaurel is a picturesque village with hundreds of cave houses, up until the 13th century it was beside an estuary so has a wealth of history. 

The whole area is rich in archaeological finds, showing important traces of its many past inhabitants. Tools and implements from Neolithic times, as well as a large number of ceramics, dishes, amphorae and coins from the Iberian - Roman times, have been discovered here. In the Salar Gorge there is still a beautiful dovecote built into the walls of ancient Almohade caves dating back to the 12 th Century, from Visigoth times.

Throughout the 14th Century, occupation of the area passed alternatively between the Moors and Christians. Conflict and battles ensued until finally the Christians took power of the village in 1434 and on the 14 th of June 1498 the King made Juan de Avalos, Mayor of Benamaurel.  Then in 1531 disaster struck when there was a terrible earthquake that not only destroyed the very houses people lived in, but also brought down the protective fortress walls, causing devastation to the village. Then Benamaurel fell under the authority of Baza until, on the 31 st October, 1628, it was officially released from its control. In 1633, because of the huge debts which had incurred over the years, the people voted to sell the village to the Duke of Alba, Don Antonio Alvarez de Toledo. Land records from 1752 show that the main land owners of that time were the Piñar, Buendia and Torres families as well as the Duke of Alba and Count Giraldeli. Later, during the War of Independence, O'Donnell stood his ground against the French at the foot of the Jabalcón. At that time Benamaurel had rich deposits of sulphur and potassium nitrate and there were several gunpowder factories.

There are several great bars in the village offering tapas or a lunch menu. If you would like a table booked for you then please mention it when booking your visit along with any special dietry requirements.

GOOGLE MAPS is the only satellite navigation tool that works here,  don't be fooled into thinking that your general sat' nav in the car will get you here - It won't, you will have a nice view of us from the otherside of the valley though :) 

Always happy to send a 'pin' and if you get lost please call and we can normally work out where you are and the easiest route for you to take.

If you can tell your children that they must remain calm and not shout, scream, cry or generally be a nuisance then they're more than welcome to visit. They're your responsibility and if they upset the birds or animals here you will be asked to leave, 

Pets are best left at home as the smells and noises will be strange to them, if that's an impossibility there's a little shade and they will have to remain in your car but can be walked around and there's always fresh water for them if you ask. 

There's no entrance fee, gift shop or tea room but you will receive a cup of tea/coffee or fresh lemonade on your arrival mainly so that you can relax after your journey and meet Lucy the Little owl who likes to feature first and prefers it if you're sat down so she doesn't get jiggled around. She's the boss! 

There's no rush, to meet everyone usually takes a couple of hours as they all have quite a back story or a big character which you'll learn as we go around the garden where they'll all be snoozing in the shade. 

You're welcome to take photo's or video's to share with friends and family, the owls love a camera and will happily pose for a few minutes. 

If you would like to leave a donation then that would be fantastic.