Villa Ciscarejo Country house between orange groves in Gádor (Almería)

With the impressive mountains as a backdrop, Vélez Blanco still occupies a strategic position in the province. This location was said to have been used by the Nazari to strengthen the border of the Kingdom of Granada. The place was last peacefully handed over to the Catholic Monarchs in 1488, which was immortalized in the choir stalls of the Cathedral of Toledo.
The Moorish heritage is deeply rooted in Vélez Blanco. Here the urban structure is almost completely preserved, with particular emphasis on the Morería district and the fountains.
If there is one adjective that describes the place, it is monumental, because of the rich heritage preserved within its walls. The oldest remains date back to prehistory, with the Caves of Ambrose, an important late Paleolithic site, or the Cerro de las Canteras, where the remains of the largest settlement are located, and the Neolithic necropolis present throughout the peninsula.
The stone and brick mansions with Baroque influence stand in the main streets of the city, with particular attention to the Casa de los Bañones or Casa de los Serna, which preserves an altar where the first mass after the Christian conquest was held was held.

If there is a mandatory visit, it is the Castle Palace of the Marquis of Los Vélez. Built at the beginning of the 16th century, the project was commissioned from Italian architects by the city's first Marquis, Pedro Fajardo. It was listed as a historical monument (1931). The exterior of the fortress still remains, as the interior decoration was sold (today you can see it in the Metropolitan Museum in New York). It is divided into two parts: the rectangular brick structure of the old Alcazaba and the main masonry body, which is currently being restored.
Part of the town of María belongs to the nature reserve of the same name, which means that in this town, located on a plateau, the winters are icy and snowy and the summers are hot and short.
At an altitude of over a thousand meters, María offers visitors views as impressive as its Vélez Blanco stately homes, since it is the main producer in the province; these change color with the seasons. Without a doubt, it is a good backdrop for the traditional pilgrimage of the Vírgen de la Cabeza.
The famous cured meats are complemented by an interesting heritage, among which the cave paintings in the Cueva de Haza and the Iberian settlement of El Pasico stand out.
As an example of religious architecture we find the parish church of Nuestra Señora de la Incarnación. This church dates back to the 16th century and is particularly noteworthy for its coffered ceiling in the Mudejar style and the portal with columns, round arches and rectangular decorative frames surrounding a sundial. The building has a square tower topped by a weather vane, with four bells and a 19th century clock.