A small village located between Coin and Tolox dependent on the River Grande, whose fertile plains are of great agricultural importance.

The village, which dates back to mediaeval times, consists of steep, winding streets of white houses concentrated around St. Michael’s Church.

A location known as Guaro el Viejo, a few kilometres from the present-day village, was the first recorded site of the village, having appeared near a watchtower which formed part of the line of defences built to protect the Guadalhorce Valley.

Guaro dates back to Andalusi-Arabic times and, following the capture of Coin in 1485, it fell under the control of the Catholic Monarchs, its inhabitants surrendering to crown domination.

It was one of the few villages where mudéjares (Moslem converts to Christianity) and Old Christians lived together peacefully, as witnessed by several texts of the time.

In 1614, it attained independent village status and when Don Juan de Sotomayor Carrillo de la Vega, Crown judge of Castile, was made a Count by Philip IV in return for services rendered to the Crown, Guaro became the area’s county town.

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