Arriate
Written by Geoff Forster
Arriate: We set off from Benarrabá one beautiful June morning to visit Arriate. We traveled along the A369 to Ronda. We went around the south of Ronda on the bypass and then took the Campillos road. After around one hundred metres we took a left turn and headed to Arriate.
We drove along a pleasant shopping street trying to find a parking spot. We eventually found one up a steep side street which led to the cemetery.
Arriate is divided by a small river. 
The view looking across from the main part of the town. The area in the picture is mainly housing all looked in really good condition, not too many ruins in the pueblo at all. 
The lovely tree lined plaza was full of old men chatting to their friends. 
This is the main street. 
We found quite a few of these religious shrines in the pueblo. 
This is the very ornate crucifix (taken through the glass) 
We followed signs up a side street to the Ayuntamiento (Town Hall).
This lovely carved stone was outside. 
The very grand and modern Ayuntamiento in Arriate. 
We walked back through some side streets, lots of lovely houses, some new builds, but all very well kept.
We headed down from the main street through a couple of small plazas to find the church of San Juan de Letrán. 
The church was open and we had a look inside.
It is very modern, beautiful stained glass windows, wooden ceiling and spiral stairs to a gallery. 
As usual in Spanish churches there are lots of figures of Christ and Mary. They will be paraded around the pueblo on certain Saints days, Christmas and Easter. 
We left the church of San Juan and explored the surrounding streets. 
There were lots of shrines and buildings with religious connections. 
There was a large building we thought may be a convent or a church run old peoples home. This plaque was on the wall outside. The huge nun towers over the old man and girl. 
Arriate was very clean and well kept. The houses and streets were typically Spanish and it was lovely place to stroll around. Here are a few photo's taken as we waked around this area of town. 
We really enjoyed our visit to Arriate. There was a good feel to the place from the moment we arrived and during our walk around.
We saw just one house with a For Sale sign outside, an Estate Agent has just opened opposite the railway station.