Embark on an unforgettable trek adventure hiking along the Gran Senda de Málaga (GR-249) starting in the charming village of Canillas de Aceituno and ending at the breathtaking ´El Saltillo´ suspension bridge. This scenic trail offers scenic views and is perfect for both seasoned hikers and casual explorers. Thanks to my travel guide, you will also discover what to see and do in Canillas de Aceituno, a picturesque Andalusian village in the Axarquía region surrounded by olive trees and rugged terrain, as well as around the Málaga province. Keep on reading!

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Hiking from Canillas de Aceituno to El Saltillo suspension bridge

Overview: Gran Senda de Málaga and the various stages alongside it

Located in the Málaga province, the Great Malaga Path (Gran Senda de Málaga) is a hiking route stretching over 900 kms. Throughout it, you will find 35 stages connecting natural wonders with towns and villages along the way. Feel free to dig deeper by checking all the stages in the itinerary.

In hiking terms, the Gran Senda de Málaga is known as GR-249 (GR stands for ‘Gran Recorrido‘ in Spanish or long-distance walking trail). These GR routes belong to a wider footpath network across Europe.

In particular, stage seven of the Gran Senda de Málaga – GR 249 connects the municipalities of Cómpeta, Canillas de Albaida, Salares, Sedella and Canillas de Aceituno. During the trail, you will hike amidst the Sierras of Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama Natural Park, offering views of Pico de la Maroma, the highest peak in the Málaga province at more than 2.000 meters high. On a clear day, you may even see the Mediterranean Sea or even the continent of Africa! The following stage continues from Canillas de Aceituno to Periana.

In this post, I’ll be focusing on a reduced section of stage seven, and I’ll share my experience hiking part of this trail, from the village of Canillas de Aceituno to ‘El Saltillo‘ suspension bridge and back.

Directions to get from Canillas de Aceituno to El Saltillo suspension bridge

Below, you will find the directions that we followed, with two distinct legs along this hike.

• First leg – hiking from Canillas de Aceituno to the water tank. Start the itinerary from the square where the City Hall (Ayuntamiento) is located, where you will find an elaborate tiled fountain. Take the first street to your left and follow the signs along the steep slopes and ditches until you reach a water tank known as ‘El Albercón‘. Stop there for a moment to soak up the panoramic views of the village underneath, the rugged mountain terrain and the olive trees Canillas de Aceituno is named after (´aceitunas´ mean olives in Spanish). Note that this first part of the route is somewhat dangerous because it is narrow and there are no protective fences to prevent falling downhill. Hence, I would avoid coming here with small children or pets.

• Second leg – hike from the water tank to ‘El Saltillo’ suspension bridge. Once you’ve reached the water tank, the trail widens and the pine trees will appear. After a yellow booth and a metal walkway, you will come to a fork. If you continue straight ahead for a few more minutes, you will get to various pools (they must be so refreshing in the summer and they made me slightly think of the ones in Villa Abecia, Bolivia!). To the right, you can go down some stone stairs before arriving to the imposing ‘El Saltillo‘ suspension bridge. Inaugurated in October of 2020 and measuring 50 meters long, it is actually the third longest suspension bridge in Spain! El Saltillo (which in Spanish means ‘the little jump’, notice the typical Andalusian humor 🙂 ) rises more than 70 meters high over a deep gorge and the Almanchares river. In case just reading these lines makes you dizzy already, you can skip the suspension bridge, but I would recommend going back and forth at least once if it doesn’t affect you. El Saltillo bridge was the end of our circular route, although you could keep going six more kilometers until you reach Sedella. However, we were told that the trail was in pretty bad condition after reaching the milestone at El Saltillo.

Read about other hikes that I’ve done around the world!

Camino de Santiago: hiking from Irún to Deba along the ‘Camino del Norte’

El Caminito del Rey: the most popular hiking trail in Málaga

Hiking in Peñas de Aya

Lake Titicaca travel guide: Copacabana + Isla del Sol

Shop my look for this hike to El Saltillo

Feeling comfortable while hiking for hours is absolutely key. That is why I like to use my favorite sports products, such as the ones shown below. You can also check out my Decathlon affiliate profile to create your own look.

Canillas de Aceituno travel guide

In addition to being a great hiking destination, Canillas de Aceituno has much more to offer, from its traditional cuisine to some interesting heritage sites. In the brief travel guide below, I’ve compiled the following about the village:

• What to see and do
• What and where to eat
• Where to stay

Let’s see each section in more detail! At the end of this post, I’ve also added a map so you can easily locate all the spots mentioned here.

What to see and do in Canillas de Aceituno

Located in the Axarquía region, Canillas de Aceituno is a small whitewashed village with an Arab origin. The main sightseeing highlights can be found around the City Hall (Plaza del Ayuntamiento), and they include:

• A church built on top of a mosque (Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San León Magno),
• A former building that was used to supervise the production and sale of mulberry leaves and silkworms (Casa de la Reina Mora),
• And various tanks from the medieval period (known as ‘aljibes‘): Aljibe Medieval, Fuente del Pilar Chico, and Fuente del Pilar Grande.

However, Canillas de Aceituno might be best known among nature lovers since stage 7 of the Great Malaga Path (Gran Senda de Málaga) connects this municipality with nearby Cómpeta. As mentioned above, this trail bordering the canals offers scenic views of the village, the surrounding mountains and the endless olive trees. And as you might have noticed, the suspension bridge ‘El Saltillo‘ deserves a special mention as the highlight of the hike.

Other villages worth exploring in the Axarquía region include Frigiliana, Nerja or Rincón de la Victoria. If you wish to travel further, feel free to visit additional destinations in the Málaga province such as Antequera, Benalmádena, Málaga, Marbella, Mijas, Parauta or Ronda. Some of them are actually located in the iconic Costa del Sol, making them a perfect escape during the cold winter months!

Read my posts for more inspiration around the Málaga province!

El Caminito del Rey: the most popular hiking trail in Málaga

Top things to do in Málaga, the capital of Costa del Sol (+ map)

What to see in the Málaga province: 12 destinations inland & along Costa del Sol

What and where to eat in Canillas de Aceituno

Curious to know what the gastronomy looks like here and which are the best bars and restaurants to try it?

What to eat in Canillas de Aceituno

Local specialties include roast goat (known as chivo al horno de leña, or chivo lechal), blood sausage (morcilla), a traditional dish with bread (migas), garlic and almond soup (ajoblanco), doughnuts (roscos tontos) or olive oil ‘tortas‘ (tortas de aceite).

In Canillas de Aceituno, they like their blood sausages so much that they even mark the occasion (Día de la Morcilla) on the last Sunday of April. It is a popular celebration not only in the village itself, but also around the Axarquía region! 🙂

On that note, other festivities in Canillas de Aceituno include Carnival, Romería de San Isidro (a religious pilgrimage taking place in May) and Feria Virgen de la Cabeza (happening in August).

Where to eat in Canillas de Aceituno

If you’re hungry before or after the hike to El Saltillo, here are some suggested bars and restaurants where you can sample the local cuisine of the village:

• You may buy sandwiches for take away at Bar el Puente, Bar Andalucía or Tasca de Pepe. You can also order churros in the latter.
• Bar El Picota Andaluz: it serves ‘tapas‘ and other menu options both at the bar and in the outdoor seating area. The most popular food selections include chorizo or morcilla tapas, bacon sandwiches (molletes de panceta) as well as fried fish and seafood portions.
• Restaurante La Sociedad: the star of the show here is their famous roast goat (chivo al horno de leña), although they also offer other traditional dishes from the Andalusian cuisine.
• Restaurante El Bodegón de Juan María: this restaurant also specializes in the popular goat (chivo lechal). They have a cozy fireplace!
• Restaurante Secret Garden: in case you’re looking for something more gourmet, this is your spot in Canillas.
• In case you have a sweet craving after lunch, head to El Mastrén bakery to buy delicious homemade bread or olive oil ‘tortas‘ (tortas de aceite) directly off their wood-fired oven.

Where to stay in Canillas de Aceituno (Málaga)

Looking for a place to sleep in the Andalusian village of Canillas de Aceituno?

Feel free to browse these accommodation options below, where you will find a variety of bed and breakfast (B&B) and cottages:

• In the heart of the village, you could stay at Casa de la Abuela or Casa María Martillo. Both have bedrooms, a bathroom, a fully equipped kitchen and an outdoor terrace. Other guest houses and more modern accommodation options in Canillas de Aceituno include Olive & Ivy and Encanto.
• Should you wish to enjoy the countryside and go for a dip in the swimming pool on a hot day, you may book Cortijo La Zapatera, Finca El Carmen, Casa Lobera or Casa La Fajara.

Map to get around the Gran Senda de Málaga and Canillas de Aceituno

Even though there are buses connecting Vélez-Málaga to Canillas de Aceituno, the easiest way to get to the village is by car. There are actually various public parking options where you can leave your vehicle before starting the hike to El Saltillo.

Below you will find all the places mentioned throughout this post, from the main sites to visit, to the best bars, restaurants and cottages in Canillas de Aceituno, to what and where to eat or stay. Of course, the map also includes the highlights and villages you will run into while you hike stage seven of the Gran Senda de Málaga, starting from Canillas and all the way to El Saltillo suspension bridge and far beyond.

I hope you enjoyed this post detailing the directions to hike to the vertiginous El Saltillo suspension bridge and what to see and do in the charming village of Canillas de Aceituno. Have you visited the area? How did you like it? I look forward to reading your questions and comments below.

✈️ Curious to know where I’ll be traveling next? ✈️

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In the meantime, safe travels around the world! 🙂