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Velez Blanco is o­n the mountainside of the Sierra del Mahimón a few hundred metres above Velez Rubio. It is the smaller of the two towns. This wonderful location gives it remarkable views over the Blanco valley and beyond.

It is a beautiful picture-postcard town that is dominated by an impressive castle. Castle of Marques de los Velez was built in 1506 in the hillside above the town and from here o­ne can see all of Velez Blanco. However, it appears a solid fortress but behind the battlements is emptiness; its white marble courtyard is in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, and friezes from the main rooms are in Paris. It was declared an Artistic-Historic Monument in 1931 and partly restored between 1960 and 1980 and there are plans to rebuild the courtyard completely with marble from nearby quarries. There are fine views from its Torre del Homenaje and the fort is open daily in the summer.

The Parish Church de la Magdelena, built before 1597, became ruined when the roof collapsed in 1822. The Church de Santiago (1515-1559) was built coinciding with the completion of the castle, a mixture of Gothic, Renaissance and Mudejar styles. It was restored in the 1980s. It is well worth taking a walk along the Calle de la Corredera where there are many baroque mansions, the Temple de Santiago (1559) and other historic buildings including the Ayuntamiento (town hall) built in 1888. It is said this street is the historic and social axis of the town.

Velez Blanco has many monuments to water, such as fountains; the Fuente de los Cinco Caňos (Fountain of the Five Spouts) and the Fuente de la Novia (Fountain of the Girlfriend), and water spouts; the Caňos del Mesón, the Caňos de la Alameda, the Caňos de la Plaza, and the Caňos de Caravaca. These are to be found o­n many of the corners of the town.

There are numerous sites well worth visiting in the area:

• Parque Natural de la Sierra de Maria-Los Vélez, a conservation area for numerous plant and animal species. The park Visitor and Interpretation Centre is in Velez Blanco and can provide the visitor with lots of information.

• Ribera de los Molinos (Plain of the mills), numerous flour and water mills covering the 6km between Velez Blanco and Velez Rubio.

• Cueva de los Letreros (Cave of the Inscriptions), o­n the slopes of Mahimón, next to the Ribera de los Molinos. The cave contains very important symbolic representations, including the Indalo. The Indalo led to the Indalo man, the symbol of Mojacar and subsequently the whole of Almeria, it is said to bring protection and good luck.

• Cueva de Ambrosio, a cave occupied by Man since the Paleolithic Era. Cave paintings more than 16,000 years old have been found here..