The two new towns in Málaga joining the Network of Magical Towns of Spain in 2026: Arriate and Gaucín

The province of Málaga gains two new Magical Towns of Spain in 2026. The Network of Magical Towns of Spain announced up to 22 new additions across Spain, towns that maintain their identity, history, heritage, and environment, towns rich in tradition, culture, and cuisine. Starting next year, the towns of Arriate and Gaucín will join the dozen towns from Málaga that were already part of this network and had the 'magical' label.

Thus, Arriate and Gaucín join the Network of Magical Towns of Spain along with the previously selected Alfarnate, Atajate, Canillas de Aceituno, Casarabonela, Comares, Cómpeta, El Borge, Fuente de Piedra, Moclinejo, and Tolox. "Being a Magical Town of Spain is not a prize or a showcase: it is a commitment to authenticity, heritage, and rural life that resists, reinvents itself, and opens its doors to visitors without losing its essence," the organization notes.

Regarding the 22 new selections added to the map of Magical Towns of Spain, the organization highlights that "they are towns that smell of stone and bread, sound like patron saint festivals, new wine, old church, town square conversations, and countryside silence, destinations that commit to sustainability, cooperation, identity, and shared emotion."

Specifically, about the two towns from Málaga selected to join the network, various aspects are highlighted. About Arriate they mention that it is "the Town of Love" following the town's slogan 'Love at First Sight' which has resonated deeply. They also mention Valentina, the town mascot, "a friendly stork that lives year-round in a chimney of an old mill" in the town and "who is responsible for showing the town to all its visitors."

On the other hand, about Gaucín they highlight that it is "perched on a cliff in the Serranía de Ronda" and that this is why "it offers some of the most spectacular views of the south." They could not overlook, in this brief introduction, its spectacular Eagle's Castle, as well as the beauty of its white streets and the intense artistic life that "turn the town into a haven of light and beauty."

In addition to Arriate and Gaucín, the new Magical Towns of Spain 2026 include Aliaga (Teruel), Arjona (Jaén), Arjonilla (Jaén), Belmonte de San José (Teruel), Bujalance (Córdoba), Jabaloyas (Teruel), La Palma del Condado (Huelva), La Puebla de Montalbán (Toledo), Mula (Murcia), Tabernas (Almería), Zalamea de la Serena (Badajoz), Ferreries (Menorca), El Burgo (Álava), Vallehermoso (La Gomera), Alfoz de Lloredo (Cantabria), Arona (Tenerife), Coaña (Asturias), Navia (Asturias), Miengo (Cantabria), and Reocín (Cantabria).