La Maroma – Rooftop of Málaga

La Maroma, standing at 2,069 metres above sea level, is the highest point in the province of Málaga and the tallest summit in the Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama. The ascent from the southern slopes — starting from Canillas de Aceituno or Sedella — is one of the most sought-after mountain routes in southern Spain.

The trail passes through several distinct bioclimatic zones: beginning among the almond and olive groves of the lower slopes, climbing through dense holm oak forests, and eventually reaching the high-mountain grasslands and rocky outcrops near the top. In the final few hundred metres, the landscape takes on an almost lunar quality, with bare rock and low-creeping vegetation.

From the summit, on a clear day, the views are breathtaking: the Mediterranean shimmers to the south, the peaks of Sierra Nevada rise to the east, the Granada plain stretches out to the north, and on the clearest of days, the silhouette of the Rif Mountains in northern Africa appears on the horizon.

This is a long and demanding route that requires excellent physical fitness and prior mountain experience. In winter, snow and ice are common at higher elevations, making crampons and an ice axe essential.