Arenas village lies in a depression in the sur­rounding hills, at an altitude of 415 metres. It is 44 kilometres from Malaga and has a population of around 1,400. The neighbouring countryside contains olives, almonds and vines. The urban layout of the town has con­served a distinctly Moorish at­mosphere, and close to it, on a hill reaching 700 metres above sea level, are the ruins of the Castle of Bentomiz. This Moorish fortress, built over a Roman site, played an important role in the defence of the Kingdom of Granada during the 13th-15th centuries, form­ing a defensive triangle with the castles of Comares and Zalfa. The Mediterranean Sea and much of the interior of La Axarqufa can be made out from its towers. The castle preserves remains of the walls and a number of underground chambers, possibly dungeons. The sierra which stretches down to the sea from the Sierra of La Almijara also bears the name Bentomiz, and in fact the whole eastern section of La Axar-quia — a triangular zone formed by Alcaucfn, Algarrobo and Nerja — was known as the Comarca of Bentomiz during the 1 5th century.

Apart from its defensive mission dur­ing the Moorish occupation, this cas­tle also witnessed other important historic moments.

In 1483, a Christian attack was spotted in time for the Moors to take refuge in Bentomiz and fight off the enemy.

On 14 April 1487, Fernando the Catholic camped close to Arenas, for which reason the villagewas known for a time as Arenas del Rey. On 1 5 April that same year, the castle surrendered to Fernando, an event which led to the fall of Velez-Malaga and of the whole region on 27 April, despite the efforts of El Zagal, King of Granada, to take the fortress. The castle also played an important part in the uprisings of the Moriscos in 1569, though the main battle took place in Frigiliana.The outstanding building in the village is the Parish Church of Santa Catalina,, a 16th-century Mudejar construction which has conserved the minaret of the mosque which previously stood on the site. The patron saint of Arenas, Santa Catalina, is honoured by festivities from 10-12 August, whilst on 7 and 8 September, the fiestas of the Virgin are held.