With a population of 5000 inhabitants, although it is a coastal town, it has its city center inland, three kilometers from the coast, exactly on the hill that goes up to the Sanctuary of San Sebastian. The first evidence of urban settlements, dating back to the Bronze Age, was found in El Morro de Mezquitilla. However, it is the archaeological sites in the Trayamar necropolis that have something attractive, as they have the most important complex of Paleopunic tombs in the western Mediterranean, dating from the seventh century BC.
It was the Arabs, especially the members of the Berber tribe, Beni Tumi, who gave the name La Sierra de Bentomiz. And towards the end of the fifth century, the city of Algarrobo passed to Dona Catalna de Ribera, who had to face the Moorish uprising and subsequent expulsion. Apart from the archaeological sites, the sights worth visiting are the Sanctuary of San Sebastian and the Parish Church of Santa Ana, built in the sixteenth century.
The popular festivities are celebrated during the last two weeks of August and at the beginning of the year, precisely on January 20, the city puts on its best face to celebrate the festivities in honor of its patron saint, San Sebastian. In his pastry shop, it is the famous cakes with the name of the city and “Los Roscos de Aceite” of clearly Arabic origin that stand out. In addition, the more elaborate dishes “El Potaje Algarrobeno” goat with garlic (choto al ajillo), fennel stew (el potaje de hinojos) and the cold garlic and almond soup (el ajoblanco) stand out. And, of course, on the coast, los “espetos de sardinas” and “la moraga depescado”
