Mojacar, Spain

Mojacar is another beautiful Moorish town that, from a distance, looks like it was born after a snowfall of lump sugar. It has a fairy-tale look thanks to the white buildings clinging to the mountainside. Sandwiched between the mountains of the Sierra Cabrera and the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea, Mojacar is the largest and most popular tourist center in the South East corner of Spain.
This beautiful seaside resort is today losing its charm and falling prey to investors who seek to lay down their complex, betting on the glory of Mojacar since ancient times. Focused on the coasts, appetites remain far away and Mojacar manages to preserve its stunningly beautiful terrain high in the shadows of the Sierra Carrera overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
In the past, Mojacar was the area ruled by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans and Moors. Moorish sultans were overthrown 500 years ago, but it was their influence that was strongest - to this day, the old part of Mojacar looks more like a Moroccan town than an international tourist resort. The Arabs gave the name Munsaqar to the present city and defended it from Christian armies for hundreds of years until, in the 15th century, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella seized power over Mojacar.
The legacy of the Arab invaders today - a Moorish fortress and architecture - gives visitors the feeling that they have arrived on the African continent. A law was issued, passed in 1987, which perpetuates this legacy and passes it on to generations. Every summer, locals honor their Arab ancestors with spectacular Moorish and Christian fiestas. For visitors, the old town is a lovely maze of cobbled streets, with wonderful views of the mountains, sea and desert hinterland.
2 kilometers separate history from modern times. Stepping on the beach, one feels in another world - a world of modern tourism. The hotels here are no more than 4 stories high, obeying the will of the city elders that the concrete does not absorb the energizing atmosphere and urban appearance of Mojacar. Residential buildings are limited to 2 storeys and the result is a lively resort offering plenty of activities for foreign tourists while retaining its traditional Spanish charm and character.
Like any ancient city, Mojacar has its legends and traditions. One of them is related to Walt Disney. Mojacar is very fond of the version that he is the illegitimate son of a beautiful local laundress who fled to America to erase his disgrace. Unable to care for her child, she gave him up for adoption to Flora and Elias Disney in Chicago. History cannot provide evidence, but the controversy exists and brings additional glory to Mojacar.