‘Braveheart’ in Spain: A visit to the town that becomes Scotland for a few days

Next to the Andalusian flag, a Scottish flag flutters in the breeze in Plaza de España. Its white-and-blue colors are also prominent on the banners hanging in the streets, where the echo of bagpipes can be heard. Pedestrians on their way to the medieval market wear kilts and carry pints of beer. The only thing missing from the landscape is the color green… which is understandable, because the town of Teba isn’t located in the rainy United Kingdom, but rather in the dry and sweltering interior of the Spanish province of Málaga.

The sudden transformation of this Andalusian town into a little piece of Scotland is thanks to Sir James Douglas, who in the mid-14th century joined the Castilian troops in an attempt to conquer the castle of what was then known as Itaba. Douglas was a legendary warrior who transported the heart of Robert the Bruce to the Holy Land during the crusades, but died in the border conflict with the Kingdom of Granada.

For the past 20 years, his figure has been commemorated on Douglas Day, which features theatrical performances, Celtic music, workshops, children’s games, gastronomy, and numerous cultural activities. The 19th edition concluded on Sunday, August 24. It was attended by around 10,000 people… three times the local population.

EL PAÍS attended the lead-up to the festivities. Many local residents were busy getting everything ready: on Wednesday, August 20, some were finishing hanging pennants over balconies, while others were putting the finishing touches on the costumes used to represent some of the most significant moments from Sir James Douglas’s time in these parts. Restaurant owners were stocking up on supplies in their warehouses.

“This is already more important than the fair: a lot of people come,” David Reina noted. He’s the owner of a bar called Los Cazadores. When he spoke with EL PAÍS, a group of senior citizens were sipping anise-laced coffee under a huge portrait of Camarón de la Isla, a famous flamenco singer.

The merry atmosphere in the streets — despite the heat — showed that this is a special moment for the town. “The residents are key to all of this; without them, we wouldn’t have been able to do something this big,” notes Rafael Herrera, the town councilor for culture. He emphasized that the events have been declared a Festival of Tourist Singularity, a distinction granted by the provincial authorities. “There are fairs everywhere, but the Celtic and Scottish component... that’s what really draws attention,” he notes.

The origin of the event dates back to 2005, two years after the founding of the Hisn Atiba association, which is dedicated to protecting local historical heritage. “One of the initiatives we planned at the time was to commemorate what had happened in our town, because it’s quite exceptional,” says Pepe Berdugo, spokesperson for the organization.

And what was so original about this? Well, the story goes back seven centuries, to 1330 AD. A year earlier, the king who achieved Scottish independence — Robert the Bruce — died. His right-hand man, James Douglas, had promised to take his embalmed heart in a silver box to the Holy Land. He traveled by sea to Seville. And, when King Alfonso XI learned of his arrival, he asked for Douglas’s help in conquering Teba. He accepted the challenge along with 50 warriors… but in one of the skirmishes, he was ambushed.

“A foreign earl from the king’s army was killed, having left his land to serve God and protect his [territory] against the enemies of the cross,” relates an anonymous chronicle from 1376. It was included in the book The Bruce, by John Barbour (1320-1395). It was translated into Spanish by Professor Fernando Toda and presented in Teba last Thursday.

The incident occurred on August 25, 1330. The knight’s body was buried in the area — it’s unknown exactly where — although his bones and heart were taken to Scotland’s Melrose Abbey, south of Edinburgh. Melrose is twinned with Teba. That’s when the legend was born. And, seven centuries later, we have Douglas Day.

Local products, the Castle of the Star and the surrounding area

“These are interesting, fun days. Lots of people come and it’s a very good experience,” says one of the waitresses at El Cordobés, an inn located in a former chapel school on the outskirts of town. They have a daily menu, but the highlight is breakfast: a large muffin or piece of toast (10 inches thick), served alongside nine small pots of pastry cream. There are chicharrones (pork rinds), various butters, pâtés — ham, regular and peppered — and four types of zurrapas (flat pastries), made with either pork loin, ham, red meat, or pork liver. A coffee costs a little over four bucks.

Back in town, San Francisco Street has other bars and restaurants serving local produce, as well as offerings like cachopo, flamenquín and calamari, classics at Los Cazadores. A few feet from the entrance is a monolith dedicated to Sir James Douglas, surrounded by tables from the Burger Germany brewery. Alongside it, there’s some shade, thanks to the colorful crocheted awnings knitted by local residents. This is the area where the weekly market is held, as well as the Artisan Cheese Fair every fall (the next edition of which will be on October 5 and 6).

From there, San Francisco Street descends to the Town Hall, where the Municipal Historical Museum is located. This is where a theatrical performance, Tears for Itaba, was held on August 22. Written by Pepe Berdugo, it recreates the story of Sir James Douglas in different parts of the town. A little further up is the Baroque-style Church of Santa Cruz Real, built between the late 17th- and early-18th centuries by José Tirado, the master builder of Seville Cathedral.

During the festival, amid Scottish flags, candles, ceremonial robes and medieval market stalls, Grande Street recreates the Christian quarter, Santa Ana Street recreates the Hebrew quarter and Moral Street recreates the Arabic quarter. There, the slopes steepen toward the Castillo de la Estrella (Castle of the Star), the town’s main historical attraction. “It was a very important place due to its strategic position, especially in the late Middle Ages, as it was on the border between [the kingdom of] Castile and the Kingdom of Granada,” recalls architect Pedro Gurriarán, part of the team that participated in the restoration of the monument’s parade grounds. This is the first phase of work that will produce two more stages in the coming years. “It will be one of the most magnificent fortresses in all of Málaga,” the specialist assures EL PAÍS. His work is complemented by the archeological campaigns that the University of Granada has been carrying out for the past four summers under the direction of Alberto García, a professor of architectural projects, environmental design and new technologies.

At the foot of the keep — the fortified tower built within the castle — there are benches to admire the landscape. On clear days, this includes the white peaks of the Sierra Nevada. And, even closer, the Guadalteba reservoir dominates the view of a large number of mountains and the endless expanses of cereal crops and olive groves. These can be observed from the sky with a paragliding flight: the Airborne Adventures team, based in Teba, offers them for €95 ($110). It’s a good opportunity to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of nearby historical sites, such as Turón Castle or Bobastro Fortress, very close to the El Chorro reservoir and the Caminito del Rey, a trail built in the walls of a gorge.

The surrounding area of Teba also offers other tourism opportunities. For instance, one can visit the Ardales Cave, or take a walk along the Tajo del Molino hiking trail, next to Las Palomas Cave and the Sima de las Palomas rock shelter (which are not accessible to the public due to their archeological significance). Nearby, the Venta River fills a pool: it’s a recreational area for relaxing and taking a dip to escape the summer heat. It’s also a great place to recharge your batteries, so that you can continue along the trail of Sir James Douglas, amid bagpipes, kilts, and Scotch whisky.

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