Istan...
Records inform us that Istán was founded in 1448, when, following an attack on Arboto Fortress by a Christian army led by Saavedra Urdiales, a battle was fought on the banks of the River Verde, the defeated Moslems taking refuge in what is now Istán, which means "higher", where they built another fortress around which the village developed.
Istán is a low profile village with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and has not, as yet, been tamed by tourists. Considered to be the gateway to the natural park of the Sierra de las Nieves, it has always been associated with water. The relaxing sound of this sparkling liquid is heard in each and every one of the corners of the village, which still preserves its Moorish roots. Its urban design bears witness to its Andalusi past: steep, narrow streets of whitewashed houses with Arabic roof tiling, particularly in the upper district of the village, where part of a tower from the walls of the mediaeval castle still stands.
As with so many mountain villages, creations of a time and place in which the only practical means of transport was the mule and the packhorse, Istán's streets are narrow and unsuited to the motor car. The only sensible way to experience it is on foot.
There are a number of restaurants and bars in Istán, serving an excellent selection of tapas, and it does boast one hotel, though it had to wait until 1998 to acquire it. Whether that heralds an influx of foreign visitors who may become the nucleus of a large expatriate community remains to be seen, but for the time being Istán remains closer to its roots than many of its cousins.
The town also stands close to the huge reservoir created by the Presa de la Concepción Dam, which was built in 1972 and provides drinking water to towns all along the coast. The water feeding Istán's fountains, however, is the pure, unprocessed mountain variety which was much prized long before the coming of the dam. Just outside the village, where it cascades freely from the rocks, motorists often stop to fill their jugs and cans .
Separated from the village by several kilometres, El Bornoque is one of the Istán's most interesting places. A ring of hundred-year-old cork oaks surround the majestic Castaño Santo (Holy Chestnut). Recognised as a natural monument by the Junta de Andalucía, this tree with a diameter of 13 and one half metres hides an interesting legend among its roots. Locals say that several hundred years ago a monk was being chased through the area by a group of unbelievers who wanted to bring him to justice. When he arrived at the ancient tree, he hid among the roots and saved his life. From then on he offered a mass every day in the shade of the branches.
Very little remains of ancient Istán, merely the crumbling remains of a Moorish tower hidden in a side street; two associated villages – Arboto and Daidín – were erased from the landscape so effectively that their precise locations are no longer known, but the village of Istán still stands and maintains the timeless air that outsiders find so appealing.

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