Axarquía bandit museum to hold wine-tasting and flamenco evening

The new Galería del Bandolero museum in the Axarquía village of El Borge, which opened last February with the largest collection of its kind in the world, will hold its first 'Tragabuches' evening, combining local history with flamenco and cheese and wine tasting on 15 July. The event is named after one of Spain’s most notorious nineteenth century bandits.

The show, which is part of the national Magical Nights programme, will be held on the museum's outdoor patio at 9.30p.m. and will cost 40 euros per person. Five wines from different parts of Malaga province (red, white and sweet) will be on offer and they will be accompanied by five flamenco palos (styles) performed by Fabiola Santiago - on vocals - and Rubén Portillo - on guitar - all linked to the world of Andalusian banditry.

The wine tasting, in Spanish and English, will be led by the wine tourism guide Marina Ruiz, from Enoexperience, and will be accompanied by ham and Iberian cured meats, local olive oil, olives and almonds, as well as grapes and cheese. Participants will have the opportunity to taste the first muscatel grapes of the season, thanks to the collaboration of the Ucopaxa cooperative and its gowers.

"This is a magical show where singing, wine and the history of the bandits come together, and which will be held outdoors, under the light of the stars and surrounded by vineyards, olive and almond trees in the only Andalusian territory declared World Agricultural Heritage by the FAO," said El Borge mayor, Raúl Vallejo.

"It is about taking a museum of history to another level, more experiential and enjoyable for all the senses, where attendees can feel like those romantic travellers who came to our land from all over Europe to learn about a culture that they found exotic and fascinating," said a representative from the museum, whose collection will also remain open to the public on an exceptional basis during the celebration of the event.

Places are limited and tickets are already on sale both at the Galería del Bandolero in El Borge (Carretera Cútar - El Borge, s/n), as well as by telephone 678 751 653 or email galeriadelbandolero@elborge.es.

José Mateo Balcázar Navarro, better known as 'Tragabuches', was a 19th century Andalusian bandit, bullfighter and flamenco singer. In his long 'career' outside the law, he was a member of one of the most notorious gangs of the time, 'Los Siete Niños de Écija' (The Seven Children of Ecija).

The Centro de Interpretación Galería del Bandolero opened its doors last February and includes the complete collection of the old Museo del Bandolero de Ronda, which makes sense in a village, El Borge, which was home to one of most famous bandits of his time, Luis Muñoz García, known as 'el Bizco Arboge'. a that attracted half of Europe to our lands in search of adventure and Andalusian character.

El Borge houses one of the largest collections in existence on the history of Andalusian banditry with nearly 1,500 objects: books, weapons, documents, costumes, engravings, lithographs, official stamps, press of the period, romanceros, photographs, muds from Malaga, oil paintings, watercolours, comics, stickers, films, stage sets, etc. The space also houses a section dedicated to cinema, with original costumes from TV series such as Curro Jiménez and Bandolera.