THE long-awaited opening of the Caminito del Rey at El Chorro near Malaga has been announced for Easter 2015 by Elías Bendodo, president of the Diputación Provincial de Málaga.
The death-defying path could become one of Andalucia’s biggest tourist attractions.
The 110-year-old Caminito del Rey has been a crumbling, dangerous, forbidden walkway for the last few decades.
However, in its new form, a wooden pathway has been fixed to the cliff face 100m above the gorge. Helmets will be compulsory to visit the walk.
It will be open from Tuesday to Sunday with different hours for summer and winter – which are still to be finalised.
The first three months after the opening will be free, but eventually a fee will be levied.
The path was originally constructed in 1905 so that workers at a hydroelectric plant could cross between El Chorro and Gaitanejo Falls.
It stopped being used in the middle of the last century and has continually degraded since, with handrails and steps falling into the reservoir 100 metres below.
It was officially closed in 2001 after a series of fatal accidents.
The Olive Press was the first paper to reveal that the Caminito was to be upgraded as a tourist site as long ago as December 2009.
Finally in 2011, the Junta and Malaga city council agreed to split restoration costs – estimated at more than €5 million – and commissioned the works.
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GREAT PROJECT in memory of a Spanish King!! I suggest at Opening Ceremony, the present King Philip, his Queen and children, his Father and Mother, all Family members and also the present PM, his Ministers, family and opposing Party leaders and family do attend and WALK the Caminito as a sign of support of historical and safety .. significance.
Truly a glorious day for Espana!!
I suggest the corrupt and arrogant Spanish royal family take a walk on the caminito before it has been repaired.
I am welsh ,I have never see work like this ever before in my life,people have done fantastic work on
these mountains For people dose walk ,and work ,they are Fantastik people,wel I could’nt do this work
not very good in spelling.
myfanwy .