The small mountainous town of Teba and its castle which towers over the town and its many small palaces and majestic houses in Malaga Province is twinned with Melrose in Scotland and turns Scottish every August with its famous Douglas Days Festival

So if you fancy discovering the world of proud Scottish tradition mixed with exotic Moorish and Crusader history consider a visit to Teba in August to enjoy markets, parades, the swirl of bagpipes and historical re-enactments.

Local people and visitors dress as Moors, Crusaders or Scots as they celebrate an important event in Medieval History.

The whole experience is brought to life with Arab and Celtic musical performances, Scottish and Moorish Tapas Route, Re enactments,, pottery workshops, coin minting, glass blowing, Parade of medieval warriors.

All thanks to the true story of Braveheart and the exploits of Sir James Douglas, who fought in the battle of Teba alongside The Christian Army, commanded by the Castilian King Alfonso XI, to take the strategic Castillo de la Estrella from the Muslim King.  

The story goes back to 1329, when Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland was dying and on his deathbed gave his loyal knight Sir James Douglas a quest to take his embalmed heart to the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

Douglas set off with the heart placed in a silver container which he wore around his neck but in 1330 he docked in Sevilla where he was greeted by Spanish King Alfonso XI of Castile who was trying to throw the the emir Muhammed IV of Granada and Moors out of Granada.

Rather than continue on their quest, Douglas and his men agreed to join the King and rode to take part in the siege of the Castle of Teba where he and his men were lured into a trap and all were killed.

Tradition says that he threw the urn containing the heart at the Moors and then attacked them shouting “Lead on Braveheart, I’ll follow thee.”

Soon after, the King’s knights captured the castle and the Moors as a gesture of goodwill surrendered the body of Sir James Douglas along with Robert the Bruce’s embalmed heart, both of which were returned to Scotland

The heart was buried in Melrose Abbey whilst Sir James’ body was interred in St Bride’s Cemetery in his hometown of Douglas.