Maria is the northern-most municipal AREA of los Velez, on terrain of high agricultural plateaus and mountains which border the north of the province of Granada on one side and the southeast of the province of Murcia on the other. Part of its municipal AREA is included in the Sierra de Maria-Los Velez Natural Park, characterized by its continental Mediterranean climate, by its rustic mountains of calcareous and dolomitic rock, by its pine and holm oak forests and by the archaeological wealth of its remains and caves.

The village, situated on a high plateau at the foot of the mountains, has a physiognomy that is more similar to the villages of Granada and Murcia than the rest of the province. The most notable building is the Parish church.