Southern Spain is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, it's miles of beautiful sandy beaches and fantastic weather have kept tourists flocking back year after year, young and old alike.
The famous Costa del Sol consists of various regions, namely Marbella, Puerto Banus, Nueva Andalucia, San Pedro de Alcantara, Benahavis and Estepona. Each location has its attractions, as they all have very different appeals and aspects.
Marbella is renowned for its sophistication and quality lifestyle. The “Casco Antiguo” in the centre of the Old Town of Marbella is centred around “Plaza de los Naranjos” – The Orange Square, which is permanently busy with day and nightime activity, offering a variety of cafes and restaurants, shops and general bustle. Exclusive boutiques line the narrow cobbled streets; it is a kaleidascope of colour with tropical flowers and trees flanking a magnificent square where one can sit for hours watching the world go by.
Marbella's Marina is neither as famous nor as glamorous as it's counterpart, Puerto Banus, but the Marina Marbella area is the place to find fresh fish, with it's live fish market providing many of the restaurants in the area with their fish. The Paseo Maritimo borders the sandy beaches and stretches from Marbella right along to Puerto Banus. The promenade offers a perfect location for strollers, serious walkers, cyclists and runners alike. On one side you have the Mediterranean lapping at the shore, on the other side, you have a selection of some of the most stunning Villas in the area.
The Golden Mile, just a short stroll from the beach, is an oasis of luxurious shops and nightspots, along with five star Hotels and exclusive Villas offering a combination of incredible scenery, with the famous La Concha mountain as a backdrop. Any beachfront property enjoys the view of the Mediterranean with the Riff Mountains, Gibraltar and North Africa on the horizon.
From millionaire’s luxury super yachts to small rowing boats, Puerto Banus is the epitome of the five star lifestyle which attracts the rich and famous. The port is lined with restaurants, bars and nightclubs offering everything from take-away Haagen Dasz to Caviar and champagne. Another perfect location for sitting supping cocktails, enjoying the view (other than the Limousines, Ferrari’s and Harleys), and general people watching - not to mention famous people spotting. It is very trendy and chic, but be warned, the bars and clubs don't get busy until near midnight and stay open till dawn!
In addition to all the incredible shopping in Puerto Banus, which also caters for people with not such deep pockets, there is the national store El Corte Ingles. This is a shopping maze of designer ware, specialist delicatessen, sports equipment, flowers, music, books, supermarket, pharmacy, dry cleaners, key cutting and car repairs – to name but a few! Nearby is a large Cinema Complex, showing a choice of Spanish and Original Version films. In the Plaza nearby, the summertime craft market offers quality fayre from local artists and Moroccan craftsmen. On Saturdays, the meeting place is around the Bullring in the Rastro Market, where people choose to meet and catch up on the weeks events and gossip, and also buy their fresh produce, local ceramics, designer clothing, watches and sunglasses or barter for rugs and earthenware from Morocco.
Tucked into the hills behind Puerto Banus, less than a kilometre inland is the heart of Golf Valley, Nueva Andalucia. Amongst the four golf courses in the valley (three of which are championship courses) are some exceptional villas all sharing the same stunning view of La Concha mountain. Additionally, this area offers an excellent selection of fine restaurants of all nationalities. There is also shopping, banks, hairdressers, supermarkets, video shops and more, without having to venture into Marbella or San Pedro de Alcantara.
Marbella has been called a golfing paradise, and now boasts in excess of 30 golf courses, and thanks tothe micro-climate, the golfing season never ends.
Moving along the coast south-west, we come to San Pedro de Alcantara. This little town, which has retained much more of its traditional feel as far as the restaurants and shops go, while still providing all the services one could need. There are a plethora of restaurants of all nationalities, bars, shops, supermarkets, banks and some of the best fish restaurants, at very affordable prices.
The nightlife in the town is buzzing in the summer, with tapas bars and clubs brimming over with people enjoying themselves and taking advantage of the warm summer evenings. The climate lends itself to a very different lifestyle.
Along the seafront there is a long promenade scattered with restaurants and chiringuitos, offering some of the best local fish and seafood, in varying qualities of establishments, from casual to smart.
The Costa del Sol has become very cosmopolitan, but a short trip inland will take you to the beautiful white villages that dot the Andalucian countryside. From a distance, they seem to hang in mid-air like a vision shimmering in the sun, but as you draw nearer you see that they are in fact a tightly-packed cluster of whitewashed houses precariously balanced on the steepest of slopes. A walk around the narrow, winding streets brings all the sights and sounds of the real Andalucia to life. Just round the corner from San Pedro de Alcantara, a short drive up into the hills, lies the tiny mountain village of Benahavis. One of the original “Pueblos Blancos” (the famous Andalucian white villages), home to a number of artists, the village boasts warrens of cobbled streets, craft shops selling local fayre and quaint restaurants serving mountain delicacies including the infamous shoulder of lamb.
As well as the large variety of high quality restaurants, there are two beautiful rustic 5 star Hotels, the smaller of the two is a converted house. Each bedroom has a theme and they have a very fine restaurant. David Marshall’s incredible selection of fine sculptures in bronze and silver are on show in a very impressive showroom at the top of the village. For nature lovers, hidden slightly off the road on the way to the village are incredible rock pools with fresh mountain water surrounded by lush vegetation. Benahavis also offers beautiful scenery and interesting mountain walks with a very fascinating collection of flora, fauna and birdlife of the region. There is nothing beyond the village, bar mountains and valleys!
Driving back along the coast through the New Golden Mile, past a further selection of 5 star Hotels, you come to the next town of Estepona.This has superceded San Pedro de Alcantara in size, and like all the other towns has the well visited “Mercadillo” – the local weekly market, selling a vast selection of various local farmer’s fresh produce, flowers, ceramics, clothing and footwear. The seafront boasts a promenade with interesting landscaping and play areas for children. Further along the beach are a variety of wooden chiringuitos, serving Argentinian, Moroccan and Dutch dishes, as well as the Paellas and local fish that are so mouth watering in Spain.
Estepona’s nightlife is also worth a mention. The beach Chiringuitos in the summer rock with D.J.’s from all over Europe playing the best dance music. One can eat dinner, and dance the night away watching the sun go down over the Mediterranean – what more could you wish? There are many bars and clubs in the town centre, with great atmospheres frequented by a melange of locals, Spanish and many other European nationalities, many of whom have chosen to make their lives in southern Spain.
Selwo National Park is nestled up in the mountains west of Estepona, the coasts’s only Safari Park offering tours on foot and in 4x4’s. This is much more than a zoo, it is a theme park of adventure, fun and nature. There are more than 2,000 animals from every Continent living semi-free, in a large wild territory of more than one million metres. They boast the largest aviary in Europe and one can prolong the visit by staying in the Watu or Massai Villages – comfortable African lodging in incredible surroundings. For the younger visitors, there is a Nature School and Summer Camps.
Come to Southern Spain, and see it for yourself! With 300 days of guaranteed sunshine, how could you go wrong?
Back to top of pageRonda is a beautiful inland town of whitewashed houses lining cobbled streets and Baroque mansions facing stately squares. It is perched on a rock outcrop that stands above the surrounding countryside, and the views all around are awe-inspiring. The famous Tajo Bridge is an amazing feat of 18 th century engineering, made entirely of stone, joining the short but deep gorge that separates the two main parts of Ronda, the old town and the new town.
Ronda also boasts one of the oldest bullrings in the world, dating back to the 18 th century, and is the only one built totally of stone. The richness and diversity of the area has seen much of its territory fall under the protection of various natural trusts, notably the Serranía’s three Natural Parks: Grazalema, Sierra de las Nieves and Los Alcornocales. Home to veritable jewels of nature such as the Spanish fir, the golden eagle and the tawny vulture, they also provide the perfect location in which to enjoy an endless list of leisure activities in a natural setting, such as hiking, climbing, potholing or simply nature watching. Meanwhile, the town of Ronda boasts an unparalleled heritage that all who visit simply marvel at.
Back to top of pageGaucin, at 626 metres above sea level, is one of the famous pueblos blancos (white villages) that are dotted intermittently along the old Roman road from Algeciras to Ronda. The village has become a retreat for artists and other Northern Europeans looking for a simpler way of life and a perfect climate. With two hotels and numerous restaurants, it is popular with people touring rather than coach loads of tourists.
The origin of the settlement known as Gaucin dates back to the Roman Era, although it is during the Arab occupation that it reached its moment of glory. The Romans, therefore, built the castle, but the Arabs reformed it later on. The urban village centre grew up around it. This defensive structure was built on the rocky outcrop that gave its name to the village itself: Sair Guazan or strong rock.
As for its urban layout, it must be said that it is rather like a maze, with its narrow steep streets that never seem to come to an end. The town seems to have been built in the shade of the castle or maybe even the impressive Calle Arrabales. However, today the presence of more modern houses is also important given the large number of foreigners who have visited and decided to stay and take up residence in the village. This brings a multicultural flavour to the place. A walk through the village will bring visitors to the Castillo de Aguilar, the Iglesia de San Sebastián, the reconstructed Covento Carmelita (1704) and the Fuente de Seis Caños. Many of the old houses have latticed windows and balconies from the XVIth and XVIIth centuries off which hang flower-pots full of geraniums.
Gaucin has joined the twenty first century without becoming commercialised and losing its charm, and from most of the village, there are uninterrupted views down to the Mediterranean Sea, Gibraltar and into the West Riff mountains of Morocco. The coast is a stunning drive through incredible countryside, for about 35 minutes.
The origins of the beautiful town of Jimena de la Frontera date back to ancestral times. Without a doubt, this inland mountain town in Campo de Gibraltar has become a peace haven for those who wish to escape from mass tourism and enjoy the traditional gastronomy. In Jimena de la Frontera you will soon notice the legacy of Romans and Arabs in emblematic buildings like the castle.
The town is situated in the heart of Parque Natural de los Alcornocales (natural park) where one can practice several outdoor sports and hiking through beautiful routes and lush pine and cork oak forests, with amazing views, and enjoy the great artistic valued cave paintings.
Additionally, Jimea de la Frontera enjoys a privileged location 30 minutes away from Gibraltar and the Ronda mountains, and it is perfectly connected by train and highway. Definitely the ideal place to breathe some fresh air and enjoy one of the most charming places of Andalucía.
Back to top of pageCasares, one of the most scenic and photographed white-mountain villages in Andalucia, is ideally located to offer something for everyone, the Casares coast offers peaceful beaches and spectacular scenery. Lying fourteen kilometres inland, Casares is perched high on a hilltop, its’ whitewashed houses cascade down beneath the remains of a splendid Moorish castle. This is the real Spain; a working village with rich cultural heritage, unspoilt by tourism but central enough to provide an excellent base from which to explore.
The village is surrounded by the stunning natural parks of the Sierra Bermeja and Sierra Crestellina, with dramatic views at every turn. Whilst the rugged mountains and rolling hills provide natural challenges for hikers, birdwatchers and horse riders, competitive sporting fans can enjoy world class golf courses and polo, as well as fishing, sailing and surfing, all within easy reach.
To the south-west, the region of Casares stretches towards the wine-making town of Manilva, and the Roman Baths de la Hedionda. Healing mineral waters and mud baths prove a great draw for adults and children alike! The landscape opens up to panoramic views of Gibraltar to the south, across the Rio Genal valley and the neighbouring white villages of Gaucin and Jimena de la Frontera, both of which boast a unique atmosphere of their own.
Back to top of page