Costa del Sol Travel Guide

Page 1


COSTA DEL SOL

1

a natural paradise

2

white villages

3

along the coast 2 | Costa del Sol


4

leisure

5

how to get there

Costa del Sol | 3


COSTA DEL SOL pleasant Mediterranean climate, marked by long, dry and hot summers with short, mild and frost-free winters.

This sunny coast, washed by the Mediterranean and sheltered by the mountain ranges of Southern Spain, offers so much more than sun, sea and beaches alone. You will also discover ancient cities full of enchantment and hidden delights, pretty Andalusian mountain villages, glamorous yacht harbours and stylish shopping venues, a rich culture and gastronomy,

4 | Costa del Sol

and great natural beauty all around. The region has long been a popular yearround tourist spot, but more and more Europeans have followed the example of the rich and famous and settled here permanently or semipermanently - drawn by a climate and lifestyle that knows no equals in Europe. The Costa del Sol enjoys a

Within this benign environment Marbella is recognized as heavy a particularly favorable microclimate, something it owes to its setting between sea and mountains. The unique local conditions that ensue produce stable, sunny weather with soft, refreshing breezes in summer and exceptionally mild winters. As a result, Marbella’s climate is officially regarded as one of the finest in the world - with few if any equals in Europe. The area boasts some 320 sunny days a year, great weather variations are rare and even at night temperatures are conducive to an outdoor lifestyle.

Let yourself be seduced by the many different aspects of the Costa del Sol...



1

COSTA DEL SOL The Costa del Sol, in the province of Málaga, famous for its beaches and its climate, surprises inevitably visitors with the beauty, magnitude and variety of its nature. Málaga currently prides itself on 23 protected natural spaces. From the Serranía de Ronda, featuring forests of Spanish fir found almost nowhere else in the world; el Torcal, with its fantastic karstic rock formations; Laguna de Fuente de Piedra, the largest concentration of flamingos

6 | Costa del Sol

a natural paradise in Andalusia; to the reddishcoloured landscapes of the Sierra Bermeja or the impressive Acantilados de Maro (Cliffs of Maro), where the mountains merge with the Mediterranean Sea. These natural spaces are separated into several Natural, Suburban Parks, and Natural Monuments. The Costa del Sol currently features two Biosphere Reserves (Sierra de las Nieves and Sierra de Grazalema), two Ramsar Convention wetlands (Laguna de Fuente de Piedra and Lagunas de Campillos) and one Special Protected Area of Mediterranean Importance - SPAMIS - (Acantilados de Maro-Cerro Gordo). There are also 12 Special Bird Protection Areas (SBPA) - a natural space designation

< Valles de la Axarquia > The Laguna de Fuente de Piedra is the second largest inland lagoon in Spain and the largest lake in Andalucia. It also has some of the greatest concentrations of greater flamingo in Europe, with more than 50,000 adults and chicks. The remains of old saltworks can be seen in the form of linear islands on which thousands of flamingos nest.

>>>


< Laguna de Fuente de Piedra > Costa del Sol | 7


a natural paradise

COSTA DEL SOL

protected at the European level - in the province of Mรกlaga. <<< Abies Pinsapo (Spanish Fir) is a species of fir native to southern Spain and northern Morocco. Related to other species of mediterranean firs, is considered the Andalusian National Tree, native and originary from the Andalusian mountains. In Spain appears in altitudes of 900/1.900 metres, in the Sierra de Grazalema, in the province of Cรกdiz and the Sierra de las Nieves near Ronda in the province of Mรกlaga. In Morocco it is limited to the Rif Mountains at altitudes of 1.400/2.100 metres on Jebel Tissouka and Jebel Tazaot.

< Spanish Fir > 8 | Costa del Sol


< Nerja clear water > Costa del Sol | 9


COSTA DEL SOL

a natural paradise

< Alcantilados de Maro >

< Red Dragonfly >

< Alta Axarquia >

10 | Costa del Sol

< Istan Lake >


< Rincon de la Victoria > Costa del Sol | 11


2

COSTA DEL SOL

istan white villages ISTAN is a beautiful village easy to reach off the AP7 to the west of Marbella. It sits at the foot of the Sierra Real and is very close to the magnificent Sierra de las Nieves natural park. Rural tourism is certainly on the menu in Istan, which traces its roots back to 9th century Moorish village. Note the irrigation channels around the town which hail from the time of the Moors. The street layout of Istan remains much the same as it was in the 9th century. If quiet pottering and strolls, stunning rural views, more walking tours Andalucia in the Sierra de las Nieves natural park - home to the rare Spanish fir, and a good choice of quality restaurants and services sounds good to you, Istan is where to head. Istan is a perfect place for rural tourism. Its history starts

< Istan lake > 12 | Costa del Sol

back in the 9th Moorish village, and we still can see the traces of its root in the street layout, remained much the same as it was in the 9th and the irrigation channels around the town hail from the time of the Moors. Historic sights within Istan include the San Miguel church, the Escalante tower, the San Miguel Hermitage, the El Chorro fountain and laundry shed and the Castano Santo/Holy Chestnut Tree. The views in the town of the Tajo Banderas, Las Herrizas Azufaifo and El Penon are also remarquable.


< Istan:'s Escalante Tower >

< Istan:'s church > Costa del Sol | 13


COSTA DEL SOL

white villages ojen / coin / monda Lying between the Sierra Blanca and Sierra Alpujata mountain ranges, and only 38km from Malaga, OJEN is rural Andalucian retreat also very close to Marbella. Numerous stunning walking routes are around Ojen, which has Moorish roots like Istan, but evidence of settlement during the Neolithic period has come to light with the discovery of caves in the area.

In the East of Monda sits COIN, in the southern Guadalhorce Valley. There is an abundance of market gardens and orchards in the area, alongside stunning mountain scenery surrounding Coin and citrus fruits are grown extensively around here.

< Falcon in Coin > 14 | Costa del Sol

Located in the north of Ojen, in the southern section of the Guadalhorce valley, MONDA is another of Andalucia’s rural retreats easy to reach from Marbella. Monda is a rural beauty spot, and makes a perfect walking base from which to explore local highlights like Canucha range, with its dense evergreen oak and cork oak forests, or the Sierra de las Nieves natural park.

< Monda Castle >


< Ojen autumn's colors > Costa del Sol | 15


COSTA DEL SOL < Views from Mijas Pueblo >

white villages mijas pueblo MIJAS PUEBLO lies at an altitude of 400m and is just 8 kilometers from the coast between Malaga and Marbella. Inhabited since prehistoric times, it is now one of the most visited white villages on the Costa del Sol. Mijas Pueblo is famous for its maze of cobbled streets, its donkey taxis, and a beautiful panoramic park set on the rocky edge of the village.

the Virgen de la Pe単a, the Bullring, or the complex formed by the Church of the Conception, the Auditorium and the Gardens annexes.

The village, with a typical Arabic era appearance, extends through the side of the mountain as if it were a balcony, with its white houses in contrast with the green of pine trees offering a high plasticity image and one of the most charming postcards of the coast. Within the village there are places of special interest, such as the Sanctuary of

16 | Costa del Sol

< "Donkey Taxi", Mijas Pueblo >


white villages casares / gaucin < Gaucin >

< Casares >

CASARES, a classic white mountain village around 15 minutes from the coast is also one of the most photographed places in Spain. Perched dramatically on a cliff, it offers spectacular views all the way to the sea.

A little further inland lies the equally picturesque GAUCIN, an eagleĂ­s nest village framed by the looming backdrop of the SerranĂŒa de Ronda.

Costa del Sol | 17


COSTA DEL SOL

white villages benahavis BENAHAVIS, a mountain village 7km from the coast, is situated between Marbella, Estepona and Ronda, on the Southern face of the Serrania de Ronda mountain range. The Benahavis municipality comprises about 145 km2 and the medium altitude is 150 meters. Renowned for its restaurants - people call it the “Dining room of the Costa del Sol”- it is above all a picturesque place, where one can find incredible mountain and sea views.

< Benahavis square >

18 | Costa del Sol

Boasting 12 of the Costa del Sol’s 70 golf courses, and that will go up to 15 in the next couple of years, it is also the hotspot for golf lovers. The Rivers Guadalmina, Guadaiza and Guadalmanza traverse its terrain. Regions of great natural and historic interest

are to be found within its boundaries, such as El Cerro del Duque, Daidin and the Montemayor Castle. 
On top of that, Benahavis is only a few minutes driving away from the beaches of the Costa del Sol and the Pico de los Reales, 1.450 metros de altura. Estepona spectacular mountains of the Serrania de Ronda.


< A Benahavis street

>

Costa del Sol | 19


3

COSTA DEL SOL

nerja

< Nerja >

20 | Costa del Sol

along the coast

NERJA is the Costa del Sol’s most easterly resort, 50 km from Malaga airport. Originally a small fishing village it is now a flourishing resort, which has managed to retain much of its original character and charm. It is still at heart a Spanish village and the old part of the town has typical narrow streets and whitewashed houses. You can find nice little shops selling local art, craftwork and products all along these streets.

Built on the site of a 9th Century Moorish fortress the Balcon de Europa, in the heart of Nerja, is a stunning viewing point overlooking the sea with spectacular views of cliffs all along the coastline and of the pretty coves and small beaches below. From it you can also see the striking mountains of the Sierra de Almijara. The avenue leading to it is lined with palm trees and benches and provides a shady respite from the hot sun and you will often see


< Nerja, the "Balcony of Europe" > Costa del Sol | 21


COSTA DEL SOL

along the coast

nerja

< Cristal water in Nerja >

locals sitting around and chatting. From here you can take a Horse and Carriage tour of the sites of Nerja, including the 17th century El Salvador Church, the gardens of Capistrano Playa and the 16th century Nuestra Señora de las Angustias Hermitage. Only 3 km from the town you will find the main tourist attraction of the area: the Caves of Nerja are a series of unique and amazing caverns close to the town of Nerja in Andalusia. Stretching for almost 5 km the caverns are one of Spain’s major tourist attractions. International concerts are regularly held in one of the caverns, which forms a natural amphitheatre with an exceptional sound. In one of the chamber we can admire the highest world’s natural column, which is 45 meters high and 18 meters width. > > >

22 | Costa del Sol


< Performance in the Caves of Nerja >

< In the heart of Nerja > Costa del Sol | 23


COSTA DEL SOL

along the coast

rincon de la victoria

Rincon de la Victoria has a little bit more than 27 km2 of extension and it is located in a privileged area, since the town is close to the city of Malaga and, at the same time, is the door of the region of La Axarquía.

capitals, thanks to the Mediterranean Railcar (A7E15) crossing the municipality. Through this road one reaches the international airport of Malaga in 15 minutes and the downtown of Malaga is at 12 kilometers.

That location allows the area to enjoy a subtropical climate in which the traditional - grapevines, olive trees, almonds trees - and tropical agriculture coexist. Their 9 kilometers of calm beaches offer to the tourist o the local people all the resources necessary to enjoy the sun almost every day of the year.

This magnificent location, and the good-natured character of its people, causes that Rincon de la Victoria is one of the cities with greater population increase of Andalusia.

Rincón de la Victoria is very well communicated with the rest of the Andalusian

The municipality consists of 4 population centers: Cala del Moral, Rincón de la Victoria, Torre de Benagalbón on the coast and Benagalbón in the interior.

< Benagalbon beach > 24 | Costa del Sol


< Rincon de la Victoria > Costa del Sol | 25


COSTA DEL SOL

along the coast

malaga

capital of the Costa del Sol

The lively capital of the province of Malaga and the Costa del Sol, this ancient port city is also the sixth largest in Spain. The port that now plays host to large cruise ships was originally founded in the 8th century BC by Phoenician merchants. Greeks, Carthaginians and Romans, who arrived in the 3rd century BC, followed them later. Remnants of Moorish rule, which lasted from the 8th century to 1487, are particularly visible in much of the older architecture of the city, while the Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical heritage of Mรกlaga points to a flowering in the 16th, 18th and 19th centuries respectively. Geographically the city of Mรกlaga is dominated by the Gibralfaro hill on which stands the Alcazaba, a fortified

26 | Costa del Sol

< The Santa Iglesia Catedral Basilica de la Encarnacion >


< Picasso Museum entrance in Malaga >

Costa del Sol | 27


COSTA DEL SOL

along the coast

malaga Moorish palace from the 11th century. A little further up, on the crest of the hill, a 14th century castle overlooks the city and its bay amid spectacular vistas. The foot of the Gibralfaro, where a Roman amphitheatre meets the city centre, forms the point at which past and present come together. Cross the street and you will enter the old town; a wonderful maze of squares, alleys and pedestrian shopping areas lined with elegant buildings. Crowning this area are the cathedral, built in Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles, and the Picasso Museum, home to the works of Málaga’s most famous son.

< Malaga feria >

28 | Costa del Sol

It is within these narrow, largely car-free streets that you will find such local treasures as ‘El Pimpi’, a

renowned café and tapas bar. Situated between the centre and the port is a stylish boulevard flanked on both sides by a treelined promenade. Here stately buildings alternate with the greenery of botanical gardens, an area that gradually gives way to beaches and the ‘La Malagueta’ suburb. With shopping, culture, history, authentic Andalusian spots and even beaches to enjoy within a square kilometre, Málaga is above all a bustling city full of life and southern European vitality. Visit it once and you will surely come back. Dotted around the city there are already an impressive amount of sculptures and Malaga is a contender to be home to the European Capital of Culture in 2016.


< El Pimpi bar >

Costa del Sol | 29


COSTA DEL SOL

along the coast

malaga

30 | Costa del Sol


< Malagueta beach > Costa del Sol | 31


COSTA DEL SOL

along the coast

benalmadena torremolinos fuengirola

This part of the Costa del Sol from Torremolinos going west to Fuengirola and Benalmadena is characterised by high-rise tourist developments meeting the needs of mass tourism. Having said that recent developments have gone ahead with much stricter planning regulations than in the early days with a focus on better quality tourism which is reflected in the marina of Benalmadena Costa which has been tastefully developed and can handle more than 1,000 boats and yachts of all types. The marina is the focal point for Benalmadena’s social scene and is central to the resort.

32 | Costa del Sol

< Benalmadena harbour >


jungle feeling by the creation of many public gardens in the town with many colourful flowers and exotic trees. The town can be separate in two sections: Torremolinos centre which was the first part to be developed; and the more attractive and more authentically Spanish area of La Carihuela to the west which is a charming area with many of the original fishermen’s cottages still existing and pretty houses with bougainvillea covered patios.

Torremolinos is probably the most famous of the Costa del Sol resorts due to the fact that it was the first town in this area to be developed for tourism and it definitely lead the area’s tourist boom of the 1950’s and 1960’s. Originally a fishing village, as were most towns on the Costa del Sol, Torremolinos is now a large resort, with many high-rise hotels and apartment blocks, and is still growing in all directions. There has been an attempt recently to improve this concrete < Torremolinos fountain >

Costa del Sol | 33


COSTA DEL SOL

along the coast

torremolinos fuengirola benalmadena

Fuengirola lies just 20km south west of Malaga airport half way between Malaga city and Marbella. It is the third major tourist development on this are of the Costa del Sol along with Torremolinos and Benalmadena Costa. This huge resort covers some 10km of coastline with intensive developments of hotels and apartments, forming the typical concrete jungle resort, which attracts mainly British tourists.

34 | Costa del Sol

< Fuengirola zoo >


< Benalmadena harbour > Costa del Sol | 35


COSTA DEL SOL

along the coast

marbella

Situated on Spain’s south coast, right in the heart of the Costa del Sol, Marbella lies roughly halfway between Málaga and Gibraltar. Bordering the Mediterranean Sea to the south, it is protected by several majestic mountain ranges to its north, among the Unesco bio reserve of the “Sierra de la Nieves”, and the characteristic La Concha mountain, itself part of the Sierra Blanca range. The centre of Marbella and the Golden Mile, which connects the town centre with Puerto Banús, lies between Mediterranean beaches and the mountains to which the region thanks its warm, gentle climate.

< Marbella Old Town >

36 | Costa del Sol

Endowed with a rich culture and history, Marbella’s area is a veritable treasure trove of fascinating cities, monuments


< Marbella beachfront >

Costa del Sol | 37


COSTA DEL SOL

along the coast

marbella

and sights, with stunning natural regions to boot. Marbella is a popular tourist destination that attracts a year-round clientele thanks to its climate, beaches, golf clubs, luxury hotels, trendy beach clubs and bustling nightlife.

< Ana Maria flamenco venue >

38 | Costa del Sol

A long shopping boulevard (the Avenida Ricardo Soriano) flanked by famous brand boutiques divides Marbella’s town centre. The area between here and the beaches is a lively mix of cafés, restaurants, bars and

hotels, with the beachside esplanade and the marble Avenida del Mar – famous for its statues of Salvador Dalí – as the focal points. Venture north of the main avenue and you see a very different side to Marbella, for here, ensconced within centuriesold town walls lies the historic quarter, with its charming maze of monuments, streets and squares lined with typical shops, tapas bars and restaurants.


< Marbella Old Town >

< Mijas Golf > Costa del Sol | 39


COSTA DEL SOL

along the coast

puerto banus

Situated just west of Marbella’s centre, Puerto Banus forms part of Nueva Andalucía, one of the largest and most luxurious urbanizations in the area. Nueva Andalucía alone counts some seven golf courses, which has earned it the title of “Golf Valley”, yet it is also home to a stylish shopping centre, a weekly market, many restaurants and a bullfighting arena that hosted Davis Cup games in 2009. A little north from here, between the hills that extend towards the little mountain

40 | Costa del Sol

village of Istán, lays a reservoir created by the damming of the Rio Verde. This body of water provides much of the Costa del Sol, whilst further upstream the river winds its way through the UNESCO protected bio reserve of the Sierra de Las Nieves.

a glimpse of them. Its 15 hectares is home to a port with space for up to 915 boats of 8 to 50 meters, as well as over 50 luxury branded boutiques, some 40 international restaurants and a wide choice of nightclubs and bars.

The yacht harbor of Puerto Banús, named after its developer José Banús, was officially inaugurated in 1970 with the attendance of international royalty and celebrities. Since then it has become a favorite haunt of the rich and famous, and those eager to catch

By day it is a favorite spot with people who like to enjoy an al fresco drink or meal with views across the marina with its luxurious yachts and coming and going of sports cars. A particularly popular spot is the Benabola promenade, whose restaurants and cafés

make it possible to watch the sun set against a backdrop of African coastline. Even in the winter it won’t be unusual to spot famous faces as you enjoy a drink in the sunshine. For ultimate glamour, be it in the form of shopping, sunbathing, dining, nightlife or seeing and being seen, it doesn’t get much better than Puerto Banús.


< Rainbow above Puerto Banus > Costa del Sol | 41


COSTA DEL SOL < Puerto banus harbour and "La Concha" mountain >

42 | Costa del Sol


< Puerto banus beach at night >

Costa del Sol | 43


COSTA DEL SOL

along the coast

ronda

Ronda is situated about 60 kilometers from Marbella in a very mountainous area about 750 m above mean sea level. The Rio Guadalevín runs through the city, dividing it in two and carving out the steep El Tajo canyon upon which the city is perched. Ronda was first settled by the early Celts, but its Roman and then Moorish rulers are reflected most prominently in its architecture. Three bridges, Puente Romano (“Roman Bridge”, also known as the Puente San Miguel), Puente Viejo (“Old Bridge”, also known as the Puente Arabe or “Arab

Bridge”) and Puente Nuevo (“New Bridge”), span the canyon. The term “nuevo” is a bit of a misnomer, since this bridge was completed in 1793. The Puente Nuevo is the tallest of the bridges, towering 120 meters above the canyon floor, and all three serve as some of the city’s most impressive features. Another important site in Ronda is the Plaza de Toros, the oldest bullfighting ring in Spain, and probably in the world, that is still used, albeit infrequently. The architect José Martin de Aldehuela, who also designed Puente Nuevo, built it in 1784 in the neoclassical style. The arena has a diameter of 66 meters, < El Tajo Gorge >

44 | Costa del Sol


< Ronda and El Tajo Gorge > Costa del Sol | 45


along the coast

ronda

< The Old Gate >

< Ronda >

< Arab baths >


surrounded by a passage formed by two rings of stone. There are two layers of seating, each with five raised rows and 136 pillars that make up 68 arches. The Royal Box has a sloping roof covered in Arabic tiles. The outstanding features of the sandstone-built ring are its elegant proportions highlighted by the two-storey

arcade of Tuscan columns. The partially intact “baños árabes” (“arab baths”) are found below the city and date back to the 13th and 14th centuries. Both Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles resided in Ronda for many years, and both wrote about its beauty, contributing to its popularity. < The bull ring >


COSTA DEL SOL

along the coast

sotogrande Sotogrande offers probably one of the best possible example of up market residential tourism. Its development began in the early 1960s when a site of exceptional natural beauty was cleverly developed thanks to some first class landscaping. As well as its beauty, Sotogrande is home for two of Europe’s top golf courses, the Sotogrande Old Course and Valderrama, where the 1997 Ryder Cup and the Volvo Masters took place. Polo has a major importance too, with the Santa Maria Club attracting some of the world’s top players. Sotogrande is as well the first port of call for yachts entering Mediterranean waters and facilities include 600 berths for vessels of up t o 72 meters.

48 | Costa del Sol

< Sotogrande harbour >


< Golf course "La Reserva Club de Golf" in Sotogrande >

Costa del Sol | 49


4

COSTA DEL SOL

< Santa Clara Golf Course >

Leisure golf There are now more than 60 Costa del Sol Golf Courses stretching from Sotogrande in the west to Malaga in the east and they all have in common the wonderful sunny and mild climate allowing golfers to play all year round. For those who are used to playing golf in the cold and wet of a northern European winter it will be a real luxury to play on a Costa del Sol winter’s day. There are Costa del Sol golf courses to suit all levels of players and they are set in some beautiful surroundings, many with views of the sea and mountains.

50 | Costa del Sol


< Mijas Golf >

Costa del Sol | 51


Leisure whale and dolphin watching

COSTA DEL SOL The Strait of Gibraltar connects two continents and two marine habitats, the Mediterranean with its higher salinity and therefore more dense water and the Atlantic Ocean with its lighter water. This causes the deep Mediterranean water masses to flow into the Atlantic, where high massifs of the ground topography of the Strait generate upwellings. This triggers the food chain and makes this spot unique worldwide.

14 species have been described in the Strait. 10 of them have been sighted since 1998 and 7 we observe more or less regularly (of which 4 are resident). To know if they are resident or not we take pictures of their dorsal fins in order to identify as many individuals as possible.

< Whale watching >

Although this area is not officially catalogued as a 'Whale Sanctuary‘ it should be considered as one. With ten registered species since 1998, the Strait of Gibraltar and the Costa del Sol area isn’t only a migration route but also the natural habitat of four resident species.

< Dolphins in the Costa del Sol waters > 52 | Costa del Sol

You will be able to watch admirable animals such as striped dolphins (in danger of extintion), orcas, sperm whales, cuvier's beaked whales, risso's dolphins, longfinned pilot whales, harbour porpoises...


< Sperm Whale > Costa del Sol | 53


4

COSTA DEL SOL

Leisure water sports

The Costa del Sol is a paradise for water sports, thanks to the presence of the sea and the numerous lakes and reservoirs. The most popular sports include sailing, windsurfing, kyte surfing, water-skiing, jetskiing, surfing and sub aquatic sports. There are clubs for most water sports in all major resorts and instruction is generally available.

< Entering Puerto Banus harbour > 54 | Costa del Sol


< Windsurfing in Estepona > Costa del Sol | 55


Leisure beach

COSTA DEL SOL

Marbella Beaches go from Calahonda all the way to Marbella Town and then it continues along the Golden Mile which is between Marbella and Puerto Banus. You can walk for ages along the Marbella Sea Front where all along the Golden Mile are shops cafes and restaurants and also the Plaza del Mar Shopping Complex. If you like walking then you could even walk all the way into Puerto Banus.

< Cabopino >

56 | Costa del Sol

The beaches from Marbella to Calahonda are generally quite nice, sandy and shallow and there are numerous beach clubs and bars to go to. Some of them have activities for the kids, including water boats, bungee, trampolines, bouncy castle,etc.


< Puerto banus >

Costa del Sol | 57


4

Leisure ecotourism

COSTA DEL SOL

Discover the authentic Andalusia through its nature parks, its typical white villages (page 12) and historic cities.

and nights in small and charming rustic hotels, in a wonderful and wild environment.

You can discover each day a different nature park and its ecotourism, by tracks or small mountain roads. You will also enjoy its gastronomy richness. Take the time to discover and visit historic cities of Andalusia, like Granada and the Alhambra, Ronda, Cordoba, etc.

Some companies will offer you open roof jeep tours, and you will discover the marvels of the Nature Park of Sierra de las Nieves (Declared Biosphere Reserve by the UNESCO), with 80% of the time OFF ROAD. they will guide you and give you all the explanations about the fauna, flora and history of this preserved and wild universe.

You should have lunch in typical Andalusian restaurants

58 | Costa del Sol

< Pico de los Reales - 1.400m height >


Leisure

< Serrania de Ronda >

Costa del Sol | 59


4

How to get there

COSTA DEL SOL

By train: The train station RENFE is in Malaga, at approximately 60km from Marbella with express trains arriving from Madrid and other towns of the country. Another important train station is in Algeciras, which is approx. 60km from Estepona.

60 | Costa del Sol

By bus:

By plane:

They are international companies assuring the connection between European cities and the Costa del Sol – from Portugal, France, Germany, Switzerland‌ All the municipalities in the province of Malaga, whatever size they might be, are linked both to Malaga City and to each other by means of a large bus network.

Malaga airport is one of the most important airports in Spain by traffic afflux; this is why it is so easy to find cheap flights to Malaga. It is located next to Malaga city. Malaga Airport has doubled its capacity with a new runway, terminals and car parking lots. This will increase the number of Malaga low cost flights from all over Europe. Malaga Airport www.aena.es

< Malaga Airport >


Leisure

< The "A V E " fast bullet train in Malaga >

Costa del Sol | 61


Issued by Florence Marthe Graphic & Book Designer flormarthe@gmail.com


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.