Olive Press Andalucia issue 464

Rocky commute

CRICKET is a sport for which rain is an occupational hazard - at least in England, home of its birth.

So organisers of the European Cricket League decided to host the tournament in ‘sunny’ Malaga with clubs from all over Europe taking part. But, as any expats who live in the area have come to expect, once the annual 10-oversa-side tournament begins, it’s time to get out the brolly.

Seemingly jinxed, every time the event takes place the cricketing gods send torrential storms over to the Cartama Oval.

This year is no exception and the familiar English phrase ‘rain stopped play’ is more appropriate than ever, with 14 games in a row being abandoned from last Friday. The tournament continues until March 21, rain or shine, with dwindling fans praying for a dry spell soon. Until then, it's umbrellas at the ready - just like in an English summer.

AS Storm Jana lashed Andalucia, a massive landslide blocked the Ronda road, a house collapsed in Marbella old town, homes were flooded and reservoirs started releasing water. See pages 4 and 5 for the full story.

Sabinillas and Manilva,Duquesa

From vineyards to fishermen, mountain hikes to seaside fun, Manilva has it all. Find out in our special supplement inside

GRAVEROBBERS!

BRITISH expats are demanding answers following the ‘disgraceful’ disappearing act of a major funeral planning company in Spain.

Iberian Funeral Plans vanished overnight on March 3 allegedly following the death of its own founder Stephen Nelson.

The dramatic collapse has likely left hundreds, if not thousands, of clients with their funeral plans null and void.

Expats are now vowing to uncover the truth behind the emerging scandal, amid fears the large sums they coughed up for end-of-life arrangements were instead spent on Nelson’s ‘lavish’ lifestyle.

For over a week now, the firm has not been responding to any emails, while its

EXCLUSIVE: Hundreds of expats left reeling after funeral planning company vanishes without trace

By Yzabelle Bostyn

telephone lines appear to be dead, causing anger, shock and frustration.

The Olive Press has been inundated with calls and emails, pleading for information.

Citizens Advice Bureau Spain (CAB) branded the development ‘despicable’ and ‘heartless’, with many expats already feeling the impact.

One grieving woman, who asked to remain anonymous, is unable to mourn her

FUMING: Helen Hammond (left) and Sue Truman have been left without cover after Iberian disappeared

husband of 60 years, because the Collyfer Crematorium in Almeria is refusing to hand over his ashes, until paid.

The 77-yearold, based in Albox, said her husband died unexpectedly of blood cancer on February 24.

But while she had paid €3,600 to Iberian, it seems she was never covered.

“When you’ve

lost your partner of 56 years you’re in a very vulnerable state,” the Essex native told the Olive Press.

“That’s bad enough, but then on top of that they’ve taken our money, yet we can’t get the ashes.

“Iberian don’t care about the grief caused.”

Though she understands the crematorium needs to be paid for their services, she alleges the situation was handled ‘very insensitively’ causing ‘multiple meltdowns’ for the family.

“When my son asked when their father was going to be cremated, the woman just looked at her watch and said, ‘oh, in about 10 minutes’,” claims the former dental assistant.

“We’re devastated and full of grief. It is only the anger keeping me going.”

When contacted by the Olive Press, Collyfer’s owner Antonio Collado claimed the situation was ‘not their fault’ and they ‘won’t give up the ashes until they are paid’ despite wanting to ‘help’.

The Olive Press has discovered that Nelson, who lived for many years in Alhaurin, moved just over the Portugal border to Castro Marin five years ago.

The company had a nearby registered address in Portimao.

Under his full name Stephen Nelson George he held companies under the same name in Britain and Portugal.

Companies who offer funeral services in the UK must be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, but Spain has no such safeguarding.

Iberian therefore did not hold money in a

MARCHING FOR EQUALITY

THOUSANDS of people took to the streets at the weekend to celebrate International Women’s Day and call for change. In Madrid, organizers claim over 80,000 marched from Atocha station to the Plaza de España, while in Barcelona some 25,000 people gathered. They drew attention to growing misogynistic attitudes among young men, influenced by social media.

Heavy rain saw protests cancelled in many areas of Spain, including Malaga, Cadiz and Huelva. Others embraced the bad weather, chanting ‘we needed fem- inism to rain down’.

See Not Just Women’s Day, page 6

trustee backed bank account, in spite of contracts which misleadingly stated funds were held in corpo rate bank accounts with BBVA, Santander and HSBC.

It comes amid rumours that Nelson used funeral plan payments to fund a lavish lifestyle on the Algarve

“I got the shock of my life when I found out, it’s disgusting and absolutely unacceptable,” Scottish expat Helen Hammond told the Olive Press.

Like many customers, the 76-year-old found out she had lost her almost €4,000 funeral plan through our social media.

“I had to read it twice because I thought I was seeing things. They definitely took advantage of the expat community. When you come out here you trust everyone, so when I was recommended Iberian I went for it.”

Citizen’s Advice Bureau in Spain has called the lack of communication ‘heartless’ and ‘despicable’.

Many expats took out plans to make the funeral preparations as easy as possible for their family back home.

Livid

“I took out a plan to save my children from all the heartache, but now it’s gone. I’m livid and furious, I thought I was doing the best thing for my children,” Torrevieja resident Sue Truman told the Olive Press.

“There are hundreds in the same boat as me. I’m not going to let them get away with it.”

As everyone wonders what will happen with their money, fellow funeral providers told the Olive Press they were offering advice and support.

“We recognise the financial and emotional distress customers are facing,” Jason Gardener of Avalon Funeral Plans said.

“To support those impacted, we have established a financial assistance initiative for customers holding Iberian plans so they (can) acquire a fully regulated and FCA-authorised funeral plan.

“This situation reinforces the need for stronger consumer protection in the funeral planning industry, particularly for British expatriates living in Europe.” He is one of many providers offering free or discounted services for those affected, including Grupo Rocamer, Compare Funerals and Funeral Care Spain.

The Citizen’s Advice Bureau is currently preparing a class action lawsuit against Iberian.

Have you been affected? Contact us at newsdesk@theolivepress.es

Cooking up a storm

A RUSSIAN baker has refused to take down photos displayed in his Barcelona shop of halfdressed women, sparking fury from feminist organisations.

Military spend

PEDRO Sanchez has confirmed Spain will speed up its timeline to reach NATO’s 2% of GDP military spending target, citing growing security concerns with the Ukraine war.

Knife arrest

A 37-year-old woman from Ronda has been arrested for attempting to stab a 16-year-old girl with a knife when the teen tried to intervene in an argument between neighbours.

Die twice

A GRANADA man who went missing in 1984 and was declared dead in 2016 has now been identified by his fingerprints. as a victim of the recent tragic floods in Valencia.

Doggy cover

THE Swedish owner of dog rescue charity HundGarin, has been arrested in Lanzarote by the National Police on drugs charges.

Glamorous Instagram influencer Tania Gomez, 33, is accused of operating a criminal organisation, based in Stockholm, dedicated to acting as a

‘money exchange office’ and ‘bank’ to launder cash for Swedish gangs. Gomez is also accused of drug trafficking, and was known as the ‘cocaine Queen of Europe’. Despite her image as a caring animal lover that rehomed stray dogs from Spain, Gomez was one of Europe’s most wanted fugitives, listed among Europol’s top 50 since March 2023. She is thought to have lain low in Lanzarote for several years.

Gomez has also been linked to illegal animal ownership and transport. Her imprisonment has been ordered pending extradition procedures. Swedish authorities are seeking a 14year prison sentence for her alleged drug trafficking and money laundering offenses. The arrest marks the end of a long search that intensified earlier this month with new information from the Fugitive Group.

Is this justice?

A NAVARRA court has reduced the sentence of two of the infamous ‘Wolf Pack’ rapists from 15 to 14 years after a ‘toughening of the law’ backfired.

It is thanks to a sexual consent law introduced in 2022 (Ley Organica 10/2022), which while intending to tighten rules on non-consensual sex inadvertently allowed many convicted rapists to appeal their sentences.

The High Court of Justice

Members of Spain’s infamous ‘Wolf Pack’ have their sentences reduced

By Yzabelle Bostyn

of Navarra (TSJN) reportedly considers itself ‘legally obliged’ to lower the sentences of Jose Angel Prenda and Jesus Escudero. It follows the reduction of

Suspicious death

A WOMAN’S death in Martos, near Jaen, initially ruled as natural, is now being investigated as a possible murder linked to domestic violence. The case was reopened on Interna-

Angel Boza’s sentence in 2024, another member of the ‘Wolf Pack’ using the ‘Only Yes Means Yes’ law introduced after the horrific attack.

The Supreme Court recognises that the 2022 law lowered the minimum sentence for gang rape ‘significantly’.

tional Women's Day after a forensic autopsy revealed injuries consistent with gender violence. A man is in custody, and a judge is overseeing the investigation. Authorities had initially found no prior incidents of domestic violence recorded in the VioGen database.

Many opposed the reduction, including the victim, the Government of Navarra and Pamplona Council.

The law was pushed

forward by then Minister of Equality, Irene Montero. Though it intended to make any non-consensual sex rape, it also dropped the lesser charge of sexual abuse, changing all violations to sexual assualt, which had tougher penalties.

That meant minimum and maximum jail sentences were cut, leading some offenders to have their terms reduced on appeal.

The incident has provoked outrage in Spain, with many taking to social media to express their concern.

“Making a law against the ‘Wolf Pack’ that then benefits them. You could be more useless than Irene Montero, but it would be very difficult,” said @Tarahal1979.

“Thanks Irene, the Wolf Pack thanks you and sexists too,” another tweeted.

Car park raid

SPANISH authorities have dismantled a Dutch Mocro Mafia-linked gang involved in international drug trafficking.

The operation, part of the Meridional Plan, seized nearly a tonne of high-purity cocaine with Satanic branding in a Marbella shopping centre car park.

Five suspects were arrested and imprisoned after transferring the drugs from a vehicle to a van.

The investigation, aided by the US DEA, tracked a shipping container from Ecuador to Algeciras port.

The Mocro Mafia, a violent network from the Netherlands and Belgium, had shifted operations to Algeciras after previously using Rotterdam and Antwerp.

Police also seized cash, encrypted phones, and luxury vehicles. International warrants have been issued for three fugitive gang members. The operation was co-financed by the EU's Internal Security Fund as part of broader efforts against organised crime.

PET SHOP DATE

LEGENDARY British pop duo, the Pet Shop Boys, are coming to Spain this summer to wow fans with their decades

Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe have some of pop music’s most iconic hits in their reperWest End Suburbia Always on Mind. Fans will be able to catch them first in Sevilla’s Iconica festival on June 17 (tickets went on sale this week), followed by Marbella at the

Starlite festival on July 16. They will then head east to perform at Benidorm's Low Festival between July 25 and 27. The duo have been regulars to Catalunya in the past, appearing in Barcelona’s Sonar festival in 2002 and returning for Primavera Sound in 2010.

The venerable hit monsters most recently appeared in Spain last year at the Cruilla Festival –

NOT OUR PRESIDENT!

‘Ashamed’ US expats to hold anti-Trump rallies across Spain, including Malaga and Sevilla

US citizens living in Spain are planning to hold nationwide protests against Donald Trump. Organised by Democrats Abroad, the rallies will take place in major cities across

By Laurence Dollimore

the mainland on March 29, including Malaga, Barcelona, Sevilla, Madrid and Valencia.

The organisation told the Olive Press 'anyone is invited' to join the marches, which aim to make it clear that 'a large percentage' of US expats are 'completely opposed' to the president's policies.

Carey Ramos, head of Democrats Abroad in Malaga, told the Olive Press : "The horrific actions of the past six weeks since Trump's inauguration, both within the US and internationally, have motivated US citizens residing in Spain to speak up and get involved in

whatever way possible.

"We hope that these protests will help demonstrate to Spaniards and citizens of all nationalities that a large percentage of US citizens (approximately half) are completely opposed to what is occurring."

Ramos added: "How to summarize our feelings? Horror, disgust, anger, exasperation, deep sadness, and shame/ embarrassment on behalf of our country.

"We hope that hundreds of concerned citizens of all nationalities will attend the protest."

The organisation said in a statement: “Our objective is to protest the actions and policies of the Trump administration. We wel come all nationalities to attend.”

It comes as Spain's ag ricultural exporters are bracing for a potential €3.5 billion blow when new US tariffs come into effect.

Trump announced that he will soon be imposing tariffs on agricultural products imported into the US starting from April 2.

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Annie Leibovitz unveiled her portrait photos of the King and Queen of Spain at the Royal Palace in Madrid.

Leibovitz, regarded as the most prestigious – and highest-paid – photographer in the world, displayed the photos in the Gasparini room as part of an exhibition called 'The Tyranny of Cronos' King Felipe and Queen Letizia had a long chat with Leibovitz, 75, after seeing the photos for the first time.

Their first reaction was to laugh and then discuss the portraits among themselves – apparently dwelling a little longer on the

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The King and Queen along with Leibovitz posed next to the portraits for photographers.

"Did you like them?" they asked, with a smiling Felipe nodding in reply.

The works were commissioned in 2024 to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Felipe VI's reign, which coincided with the couple's 20th wedding anniversary.

On February 7, the Royal couple posed for almost five hours, trying out different poses, clothes, and gestures.

The final versions saw Felipe in a high-collared army uniform and Letizia in a black and fuchsia Balenciaga dress.

ROSA-LOSER

SPANISH singer Rosalia tasted defeat in her legal battle to stop a Bulgarian jewellery brand from using the name ‘Rozaliya’.

The popstar had tried to argue that the brand name was too similar to her own and might cause

However the European Union disagreed, ruling last week that Raphael Europe Ltd were using the trademark ‘genuinely’.

The Bulgarian company registered the trademark on September 6, 2016 for the sale of jewellery and leather goods. The court ordered it could be used

for the former but not the latter. The singer appealed the decision to the General Court, where it was upheld.

AN expat has issued a warning after spotting a deadly Portuguese Man o’ War ‘jellyfish’ on the Costalita beach in Estepona. Posted on local Facebook group, Estepona Info and Chat, commenters warned of the ‘mean sting’ they can inflict.

Portuguese Man o’ War can be identi-

Jelly warning

fied by their ‘balloon-like’ float which can rise up to six inches above the waterline. Lurking below the surface are tentacles which can stretch up to 30 metres long. They contain stingers,

which can be very painful and cause welts in humans, and even death. They are not in fact jellyfish but are actually a species of siphonophore. Each specimen is a colony of specialised, genetically identical individuals called zooids — clones — with various forms and functions, all working together as one.

LEFT STRANDED!

THOUSANDS of workers are furious after being left with far longer daily commutes after a major landslide on a key main road in Andalucia.

The collapse of the emblematic A-397 road between Ronda and San Pedro de Alcantara could affect millions of tourists this year.

The famous mountain route is the main connection between

By Laurence Dollimore

the Costa del Sol and the Serrania de Ronda region, as well as many towns in the south of Sevilla province. It has now been cut off for ‘months’ after a landslide collapsed a key bridge that spanned the route. The natural disaster at kilome-

Mummy mystery

A BODY washed up on a Costa del Sol beach is not that of a missing US banker.

The family of Grant Barr confirmed to the Olive Press the authorities had told them it is not him.

The corpse was found on Fuengirola beach in a wet suit and had undergone 'saponification', a type of mummification when bodies are submerged in water.

Andalucia minister Pedro Fernandez said it was ‘too early to know’ if the person suffered a violent death or if it was an accident.

tre 31, will seriously affect about 7,500 vehicles which use the road every day for work.

With the average vehicle carrying more than one person, around 20,000 people will be affected.

Workers now face two alternative routes, one going via Gaucin, taking an extra 50 km each way and 45 minutes more journey time, or via Coin, an extra

“It is a corpse in a very advanced state of decomposition and appears decapitated... and some lower limbs also appear severed,” he said.

Grant Barr, 36, disappeared from Estepona on January 28, during a trip to see relatives and friends.

The financier has worked for some of the world's biggest institutions, including Citi bank.

Photos of Grant, shared with the Olive Press by his brother James, reveal he is a keen sailor, with several shots showing him behind the helm of a sailing boat.

The family previously told the Olive Press that Grant's passport, trousers and other belongings were later found near a beach in the resort.

75 km and 55 minutes more.

In reality, at busy times this will be at least an hour extra journey time morning and night.

The collapse led to the mayor of Ronda to unite the region’s leaders this week to start making plans and

TRIPLE RELIEF

A MALAGA judge has cleared five members of the Triple A charity of animal abuse charges.

demanded ‘urgent action’.

The Junta confirmed however, that it was ‘technically impossible’ to make a temporary detour beside the existing road, due to the steepness of the terrain.

One expat geomorphologist Ray Ward explained it would take ‘various months’ to fix and it was a ‘complex job that would take careful evaluation’.

“The road has needed proper upgrading for years,” he said. “The wire mesh has never been good enough to hold in any big rock falls.”

THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY

Traffic nightmare after landslide destroys major road between Marbella and Ronda -

The workers from the Marbella animal sanctuary, including the president, had been accused of killing dogs and cats for profit and misappropriating funds, among other claims.

and

it will take MONTHS to repair

He continued: “In Germany or Norway it would take two to three weeks, but here it will be months I fear. The effect it could have on tourism, day trippers, etc, will be huge.”

One angry worker, Carlos Alvarado, added it was due to a ‘lack of maintenance on our roads’. “Most government officials have no idea about the traffic this road handles. And in the end, it’s us - thousands of people who travel up and down to earn a living - who get screwed over.”

Now the Provincial Court of Malaga has squashed the case, citing a lack of evidence. The decision can be appealed. Triple A said in a statement that the judgement ‘puts an end to nine years of ordeal, public scorn and unfair public judgement, for five innocent people who were falsely accused’.

Investigation

Based on complaints by several former workers, an investigation had been launched into the charity's activities between 2011 and 2015.

In 2016 SEPRONA, the environmental arm of the Guardia Civil, raided the sanctuary and made multiple arrests. The trial was finally held at the Provincial Court of Malaga between May and October 2024.

The 68-page sentence, dated February 17, 2025, acquits all five of the accused, including German president Bettina, who faced up to 20 years in jail.

SHIFT THAT: Rockfall has cut Ronda off from the coast

Bittersweet weather

RESERVOIRS in Malaga have been forced to release water just months after the region faced critical drought levels.

The Conde de Guadalhorce and La Concepcion reservoirs both had to open emergency valves as they became around 90% full at the weekend.

Nearly two weeks of rain has left a healthy 250 million-litres

WASHER DRAMA

A FAMILY suffered a scare when an eight-year-old girl got stuck in a washing machine drum.

The parents went to the laundry room of their Torre del Mar home after hearing crying and discovered she was trapped inside the washer.

A fire crew rescued her in an hour-long process.

One of the team used specialist gear to take apart the machine, while ensuring the little girl was not harmed.

Malaga Firefighters Consortium president, Manuel Marmolejo, said: “Thanks to the meticulousness of the work, it was possible to free the child unscratched.”

By Walter Finch

of stored water in the province, with 70 million litres arriving in a week.

Lake Vinuela which was just 7.8% at this time last year is now 22% full, while Casasola reservoir, near Malaga, has almost doubled from 27% to 50% in a year.

It comes as Andalucia endured its wettest March for years.

It has now rained for two weeks straight and there is no immediate end in sight, according to forecasters, who predict the wet weather will last until at least the second half of the month.

The heavy rain from Storm Jana has brought major consequences, including the collapse of the key Ronda to San Pedro road. Meanwhile homes were completely destroyed including one in Marbella’s old town which collapsed leaving rubble in the street. Meanwhile, the deluge has caused repeated flooding in Estepona, Marbella, Malaga city, Torremolinos and Velez-Malaga.

Reservoirs forced to release water while towns suffer flooding and houses collapse

Among the hardest hit has been Torremolinos, where roads, homes and stairways were seen completely inundated with flood water.

In Cadiz, the famous Jerez racing circuit was pictured almost completely submerged, while hailstones fell so fast they created mounds of ice on the ground. The highest rainfall was recorded in Ojen (76mm) and at Marbella’s sewage treatment plant (75mm).

A yellow alert remains active for the coming days, with accumulated precipitation of up to 40mm expected over 12-hour periods.

Voted top expat paper in

Spain

A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than two million people a month.

OPINION

Going quietly

THE closure of Iberian Funeral Plans without any communication to customers is both a shocking and distressing abuse of the expat community.

When people make the decision to move abroad, they often put their trust in their fellow countrymen once touching down in a foreign land. That’s exactly what the customers of Iberian did when they signed up to funeral plans with Stephen George Nelson’s company.

Eager to make things as easy as possible for family at home should the worst happen, they took out plans to ensure that if they passed away, everything would be sorted for their loved ones.

Little did they know, Nelson reportedly cared more about living a jet set lifestyle than the grief - and hard earned cash - of hundreds of expats.

The Olive Press has spoken to dozens of people who have lost thousands to Iberian Funeral Plans, but that isn’t the worst part.

As if grieving for a lost family member was not hard enough, now people are having to figure out how to come up with cash for new funeral services and try to get their original investments back.

Unfortunately, Spain has failed to regulate such businesses and therefore only those using trustee backed bank accounts, which are also regulated by the UK’s FCA, should be trusted. In the worst case scenario, some expats have even been left unable to carry out services for their deceased loved ones.

Fighting this disaster in the courts will likely cost a pretty penny, not one many of those affected by this incident have to spare.

Although it is not yet known for certain the context in which Iberian Funeral Plans ended, it is clear no contingency plans were put in place to protect their loyal customers in their hour of need.

PUBLISHER / EDITOR

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es

Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es

Walter Finch walter@theolivepress.es

Yzabelle Bostyn yzabelle@theolivepress.es

(+34) 951 154 841 admin@theolivepress.es

Laurence Dollimore laurence@theolivepress.es

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841 distribution@ theolivepress.es

NOT JUST WOMEN’S DAY

By Michael Coy

MARCH 8 has become an international rallying point for women’s rights, equality, and social justice all around the world.

In Spain, millions of women (and men) take to the streets every year, demanding action on issues such as gender-based violence, wage equality, and reproductive rights.

While the country has seen significant progress, challenges remain, especially in the areas of domestic violence and workplace discrimination.

As Spain celebrated International Women’s Day at the weekend, the Olive Press takes a look at March 8 and the many other significant things that happened on that day throughout the country’s history

Millions of women participated in protests and work stoppages

The most notable demonstration occurred in 2018, when a feminist strike brought Spain to a total standstill that March.

Millions of women participated in protests and work stoppages to demand an end to gender-violence, equal pay and greater representation in politics and business.

The event was a powerful reminder of the strength of Spain’s feminist movement and the ongoing struggle for gender equality.

As the country celebrated International Women’s Day on Saturday, it was not only a day to remember the progress made but

The bots are taking over

WE live in Bot City. Bots are driving me dotty. Whatever happened to personalised customer service? We are constantly subjected to endless algorithm-driven adverts, but where is the human element in the sales pitch?

The other day I wanted to book a night out with the girls at a pizza restaurant, Grosso Napoletano, not far from Madrid’s famous Retiro Park.

I tried booking via their website, and while it was meant to be open on a Monday night, it wouldn’t let me book a table for seven.

I even tried booking for one person. But again, no tables were available. Simply not believing that the restaurant was booked out by Madrileños on a wintry Monday night I sought out a phone num ber which turned out to be a WhatsApp-only number… and then commenced the bot chat.

I don’t know if the programmer of this bot was one pepperoni short of a pizza, but it was inca pable of understanding that I just wanted to book a table.

In the end, defeated and deflated, I gave up and called a nearby competitor with a human answering the phone who seductively purred ‘Ciao Bella’ as I spelt out my name.

When the night came for our soiree, I decided to pop across the road to have a word with the staff at the deserted Grosso Napoletano.

The manager stopped folding napkins briefly to hear me out. She agreed that there were teething problems with the bots, and after much persuasion, she handed me the restaurant’s direct telephone number, usually reserved for delivery drivers.

This time of course it was already too late. Despite the frustration they can cause, around 1.5 billion people are using chatbots around the globe.

The countries with the largest share are the US, India, Germany, Brazil and the UK.

Chatbots are predicted to become the primary customer service channel for a quarter of businesses by 2027.

As with all technology, AI-powered assistants and chatbots are becoming increasingly sophisticated. To the extent that, according to Price Waterhouse Cooper, almost 30% of customers don’t know if their last customer service chat was with a human or a chatbot.

Chatbots are meant to have two main benefits; firstly, they offer instant support and, secondly, they offer it 24/7. But clearly they don’t always work. Indeed, as I have been writing this I have been conversing on WhatsApp with a Hewlett Packard bot ‘who’ is supposedly fixing my printer.

also a day to renew the nation’s commitment to the continued fight for women’s rights.

The fight for gender equality here has been a long and arduous journey. While today women in Spain outnumber men in university enrollment, it wasn’t always so.

It was the opening of a teacher-training college in Madrid on March 8, 1839 that was to eventually change that. Now, it sounds pretty routine, but at the time it caused a sensation.

Up till then the Catholic Church had complete control of Spanish education, and schools were mostly staffed by priests and nuns.

By the 1830s however, it became clear that

As AI starts flooding into Spain, Madrid-based journalist Susanna Grant insists that it’s still good old fashioned humans that end up fixing most problems

But finally after an hour and 45 minutes of repeating my personal details and my printer’s woes, I asked if he could just phone me. Clearly not appreciating my slight on his digital aptitude for fixing the issue he hung up. Furious, I decided to change tack and tried what was described as the ‘callback service’, and less than five minutes later, a lovely South American lady asked if she could access my laptop to fix the problem, which she did in less than five minutes. She even took the trouble to talk through the process afterwards while I took notes so that I can do it myself on any other similar devices.

Amazing what humans can do these days. It appears that nurses are not even required to look after patients in hospitals these days. Following a recent operation, I was hooked up to a sleeve in intensive care. It seemed to wait until I was just nodding off before suddenly tightening

STRIKE: Feminists brought Spain to a standstill in 2018

NO BOT: Chat bots cannot yet replicate the competence of a human

By Susannah Grant

DAY:

clergy perhaps, were not the best people to teach the country’s children.

The Church, of course, hated the idea and fought against the idea of civilian teachers coming in, seeing this (correctly) as the beginning of the end of the cleric’s power in Spain.

The opening of the college was to eventually become the gateway for women to enter the profession, while King Alfonso XIII even allowed women to attend university, a full 10 years before Oxford did!

But in Spain, the significance of

the date March 8 goes way beyond that of women’s rights. Historically it is a date that has come up over and over again for notable milestones and events.

MARCH 8 MILESTONES

San Juan de Dios

Take San Juan de Dios (left) for example. He obligingly made it easy for the Vatican to pick March 8 as his Saint’s Day, because it is the date on which he both entered the world (1495) and left it (1550).

cued by other Spaniards and in the 1540s he was made governor of ‘New Andalucia’ (today known as Paraguay), but his rule was a disaster.

Christened Juan Duarte Cidade, he was ‘one of the leading religious figures in the history of the Iberian Peninsula’. Made a saint in 1690, Juan led an eventful life. After a childhood of poverty, he spent decades in the army before wandering like a beggar in Andalucia and Africa.

But then he had a dream and saw a vision of Jesus with the holy man telling him to go to Granada and help people who were poor and ill.

After a major mental breakdown when he was just 42, he was placed in an asylum, which was not a promising way to start on the route to sainthood.

its iron grip, squeezing the life out of my upper arm and taking my blood pressure at regular intervals throughout the night, whilst the rest of the staff cheered Viva España at a football match on their mobile phones.

They may as well have sent me home with a camera to monitor me remotely. They certainly didn’t notice I was happily munching on dark chocolate almonds I’d squirreled into my toiletry bag.

Even my surgeon was trying to persuade me to be operated on by a robot - presumably so he didn’t have to miss any of the footie either.

Maybe in years to come, patients will be put to sleep with 3D glasses on so that they can play interactive football with Ronaldo while a robot takes out their appendix.

THE Olive Press website has gone stratospheric over the last 12 months, latest figures show.

More than 70,000 people have now registered an account at theolivepress.es, more than double that of a year ago.

But on his release he founded his own religious order, the Brothers Hospitallers, which devoted itself to the care of the sick and poor. He died on his 55th birthday, as a result of pneumonia contracted after diving into a river to save a drowning man.

His legacy continues today, and his feast day, March 8, has been commemorated by the Catholic Church since he was canonized in 1690.

Cabeza de Vaca

Another man associated with March 8 was Cabeza de Vaca, a ‘conquistador’ and Spanish soldier who travelled to the Americas to tame the wild con tinent and make it a colony of the Spanish king.

Participating in an expedition to explore Cuba in 1527, he was shipwrecked, and only he and three others survived.

Washed ashore in a wilderness now called Florida, the four men survived for eight years by acting as faith healers, curing native American tribes of various illnesses.

He was arrested and charged with incompetence, and in 1545 (on March 8) he was shipped back to Spain to face trial.

His ‘crimes’ were inevitably forgiven, and he lived out his final years in Spain, famous for being the Spanish Robinson Crusoe.

Eduardo Dato

Spanish Prime Minister Eduardo Dato (left) was assassinated in Madrid on March 8 1921.

The culprits were three Catalans, who wanted to bring about the independence of Catalunya.

This act of violence has to be seen in its international context. An American president and a Portuguese king had recently been murdered for political reasons, and (of course) the UK was having major problems in Ireland at the time of Dado’s death.

Federico Garcia Lorca

The poet and playwright Federico García Lorca was born in Granada in 1898, and by the early 1930s he had established an international reputation for his depiction of Andaluz culture.

It was on March 8, 1933 that he enjoyed his greatest-ever triumph, when his drama

Eventually he and his companions were res-

Bodas de Sangre (‘Blood Wedding’) first took to the stage in Madrid. In beautiful poetic language, the play tells a story of jealousy and violence in the Andalucian countryside. Lorca went on to write Yerma, a play about a woman who wants a baby but can’t get pregnant (her husband is impotent, but everyone blames her), and The House of Bernarda Alba.

Tragically, Lorca (left) was shot dead by a group of Fascists at the start of the Spanish civil war, while he was still in

It is no surprise then that March 8 is a significant day in the Spanish calendar. A day of significant political upheavals and acts of charity. All in all then a day marked by struggle, progress, and triumph. It is a day to reflect on the past, honour the achievements of women, and continue to push for a more just and equal future for all.

Here is a list of events which, over the centuries, have made March 8 a date that resonates here in Spain. The year is given on the left, and the more significant incidents are explained below.

1495 - Saint Juan de Dios (‘John of God’) is born.

1545 - Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca is sent from Paraguay back to Spain to stand trial

1550 - Saint Juan de Dios dies

1820 - King Ferdinand VII grants a constitution

1839 - Training college for teachers opens in Madrid

1910 - King Alfonso the XIII allows women to attend university

1921 - Prime Minister Eduardo Dato is assassinated

1933 - The play, “Blood Wedding”, hits the Madrid stage

After significant investment and changes to our paywall provider and web server, we are now seeing around 50 people registering with us each DAY.

Registered users enjoy a range of benefits, including the chance to comment on stories and receive weekly newsletters on travel, health and property. They also get exclusive competitions, special discounts for restaurants and hotels and a comprehensive daily news update keeping them informed of all key news in Spain. Over the past 30 days alone, we have seen over 1,500 people register an account, while thousands are subscribers paying to allow them unlimited and advert-free access to all our articles. The continued success is thanks to our crack team of NCTJ-trained journalists, who are dotted around Spain and report on the latest news from the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, Madrid, Balearic Islands and elsewhere.

Our exclusive reporting is also followed up by the world’s biggest news outlets, such as the MailOnline, BBC, Sky and The Telegraph, opening us up to a wider audience.

According to Google Analytics, during the first two months of 2025, we DOUBLED our visitors in almost every country compared to the same period in 2024.

Between January and March, readers from the UK increased by 746%, followed by Spain (+428%), the US (+186%), Ireland (+877%) and Canada (+209%).

Viewership also soared from Germany, the Netherlands, France and Sweden.

Visit our website www.theolivepress.es and join our ever-growing army of well informed readers today.

SPECIAL

Thousands of women turned out in Madrid, but March 8 is a date that has extra significance in Spain

Looking ahead

Earth Hour 2025 is a global call for action to tackle the climate crisis

WWF is turning its attention to the critical year ahead. With the upcoming 2025 of Earth Hour, the global initiative will continue to be a beacon of hope, urging people and governments to act decisively in the fight against climate change. As the world faces increasingly severe environmental

challenges, Earth Hour’s message of urgency and collective action remains more relevant than ever.

The 2025 edition of Earth Hour will take place on Saturday, March 22 from 8.30pm to 9.30pm local time.

The focus will be on further amplifying global participation and pushing for

stronger climate action, as international cooperation becomes essential to limit global warming to 1.5°C and protect biodiversity by 2030.

Earth Hour will continue to inspire communities, businesses, and governments to dedicate time and resources to protecting our planet.

As a new feature, WWF is inviting people to share a special place where they feel connected to nature and don’t want to see it disappear due to the adverse effects of the climate crisis. They can choose their favorite natural spot and share pictures and video through their social media and on the Earth Hour website.

The initiative in Spain is being supported by Inditex as a partner once again, as well as from collaborating companies including El Corte Inglés, Mapfre, and Ecovidrio. So far, over 85 companies have decided to participate in this edition.

Media groups including Movistar+, RTVE, the EFE Agency, Los 40 (Prisa Group), Onda Cero Radio (Atresmedia), RBA, Canal Odisea (AMC Networks International), Condé Nast, Happy Learning, Corre-

sponsables, and Mujeres a Seguir will be Earth Hour allies.

Last year’s 18th edition of Earth Hour united more than 180 countries and territories around the world, marking a powerful collective movement to raise awareness about the climate crisis.

Millions of people across the globe participated in the symbolic gesture of turning off their lights, with iconic landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House, the Tokyo Tower, the Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum, and the Christ the Redeemer statue joining in the global blackout.

WWF Spain also introduced the innovative ‘hour bank’, which encouraged individuals and organisations to dedicate 60 minutes to actions that benefit the environment.

In Spain, more than 500 local governments, over 120 companies, 120 organisations, and high-profile social media influencers including Climabar, Gipsy Chef, Jesús Calleja, and María Herrejón participated, contributing to the campaign’s success and engaging their audiences in the urgent fight against climate change.

Spain ranked ninth globally in participation, with over 2,800 hours committed to environmental conservation.

The overwhelming public support highlighted the nation’s deep concern about climate-related issues, particularly the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires.

These events, alongside biodiversity loss, have placed Spain at the forefront of the climate crisis.

Juan Carlos del Olmo, Secretary General of WWF Spain, expressed his appreciation for the overwhelming support from the public: “With Earth Hour, we want to alert people that we no longer have a minute to lose, that we must act quickly and decisively to change our relationship with the planet”.

“We are still on time to halt the effects of this environmental crisis that threatens our favorite natural spots. Therefore, this year, to involve citizens in our campaign, in addition to our tra-

ditional blackout, we want to collect photos and videos of these spaces that could disappear due to the effects of the climate crisis.”

In addition to the symbolic blackout, notable landmarks in Spain, including the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, the Puerta de Alcalá in Madrid, and the Cathedral of Burgos, will participate once again, amplifying the campaign’s reach.

The involvement of major companies like Inditex, Coca-Cola, Mahou San Miguel, and Mapfre, as well as media outlets such as RTVE and Movistar+, further emphasizes the collective responsibility needed to address the climate crisis.

WWF’s global message for Earth Hour 2025 emphasises the urgent need for international cooperation to tackle climate change.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated:

“In Earth Hour, millions of people around the world turn off their lights to shine a light on the dire situation

of our planet. The need is urgent. Our climate is collapsing.”

Kirsten Schuijt, Director-General of WWF International, reflected on the power of collective action:

“As Earth Hour comes to a close, we reflect on the incredible impact that millions of people united for the health of our planet can have. Together, we have lit a beacon of hope, illuminating the path to a sustainable future.”

In Spain, WWF also organises volunteer activities in cities like Barcelona, Madrid, and Malaga, including nature walks, workshops, and waste collection efforts. These activities serve as a reminder that every individual action, no matter how small, contributes to the global fight for the planet’s future.

The fight against climate change remains urgent, and Earth Hour will continue to be a powerful platform to bring together individuals, communities, businesses, and governments to secure a sustainable future for generations to come.

LANDMARKS: World famous buildings around the globe will take part in Earth Hour

A REAL CHARMER

Manilva

AWHIRLWIND tour of Manilva will take you far and wide in just a few square kilometres.

You might start by gazing out at luxury yachts bobbing by the glitzy port, or the glistening sea along a peaceful beach trail.

And then minutes later you could find yourself among rolling green hills populated by luxury villas, or burgeoning vineyards around a whitewashed village.

And on your journey you will meet a kaleidoscope of people from all walks of life, each with a story to tell.

Manilva officially has the highest percentage of Brits on the padron in Spain, with between a third and a quarter of the 18,000-strong municipality hailing from Blighty.

But it’s not just Brits - foreign, settled residents, many from northern European countries, make up 42% of Manilva’s

population. In spite of these high numbers, Manilva is not simply an expat colony - not at all.

The district has a strong and thriving Spanish culture and community that lives extremely harmoniously and very cordially with their foreign guests.

The locals and the foreigners mix and mingle in the same bars and restaurants and the pitter patter of conversation dances between English and Spanish - and very often

FIESTA FEVER: Spanish locals show off their Sevillanas dance skills

halting Spanglish “We come here for the sangria,” Londoner Richie tells the Olive Press in the shade

CULTURE AND COMMUNITY

of a Spanish bar near El Castillo, a tiny fishing settlement buzzing with Spaniards and foreigners.

“We go around to all the towns along the Costa del Sol,” his friend Siobhan adds. “We even go as far as Algeciras. I give the sangrias in each place a score out of ten.”

from the castle that guards its sea walls. Built in 1767 by engineer Miguel del Castillo and builder Jose Vargas, it was financed by Sevilla businessman Francisco Paulino.

The fortification was planned with war against the English in mind, with Gibraltar having fallen to the new

ing 70 people. Today it is a tourist attraction in an ideal location, but beware - it doesn’t open on weekends!

Just a short stroll along the beachfront from El Castillo, you will find a port unlike any other port on the Costa del Sol.

Puerto de la Duquesa is the only one to face out to sea. From each of the three edges you can gaze out into the Mediterranean.

Duquesa is, without a doubt, the thriving coastal jewel in the Manilva crown, benefiting from tourism and For most of its history Manilva has pendent on and agriculture, ly its vineyards celebrated

But over the last couple of decades, as this little township has wel comed an influx of tourists and de velopment, it has still maintained a peaceful air.

Though the Brits and the 180-odd other nationalities come from all walks of life and occupations ( some even set up a newspaper here they all have something in common. Like Manilva’s first health tourist, Julius Caesar, who visited the nearby Roman baths around 60BC, it seems that people come here for a temperate life be neath the jaw-dropping mountains, fed by the Bob and Jen from Essex told the Olover Belgian fries that they manage to come to Manilva once a month for as long as 10 days a pop. But they are content with splitting their time in this way, and are not tempted to fully retire to the sun just yet.

Bob, who works in the solar energy business, still has a few more panels to lay in this booming industry before he’s ready to hang up his work

But it is partly due to content second-home expats such as Bob and Jen that the unpretentious Duquesa has undergone such a growth spurt in the last decade - and the expansion doesn’t look like slowing down anytime soon.

New cafes, bars and restaurants with cuisine from all over the world are springing up as a result of its growing tourism. Aside from the fantastic prices of homes in the area, the environment is distinctly low rise, largely green and everything is close to the sea.

But when you do venture inland, you will head into wine-making territory. Manilva town, a sleepy, glittering village nestled on a hilltop, is famous for its sweet wine. It, and the process of making it, is something indelibly imprinted on the locals. Even our taxi driver proselytised over the wonders of this wine - although he did advise us not to get through more than one bottle at a time.

When you arrive in the village, you will see that the central Plaza de la Vendimia (Wine harvest square) is adorned with a spectacular mural depicting workers in

SAMPLE: Journalist Walter tastes the local Manilva wine

vineyards.

And in the nearby interpretation Centre, opened in 2010, you can do vocational courses in wine-making, aimed at inspiring the younger generations and training future professionals.

The locals like to boast that the moscatel de Alejandria is the best table grape in the whole of Spain and that it is specific to Manilva, whose slopes have been continuously planted with vineyards since 1501.

The basic wine made from this grape - the Manilva wine - is known as ‘vino mosto’ , and in the olden days, almost the entire town earned a living from it.

The trucks would come from as far as Bilbao to take the grapes and whatever was left would be turned into wine.

Almost all of the locals that the Olive Press spoke to could remember back to those days. Most of them had been living in Manilva village all their lives, they all knew each other, and they had done so since childhood.

“This place is one big family,” lifelong resident Eligio told us.

Eligio, who’s sun-beaten blue eyes twinkled as he regaled us with tales of Manilva over two cañitas that he generously bought for us, said he spent most of his free time in the village church.

Nearby, a sign displayed the village motto: Very noble, very loyal.

Then another man who had been listening in walked over to our table, put his hands on Eligio’s shoulders, and told us with all sincerity that our new friend embodied this motto.

It turned out that they had known each other since they were kneehigh, and Eligio had even worked for the man’s father.

Further along, and buried in Manilva’s historical heart a short walk from the centre, is St Anne’s church and adjoining cemetery, where Eligio liked to spend his time.

Who he was remembering he did not tell us.

Turn a corner and there the 250-year-old church is; striking yet simplistic, bold yet unassuming.

Sauntering through the maze of white houses with their terracotta roofs, every ‘ Hola ’ from passers-by strengthens the feeling that Manilva is very much Spanish still.

Up on the mountain it is removed from the wave of tourism lapping at the coast.

And then there are the postcard views from every direction, white houses spill down into vast vineyards with mountains out behind and the Costa del Sol to the front.

The Pedreta viewpoint delivers a view stretching from the white cluster that is the mountain-clinging Casares village to the coastal hubs of Estepona and Marbella below. A rich network of tracks is visible in between, inviting you out to hike, cycle or horse-ride.

Another short walk and a hop and you are down in San Luis de Sabinillas, or just ‘Sabby’ as it is affectionately known to the expats.

Like everywhere else on the coast, it too has flourished under tourism in the last decade.

But there remains a tangible working atmosphere (it still has a small fishing fleet) and this is still a town where Spanish people enjoy their Spanish lives. A coastal stroll

from Puerto Duquesa, Sabinillas has also become a popular destination for expats.

It is certainly a distinct community with a healthy mix of Spanish, expat English, German, as well as Moroccans and South Americans.

It is also a veritable hive of commerce. While it wins no beauty awards, there is a great range of supermarkets and shops in Sabinillas.

‘Wall Street’ is where traditionally all the banks and insurance companies centred and down on the beach there is a great range of bars and restaurants which stretch into the distance on either side.

Back on the blue flag beach, that stretches all the way from Rio Manilva to Puerto Duquesa, fishermen still launch their boats and are often met by waiting restaurateurs upon their return, eagerly awaiting the days catch.

Sabinillas effectively bridges the gap between the multi-cultural, tourism-driven hub of Puerto Duquesa and the withdrawn, tranquil, traditional village of Manilva.

With the right blend of coastal expansion and Spanish tradition, it is easy to see why Manilva is making a name for more than just its wine.

The blue flag beach stretches from Rio Manilva to Duquesa

WILD WEST: Sabinillas and Duquesa (top) are flanked inland by green hills full of trails, while Castillo fort dates back to 1767

PICTURE

CREDITS: Walter Finch

SWEET TASTE OF SUCCESS

The traditional festival that heralds the first wine of the season

EVERY September Manilva celebrates its winemaking tradition in a three day harvest festival, with flamenco dancers, brass bands, music and dancing into the early hours in the Plaza de la Vendimia.

The sweet moscatel grapes have been grown in the vast vineyards that surround Manilva since the 16th century and are used to make the aptly named Manilva wine, famous throughout Spain.

Although vines have been grown on the sun ny slopes of the town for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, it is fairly recently that wine became one of the area’s main products.

Winemaking became the town’s

ing visitors from across the region to see the winemaking process.

As well as making the sweet dessert wine, the moscatel grapes are also dried on the hillsides to make the famous ‘Malaga raisins’.

The festival has even been declared of Tourist Interest by the Provincial Council of Malaga.

During the celebration of the end of the grape harvest, the very first wines produced are presented with tastings handed out of the sweet wine.

In the early hours of the morning, a Rocio Mass is celebrated, giving way to the procession of Our Lady

ditional villagers, who pray for the fields of Manilva to be protected. In Manilva, it is still customary to step on the grapes for hours on a square surface with a protruding edge and a slight tilt towards the centre of either side. It is through this point that the

main economic activity after the Spanish Civil War because of its ideally suited climate and soil. The festival was founded in the early 1960s and has become an important part of the local calendar, drawof Sorrows through the village streets. This procession is accompanied by local young women dressed as trajuice, or must, flows into a wellshaped tank on a lower level. Every year, a resident is honoured to be in charge of treading this fruit. The crowds gather on Calle Mar to witness the grape treading and taste the first wine of the season.

Wine and music are important to the folk

TRADITIONAL:

of Manilva

IF you are lucky enough to dine at the swish Basque Restaurante Martin Berasategui – which has three Michelin stars – order a bottle of Nilva from Manilva. Produced from moscatel grapes grown on a tiny vineyard overlooking the sea, the dry fruity white made a big impression on the 12-Michelin-starred chef, Berasategui, who personally selected it for his wine list.

Also, the classic wine Nilva has been officially ‘the best white wine’ of the province, thanks to having won the annual Sabor a Malaga competition.

This success would be remarkable by any standards but the fact that Nilva is the realisation of one Albacete man’s dream makes it all the more astonishing.

When I ask Argimiro Martinez Moreno how many people he employs to make the wine, his answer is simple: “One, including himself!”

Not long ago the local wine came in a plastic bottle with no label.

Humble origins

Wine from Manilva vineyard makes it onto the wine list of one of the world’s best restaurants, writes Elena Goçmen Rueda

Now Argimiro is leading a battle to revive and promote local winemaking which, after all, has been going on since Roman times.

Several restaurants and bars along the coast have stocked the delicious wine, but there should be far more.

“And it’s important that local establishments serve up local produce, especially since Brits and Scandinavians love dry, fruity wine and have given great feedback.”

The Manilva vineyards are at the heart of a massive project to boost local tourism.

Argimiro also runs the wine museum and ‘wine interpretation centre’ at the entrance to Manilva, a treasure trove of exhibits,

HONOURED:

with audiovisual rooms showing educational films, a chance to see wine being made, and local art exhibitions which change monthly.

Guided tours of some two hours must always be booked in advance and cost around €25 per person.

The visit begins by reviewing the wine history of Manilva, viewing a video and touring the three different rooms: Viticulture, local winemaking and Vendimia

(grape harvest and festivities)

Tours take place in Spanish, English or French, but Argimiro says he happily caters for groups of other nationalities.

The impressive museum building, which boasts an underground bodega and lab, huge auditorium, bar and terrace, was built by the town hall in 2008 and used for two years as a wine school (Argimiro was originally a teacher) for 24 lucky students until the Junta ran out of funds.

Now he is convinced that the town can cash in on the estimated six million people coming to Spain for wine tourism each year.

“I believe we can attract a new cultured crowd to Manilva, aside from the traditional beach tourism,” he says.

More than just a tourist attraction, the museum’s purpose is to inform locals as well as visitors about the area’s long-standing winemaking tradition. And also the need to protect it.

Maps and guides prove that some 500 years ago Manilva was covered in vines, but since then nearly three quarters have vanished, most of them in the last two decades due to development.

“Ultimately owners made a lot

more money selling their land to developers than from making wine,” he explains. “Perhaps 30 to 40 times that amount.”

Some of the most productive vineyards, such as around Dona Julia golf course in Casares, have long gone due to the construction boom.

One of Spain’s most infamous developers Rafael Gomez Sanchez, aka Sandokan, allegedly bought up around half of the land surrounding Manilva village and it was only the property crash that stopped him digging up the lot.

“I am passionate about protecting the vines,” says Argimiro, who is now lobbying the authorities to protect the vineyards and help give them new life.

An agricultural engineer by trade, he moved his family to Estepona in 2009 and rented the vineyard ‘del Penoncillo’ from the town hall

WINE MAN: Argimiro is a one man show for €15,000 a year, including the use of the bodega and museum.

“It certainly hasn’t been easy,” admits Argimiro, who currently bottles between 2,500 and 5,000 bottles a year depending on the harvest.

It’s hard not to admire this man for uprooting his life in Albacete to bring his wife, Inma, and kids Argimiro and Carlos with him on his wine crusade. He was raised by a father who made wine as a hobby, so the passion for winemaking is almost genetic.

And his agricultural engineering degree, which he got in Cordoba, led to designing vineyards and

other projects. Now his key goal is to get more international chefs, like Martin Berasategui, to visit the winery and stock his wines. He had first met Berasategui in San Sebastian in 2015 after sending him some samples to try.

“He has since completely backed our vision, sponsored some vines and is planning to visit in the future to continue supporting our vision.”

If you don’t have the budget to sample Nilva along with a threecourse dinner at Restaurante Martin Berasategui, you can buy a bottle from the museum in Manilva.

An organic variety of the wine is also sold in the shop, which sells for €15. If you prefer to buy it online, the Nilva Eco sells for €19.50, leaving the classic Nilva at €16.50.

You never know, the local restaurants nearby might let you open it with lunch.

Martin Berasategui has approved Argimiro’s wine

YULIAM’S

DAYS OF EMPIRE

Once upon a time Manilva was among the richest and bestconnected places in the world

THE legacy of the Roman Empire permeates throughout the Iberian Peninsula, not least on the Costa de Sol which acted as the gateway to the Mediterranean.

The Romans’ love affair with the Costa del Sol was not hard to under stand.

Apart from the climate, bountiful fishing and rich pastureland, the area was a vital corridor to the Em pire’s first line of defence. Manilva and Sabanillas thrived as Roman towns, evidenced by the many ruins that you can still see here today, such as the Roman baths, believed to have been frequented by Julius Caesar's army and the Ciudad Romana de Lacipo, an ancient Roman outpost just north of Manilva.

First, a little history … Baetica, the Roman name for Andalucia, became one of the most dynamic and economical-

ly developed regions in the farflung Roman Empire, rich in resources and modern in outlook, even welcoming liberated slaves. Before the legions arrived in the second century AD life was hard and simple, the land dotted with small and isolated agricultural settlements. However the development of a fish salting industry fuelled by increasing Roman presence on the Iberian Peninsula saw most of these segmented populations moving to the coast, settling in the town we now call San Luis de Sabinillas. At that time, salt curing was the best method for preserving fish for export by sea to Rome and other parts of the Empire. Manilva became known as Saltum and came under the administration of Conventus Gaditanus - a vast region stretching from modern-day Cadiz province and along the the entire Costa del Sol to Almeria. Casares, under the Roman name of Lacipo, was a strategic gateway from the valley to the mountains of Cadiz and Malaga. Manilva and Casares boasted road links as good as EU funding has provided today. They were connected by one of Baetica’s main thoroughfares to Carteia

(currently San Roque where the Roman ruins of Carteia still partially survive), Corduva (now Cordoba) and the city of Baetica, together with Italica and Hispalis, both in the Sevilla region.

Some of that amazing infrastructure still survives. Roman remains can be found in Sabinillas, Haza del Casareño, Lagunetas, Manilva and Castillo de la Duquesa which showcases the remnants of a Roman Baths, town, curing factory and even a necropolis.

Julius Caesar himself is said to have cured a skin complaint in the spring

Protected as an Asset of Cultural Interest, the ruins can be visited today and undoubtedly the most popular ‘asset’ is La Hedionda, the Roman baths built around a natural mineral spring where Julius Caesar himself is said to have cured a skin complaint. Still in working order today, the name means Stinky in Spanish and comes from the sulphurous waters which smell like rotten eggs.

The good times ended when Baetica was invaded by Visigoths and the Roman’s Iberian empire fell around 5AD. People started to abandon the coastal settlements, returning inland in search of other ways to survive, perchance to dream of the glory that was once Rome.

TIMELINE OF MANILVA

● 6,000 BC - Neolithic farmers arrived in Manilva, leaving stone tools and pots in places like the Sierra de la Utrera caves, just north of Sabinillas.

● 1,500 BC - The Phoenician civilisation spread across the Mediterranean, leading to settle- ments in Cadiz (meaning ‘fort’ in Phoenician) and the Castillejos de Alcorrín settlement in Manilva.

● 200 BC - The Romans invaded the Iberian pe- ninsula in 206 BC, esta- blishing a fishing village in Manilva. Julius Cae- sar became governor of Southern Spain in 61 BC and is believed to have cured a skin disease in the Roman baths at Hedionda.

● 711 AD - The Moors invaded the Iberian penin- sula and established the settlement of Martagina just south of La Chullera.

● 1400-1500 AD - Barbary pirate raids forced most of the population to flee into the hills for security. However, many still returned daily to fish.

● 1515-20 - Following the Reconquista, the Duke of Arcos conceded land in present-day Manilva to the fortified town of Ca- sares for growing grape- vines.

● 1530 - The hilltop village of Manilva proper began to take shape thanks to its Duke, who parcelled off pieces of land to en- courage people to settle there.

● 1722 - The Church of Santa Ana in Manilva village was destroyed by an earthquake.

● 1796 - Manilva gained independence from Ca- sares, when it was given a ‘royal privilege of the town’.

HISTORIC: Manilva has been on the map since Roman times

THERAPY: A woman rubs on healing mud at the Roman baths

PEARL OF MANILVA

BUSTLING Duquesa ma-

rina is cut off from the mainland by a whitewashed shell of intricate buildings, balconies, plazas and steps, like an oyster enclosing its pearl.

The back end of the port is lined with imposing Chinese restaurants, immaculate in appearance; they are the back-

Don’t miss Puerto Duquesa’s picturesque waterfront

bone of this multi-cultural hub.

A walk around the port, which scarcely takes longer than five minutes, reveals cuisine from all over the world.

As well as restaurants serving cuisine from across Asia-China, India, Japan and Singapore,

there is a plethora of European options.

It could be argued that Duquesa lacks Spanish identity as there are more English voices than yachts and more burgers than tapas.

But by taking a step out either

side of the port, the expansive soft sand beaches will firmly remind you where you are.

This meeting point of friends and cultures sings through its restaurants, cafes, bars, the people who work in them and the people who sit in the sun and enjoy them.

And Duquesa is, more than anything, likeable, as if it were Puerto Banus’ younger, more relatable and friendly sibling. This sociable spirit emanates not only from tourists and expats but the staff, who hail from all over the world including Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia.

Affordable

Puerto Banus may win in terms of glamour but Duquesa is more affable and, importantly, much more affordable.

It is still very much a 21st century place too, with wifi freely available in all the cafes and every possible amenity a short distance away. But Duquesa doesn’t feel like it has been ruined by tourism or de-Spained by its growth.

The wonderful variety on offer in such a small enclosed place shows this port is precisely designed to be quirky, eclectic and affordable.

CHARMING: Boats at their moorings in the marina, which hosts many restaurants and shops

PUBLIC STATEMENT

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

TAX HOLIDAY

BARCELONA is set to double its tourist tax amidst increasing tensions between locals and visitors.

The Catalan government has announced new legislation for the region in a bid to tackle mass tourism.

According to some reports it could rise to as much as €15 per night - although so far it has been announced as between €2 and €7 - in Barcelona’s five-star hotels.

At least 25% of the proceeds will go towards new housing policies, to alleviate the region’s housing crisis.

Pushed by the Catalan government and local Sumar branch, Comuns, the measure starts from €1.20 in basic accommodation and campsites outside Barcelona city and can rise to €6 per night on more opulent living spaces.

Last year, Catalunya earnt €90 million from the measure, rising from €85 million in 2023. Following this trajectory, they are expected to bring in €200 million each year.

Costa del

Spain’s cheapest and most expensive hotel destinations for 2025

By Yzabelle Bostyn

IF you're dreaming of a luxury getaway in Spain this year, Marbella’s got you covered… if you’re willing to fork out a small fortune!

According to the latest figures from the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE), Marbella is officially the priciest place to book a hotel in Spain for 2025, with a shocking average price of €303 per night. And hold on tight, because that’s an 8.2% price hike compared to last year –so it’s only getting more expensive to live the high life on the Costa del Sol.

Not far behind Marbella, the Balearic Islands and Barcelona are also breaking the bank

SPAIN and Portugal will be connected by a high-speed train by 2032, according to Portugal’s infrastructure minister.

The high-speed line will link the popular Portuguese destination of Porto and the Galician port city, Vigo.

Miguel Pinto Luz, Portuguese Minis-

COSTLY STAY: Marbella is home to Spain’s most expensive hotel rooms

at €194 and €187 per night, respectively. But let’s be honest – Marbella is the undisputed king of the Spanish holiday scene. In comparison, Madrid is slightly more affordable at €170 a night, but still sees the biggest price jump across Spanish cities, with an eye-watering 14% increase. But if you’re not flush with cash and need a cheaper escape, there are still some bargains to be had. Zaragoza is one of the best

Rapid transit

ter for Infrastructure confirmed the plans last week at an event in Vigo. He says both Portuguese and Spanish authorities are aiming to finish the project within seven years.

places to stay in Spain, with a budget-friendly €74 per night for a hotel room. And if you're really looking to save, threestar hotels can be as low as €50 a night – that's half the national average.

Booked up

Granada’s another great choice, with three-star stays averaging €61 per night, while the historic city of Salamanca offers rooms from €58. But back to the expensive side – it seems the rich and famous aren’t the only ones booking up Marbella. The rise in international tourists is pushing prices up across the country, with hotel prices jumping by 2.5% in January compared to the year before. Foreign visitors surged by 4.2%, while locals weren't booking quite as many rooms, with a slight dip of 0.5%.

Digital delay

BUDGET airline Ryanair has delayed its plans to scrap paper boarding passes from May.

The carrier says the measure will now coincide with the start of the winter schedule on November 3. From that date, travellers can only use digital boarding passes via the Ryanair app for smartphones.

The company claims that 80% of its passengers already use the digital format.

It suggests a big environmental dividend in saving paper and that it will ‘almost completely eliminate' check-in fees at airports.

Ryanair has not indicated how much money it will save by reducing check-in desk numbers.

"This shift towards 100% paperless boarding passes will allow us to offer a better travel experience.

CANTABRIA

Most Brits flock south in search of Spain’s famous sun, sea and sand.

But few know the coastal gems hidden in the country’s northern regions, such as Cantabria.

Although it has a rainy climate and temperatures which barely sneak over 25C, the area is well worth a visit for its stunning scenery, thriving gastronomy scene and quirky towns.

In summer, Spaniards migrate up north to escape the extreme heat of the south, enjoying the clean, cooler beaches Cantabria has to offer.

The capital city, Santander, is a must-visit for seafood lovers, where you can enjoy world class dish-

es while looking out onto pristine beaches and rolling green hills.

Santander, the region’s capital, is a modern city celebrated for its Botin Arts Centre designed by celebrated architect Renzo Piano.

Nearby, in the town of Comillas, design enthusiasts can check out 11 modernist buildings without having to fight the crowds seen in Spain’s design capital, Barcelona.

A must visit is El Capricho, a bold summerhouse dreamt up by the famous Catalan Antoni Gaudi.

If nature is more your thing, head to the medieval town of Potes, a great base to explore the breathtaking Picos de Europa mountain range.

Hidden gems

Five must-visit little-known Spanish destinations that you must visit this year

ESPITE the common perception that Spain is overwhelmed by tourists, there are many lesser-known destinations that warmly welcome visitors.

Tourism is a significant part of Spain's economy, accounting for over 12% of its GDP, but it is heavily concentrated in major cities like Madrid, as well as along the costas of Alicante, Malaga and Barcelona, as well as the Balearic islands of Mallorca and Ibiza.

By Yzabelle Bostyn

Distributing this economic boost to quieter areas could benefit both locals and tourists by reducing strain on popular spots and sharing the wealth. And it brings an added bonus for tourists themselves - the chance to discover new sights and experience the slower pace of old Spain.

THE MOST OVERLOOKED COASTAL REGION

HOME

TO THE LEAST VISITED WORLD HERITAGE SITES

Just above Andalucia, Extremadura is often overlooked in favour of Cordoba, Sevilla and Granada.

But the region has plenty of cultural heritage waiting to be explored in Caceres, Merida and Guadalupe.

The old town of Caceres is an architectural marvel, followed by the extensive Roman remains in Merida and the stunning monastery of Santa Maria de Guadalupe.

Extremadura is also home to Trujillo, often dubbed one of Spain’s ‘hidden gems’.

Peppered with ‘excellent’ local wine and the ‘finest ham in the land’, the picturesque city is the perfect medieval escape.

TThe Property Insider

by Adam Neale

HERE are big changes coming to how tourist rental apartments are regulated, starting April 3, 2025. Very big changes. If you already have an apartment that you rent out on Airbnb these will be relatively minor at the moment, though possibly costly. The most significant of the changes will have no retroactive effect.

However, if you were considering purchasing a property in a community or apartment with a property owners’ association, they could be very big.

The backdrop to all of this is the housing crisis in Spain and the big protests that have taken place over the past year or so. These have targeted, amongst other things, vacation rentals such as Airbnbs. While tourist rentals in some areas have intensified housing competition and raised prices, a bigger issue remains the lack of construction. As a result, there is an annual deficit in terms of the number of new homes vs the number of new households. But tourist rentals are an easier target than the more intractable, structural problem of construction.

The result are the new regulations, which have been added as amendments to the already existing Horizontal Property Law.

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

LOOKING FOR MORE

November 29thDecember 12th 2023

SPAIN’S LEAST VISITED PALACE

Only five miles from Segovia, it's a wonder that many tourists still manage to miss this vast construction.

Found in an expansive deer park, the palace mostly functioned as a hunting lodge and was used to keep Philip V’s widow away from court matters.

Its Italian style echoes the Royal Palace in Madrid and gives a sense of ‘what life must really have been like’ in the 18th and 19th century. However, veggies be warned, the complex has now been repurposed as a hunting museum and requires a ‘healthy appetite’ for taxidermy.

THE MOST OVERLOOKED ISLAND

The Canary Islands are a popular destination for tourists, but most congregate in Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Few venture out to the smaller, less popular islands such as El Hierro.

The small volcanic island is a Unesco Biosphere Reserve rich with natural swimming pools, dense forests and stunning sea life.

Popular with divers, you can spot Mediterranean parrotfish, manta rays, tuna, turtles and even whale sharks if you are lucky.

For those worried about the environmental impact of your travels, El Hierro has got you covered, with 100% of its energy generated from wind and water.

MORE THAN JUST WINE

March

Although many will recognise the name La Rioja, they most likely asso

draw, but hiding behind the grapevines there’s gorgeous towns, medieval monasteries and jaw dropping architecture waiting to be explored.

With cascading metal sheets reminiscent of Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum, the hotel is the perfect place to stay in La Rioja, with double rooms

Just as impressive is the imposing Ysios winery, whose undulating metal waves stand in sharp contrast to the

CLOCK IS TICKING

Is it the end of holiday rentals in Spain?

At the EU level, member countries are expected to enforce the registration of all tourist properties, which will be assigned a number. All platforms, such as Airbnb, must collect and share this information with the government. Anyone who rents without this authorisation will face significant fines up to €600,000. Landlords have until July 1 to register their property through the government’s online site. This registration will have to be renewed every year.

Up until now, it has been difficult to drag the tourist apartment economy out of the grey market. For instance, in Madrid, there remain 15,000 tourist apartments without licenses and only 250 were regularized in 2024.

The greater threat to owners is likely to come from changes that grant new rights to property owners associations. These exist in many urbanizations and are legally mandated

for all apartment buildings. In October 2024, the Spanish Supreme Court ruled that these associations could vote to ban tourist rentals in the community.

The current changes to the law flow from that decision, clarifying it and regularizing it. For instance, property associations will not only be permitted to ban all tourist rentals. They will also be able to impose community fee increases of up to 20% on community members who rent out their property as a tourist apartment.

Any ban on tourist rentals that is passed in a community will not be retroactive to those tourist properties that were previously registered with the government and therefore legal. They can ban all future tourist apartments.

Additionally, starting April 3, anyone who wants a tourist apartment license will need to have the explicit backing of the community association by 3/5 vote at a meeting with

quorum.

New buyers of property also will not automatically have the tourist license of the previous owner. They will have to seek permission from

the property owners’ association. This likely is going to lead to a significant reduction in tourist properties over the long term.

As a secondary effect, it could create a downward pressure on house prices in heavily touristed areas. Potential buyers of second homes will find it more difficult to guarantee rentability prior to a purchase, making it a risk.

Many foreigners with vacation homes rent them out on Airbnb when they aren’t in Spain. This is a means to cover the costs of maintaining the property and to pay for their vacations. Will those people now decide on

other routes such as hotels – or will it reduce the number of tourists? There are many questions that we will only know the answer to over the next year or so – possibly longer. What is clear, is that those who own unregistered tourist properties – or who want to convert their property to a tourist rental, even if only for part of the year – should do so soon. The deadline before these new amendments come into effect is coming up fast.

BE REGULATED

Are you affected by a non-regulated funeral plan?

Recent reports suggest that Iberian Funeral Plans may have ceased trading, leaving customers uncertain about the security of their pre-paid funeral plans. If you have been affected, we sincerely sympathise and want to help. Information about how to get hold of us can be found at the end of this article. While we are still gathering information, this situation highlights the risks of purchasing plans from unregulated providers.

REGULATED FUNERAL PLANS OFFER PROTECTION

If you have purchased a plan from a regulated provider, there is no cause for concern. In Spain, Portugal and Cyprus there are only two funeral plan providers currently operating that are regulated: 3

These companies are fully authorised and regulated in the UK, ensuring that your investment is protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). This is the same scheme that safeguards all UK bank accounts for up to £85,000. With FSCS protection, in the unlikely event of a provider’s failure, you are guaranteed to receive either an equivalent funeral plan or financial compensation at the current market value.

An unregulated funeral plan does NOT have this protection. WHAT CAN YOU DO IF YOU HAVE AN IBERIAN PLAN OR ANOTHER UNREGULATED PLAN?

If you hold a funeral plan with Iberian Funeral Plans or any other unregulated provider, we strongly recommend acting quickly to secure your arrangements.

To support those affected, we have established a financial assistance initiative. If you need guidance on your next steps, we encourage you to reach out: Call us on +34 966 799 070 Visit us at www.avalonfuneralplans.com

We understand the importance of ensuring your final wishes are carried out with dignity and peace of mind. Don’t leave your plans to chance - contact us today to explore your options and secure a regulated, protected funeral plan.

SPAIN set a new international tourist record for January with 5.1 million foreign visitors – up 6.1% over 12 months.

The UK was the leading market, while the Canary Islands was the busiest destination for non-Spanish based tourists.

A total of 863,286 travellers came from

High January

Britain, up 3.6% on January 2024. France was next with 641,201 tourists (up 12.2%) and Germany, with 537,842 visitors (down 2.4%).

UK tourists spent the most with 15.4% of the total, followed by Germans (11.1%) and those from the Nordic countries (8.7%).

The Canary Islands, as is normal in January, was the most popular region, accounting for 26.9% of arrivals.

Trumping ball

How might Trump's tariffs wreck Andalucia’s economy?

THE five Spanish provinces most in the firing line to feel the pain of Donald Trump’s new agricultural tariffs are all in Andalucia.

Spain’s southern region accounted for nearly 40% (€1.35 billion) of all of Spain’s exports to the USA in the sector – more than any other – while American exports account for 8.63% of its total foreign sales.

The bad news comes after Donald Trump announced he will be imposing tariffs on agricultural products imported into

the USA starting from April 2.

“To the Great Farmers of the United States: Get ready to start making a lot of agricultural products to be sold INSIDE of the United States,” he wrote on Truth Social, before signing off with ‘have fun!’

While it is unclear the extent of the tariffs, Spanish producers – who sold €3.5 billion to the USA last year – are already worrying.

Sevilla leads the pack with €653 million in exposure to Trump’s tariffs, representing 15.12% of

JOBS BOOST

SPAIN'S February unemployment total stood at just under 2.6 million – the lowest figure for the month since the pre-cash boom times of 2008. Unemployment fell month-to-month by 5,994 people while 100,340 new jobs were created, mostly in the education sector.

Total unemployment is down 6% compared to February last year.

The leading areas for new jobs were Catalunya (23,373), the Balearic Islands (14,670) and Andalucia (13,784).

By Walter Finch

all the province's global exports, according to a new report from Gestha, the Spanish Treasury technicians' union.

The Costa del Sol follows, with Malaga's 80 export companies facing potential losses of €247.66 million, accounting for 14.83% of its foreign sales.

Cordoba (€226.75 million), Cadiz (€108.95 million), and Jaen (€52.24 million) complete the list of the five most vulnerable provinces in Spain, with export dependency on the US market ranging from 10% to over 15% of their total exports.

Olive oil producers face the steepest challenge, as oils and edible fats make up the largest category of agricultural exports to the US at €1.15 billion nationwide.

It represents 33.5% of Spain's agricultural exports to America and affects 13.4% of all Spanish olive oil exports globally.

The region's export portfolio to the US market is dominated by

while prepared food products represent 12.91% of exports. The tariff threat comes at a particularly difficult time for the sector, which has already weathered drought conditions and price fluctuations in recent years. Treasury experts are urging both national and regional governments to help the 3,547 affected Spanish companies—including 114 in Sevilla and 120 in Cadiz—find alternative markets for their products.

Although the US market represents just 4.8% of Spain's total agricultural exports—far behind the European market (76.7%) and Asia (9.6%)—the concentrated impact on specific Andalucian regions and products has raised serious concerns about local economic stability.

edible fats and oils at 18.14%. Meat products follow at 13.73%,

Shamrocking

MAINLAND Europe’s biggest St Patrick’s Day parade is set to once again take place in Spain this year.

Having topped 25,000 attendees at last year’s festivities, organisers are hoping to attract even more this year with a special guest star parade Grand Marshall.

All-Ireland Gaelic footballer Charlie Redmond will lead the festivities, along with an ex-Irish army veterans pipe band plus floats, dance groups, motorcycles, vintage cars and a variety of musicians.

Since this year’s St Patrick’s Day falls on a Monday, the event has been brought forward to Sunday March 16. But where is it? In the Cabo Roig strip on the Orihuela Costa in Alicante province.

Other large celebrations can be found in Benalmadena on the Costa del Sol and Tortosa in Tarragona.

November 29thDecember 12th 2023

LOOKING FOR MORE CULTURE STORIES? Scan to visit our website

Oooh mummy!

Spanish museum under fire after removing mummy from display over fears it will ‘offend’ visitors

A SPANISH museum has removed a mummy from display because it ‘didn’t comply with new rules on treating human remains with respect and dignity.’

Madrid’s National Archaeology Museum (MAN) took the action to comply with new state museum rules which require ‘conforming with the beliefs and interests of the communities and ethnic groups [the remains] come from.’

While the move received a backlash online from those who called it an ‘extreme case of ofendiditis’, others pointed out that the removal of

OP Puzzle solutions

Quick Crossword

Across: 1 Strap, 4 Camper, 7 Amateurs, 8 Test, 9 E Coli, 10 Web page, 11 Ends, 12 L-d S, 13 Go in, 14 Sundown, 16 Anise, 18 H T T P, 19 Incurred, 20 Graham, 21 Diced.

Down: 1 Semiconductor, 2 Rattles, 3 Pius, 4 Cashews, 5 Met up, 6 East Grinstead, 12 Law firm,

By Yzabelle Bostyn

the mummy could be a ‘good time’ to return it to its native island of Tenerife.

Known as the ‘Guanche Mummy’, the relic is an example of a person indigenous to the Canary Islands). It was discovered in 1764 in the Barranco de Herques cave alongside 1,000 other mummies and is believed to be from the seventh or eighth century.

According to a study carried out by the museum in 2018 the mummy is a male of high social status between 35 and

40 years old.”

Guanches occupied the island before Spaniards arrived in the 13th century, developing a distinct culture, language and way of life. Spain colonised the Canary

GOING HOME?: The Tenerife mummy has been taken from display

New home

MALAGA has been chosen to host the first ever Comic-Con, the global pop culture convention, to be held outside of the USA. The event, which is usually held in San Diego, will be held from September 25-28 this year.

Islands throughout the 15th century, leading the Guanche culture to disappear.

Some 16 Spanish museums must comply with the new rules, which apply to all state run museums.

NICE VIEWING

PRESTIGIOUS travel magazine Time Out has named three Madrid cinemas amongst the 50 most beautiful in the world.

Claiming fourth spot is Madrid’s The Cineteca, the only venue in Spain dedicated almost exclusively to non-fiction films.

Last year’s edition went viral for the announcement that Robert Downey Jr, who appeared live at the event, would return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to play arch villain Doctor Doom. Though the epicentre of the action this year will be the Palacio de Congresos, events will be scattered throughout the city.

It is the first time in the conference’s 54 year history that it has been held outside the states.

Why Choose AnyTech365?

Found in the old Matadero slaughterhouse and livestock market, the ‘beautiful and unusual’ cinema opened in 2011. Next on the list was the century old Cine Dore Filmoteca Española, dating back to 1923.

Comprehensive Cybersecurity

A ‘beloved’ art deco building, the cinema has weathered many storms, including being hit by a shell during the Civil War and a twenty year closure.

Why Choose AnyTech365?

an exclusive partnership

Their services include cybersecurity, device maintenance and performance optimization, and malware removal, enhanced by AI for faster and accurate solutions.

Dubbed a ‘cinephile’s paradise’ the venue was revived in 1989 and is now home to the Spanish Film Library.

Personalized User Experience

Taking the magazine’s final spot for Spain is Sala Equis in 21st place.

“The most im portant pop culture event in the world will cross the Atlantic,” organisers announced. It comes after arduous negotiations between Malaga town hall, the An-

AnyTech365 adapt its product and technical support solutions to individual needs, offering a safe online experience to any

Housed in a grand mansion turned porno cinema, it is now Madrid’s ‘coolest cine-spot’.

Comprehensive Cybersecurity Their services include cybersecurity, device maintenance and performance optimization, and malware removal, enhanced by AI for faster and accurate solutions.

Personalized User Experience

Blimey, I’ve been scammed by… MYSELF?

AnyTech365 adapt its product and technical support solutions to individual needs, offering a safe online experience to any user.

The terrifying rise of the AI voice cloning fraud

AH, scams. A time-honoured British tradition, right up there with queuing, moaning about the weather, and insisting that ‘this tea just isn’t the same as back home’.

Olive Press is excited to announce a partnership with AnyTech365, the leading IT security and support company on the Costa del Sol. This collaboration offers Olive Press readers enhanced tech support and cybersecurity solutions. Subscribers will receive exclusive discounts on AnyTech365 services, ensuring their digital safety and worry-free use of any Internet-connected device, personal, or within the household or their small business.

But forget the classic ‘Your internet is about to be cut off’ call from a bloke who definitely isn’t from Movistar - today’s fraudsters have gone high-tech.

They no longer need to impersonate a dodgy bank manager; they can now impersonate you.

“Darling, you just rang me saying you’d been arrested in Marbella!

Olive Press is excited to announce a partnership with AnyTech365, the leading IT security and support company on the Costa del Sol. This collaboration offers Olive Press readers enhanced tech support and cybersecurity solutions. Subscribers will receive exclusive discounts on AnyTech365 services, ensuring their digital safety and worry-free use of any Internet-connected device, personal, or within the household or their small business.

Some of AnyTech365 Products and Features

Introducing an exclusive partnership between Olive Press and AnyTech365 AI-Powered IT Security

Founded in 2014 by Janus R. Nielsen, a seasoned IT entrepreneur, AnyTech365 leverages the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to offer unparalleled service quality and efficiency in tech support and cybersecurity, keeping your digital life secure and hassle-free.

Yes, thanks to AI-powered voice cloning, all it takes is four seconds of your voice - less time than it takes to order a cafe con leche in your best Spanish - and criminals can replicate it with terrifying accuracy. They can then call your family, your boss, or even your favourite local bar and convince them you desperately need money.

I sent the money like you askedare you OK?” Trouble is, you’ve actually hardly left your home, and the wildest thing you’ve done lately is argue with the local butcher about the difference between chorizo and salchichon.

Olive Press is excited to announce a partnership with AnyTech365,

The company and their solutions have been widely recognized and won multiple awards on local, national, and international level such as “The Fastest growing technology company in Spain and the 27th fastest growing company in Europe across all sectors” (Source: Financial Times FT1000), the Andalucía Excellence Award in New Technologies, and others.

The company and their

Making a meaningful local impact, AnyTech365 has been a proud title-sponsor of the Andalucía Open tennis tournament, including the ATP 250 tournament in 2021, the biggest sporting event in the region. It has excellent online reputation scores with tens of thousands of end user reviews on Trustpilot (4.8/5) and Google Reviews (4.9/5).

And knowing how most Brits would rather send cash than endure an awkward conversation, it’s a recipe for disaster.

Picture this: you’re enjoying a sunny afternoon on your terrace when your mum calls, frantic.

Congratulations! You’ve just been digitally kidnapped, and your mum has unknowingly paid the ransom. It’s happening more and more, and let’s be honest, most people are still worried about whether their Amazon account has been hacked. Meanwhile, cybercriminals are out there using AI for something far more sinister than generating fake celebrity diet pill ads. So, what can you do to stop your own voice from betraying you like

The company is currently in the process of becoming publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), with the transaction expected to complete in Q3 of 2024.

AnyTech365 AI powered unique software can pinpoint the root cause of a problem providing real-time protection and immediate response to suspicious activity. This proactive World class, cross-platform security platform with advanced scanning techniques to identify potential threats from files, programs and neutralization of viruses, malware, and

a dodgy satnav sending you into the sea?

reputation scores with tens of thousands of end user reviews on Trustpilot (4.8/5) and Google Reviews (4.9/5).

A comprehensive security suite, combining all AnyTech365 premium products together with quick issue resolution by certified technicians without onsite visits anytime, day or night, with AnyTech365’s around-the-clock support services, all offered in more than 15 native languages.

readers enhanced tech support and cybersecurity solutions. Subscribers will receive exclusive discounts on AnyTech365 services, ensuring their digital safety and worry-free use of any Internet-connected device, personal, or within the household or their small business.

First, stop oversharing online. Maybe don’t post 37 WhatsApp voice notes a day narrating your adventures in Spanish paperwork. The fewer voice samples floating around, the better. Second, use a secret code word with friends and family. Make it something a scammer wouldn’t guess - ‘siesta emergency’ or ‘lost in Mercadona’ should do the trick.

The company is currently in the process of becoming publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), with the transaction expected to complete in Q3 of 2024.

Founded in 2014 by Janus R. Nielsen, a seasoned IT entrepreneur, AnyTech365 leverages the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to offer unparalleled service quality and efficiency in tech support and cybersecurity, keeping your digital life secure and hassle-free.

out

ensuring you don’t wake up to find your bank account has mysteriously

The company and their solutions have been widely recognized and won multiple awards on local, national, and international level such as “The Fastest growing technology company in Spain and the 27th fastest growing company in Europe across all sectors” (Source: Financial Times FT1000), the Andalucía Excellence Award in New Technologies, and others. Making a meaningful local impact, AnyTech365 has been a proud title-sponsor of the Andalucía Open tennis tournament, including the ATP 250 tournament in 2021, the biggest sporting event in the region. It has excellent online reputation scores with tens of thousands

and

So next time your ‘mum’ calls saying she needs urgent cash, take a deep breath and think: Is this actually her, or have I just been outwitted by a robot? And if that doesn’t keep you up at night, well, nothing will. And the best part? Take advantage of the exclusive offer just for Olive Press readers, so you can enjoy a worry-free online experience today!

Fastest growing technology company in Spain and the 27th fastest growing company in Europe across all sectors, according to Financial Times.

types of construction from A-Z undertaken.

We work in and around Alcaidesa, Sotogrande, Manilva, Estepona, Cancelada, San Pedro, Marbella, La Cala, Fuengirola and everywhere in between including inland areas.

To see how we work visit us at www.casaresliving.com Jaime +34 630 344 897 or email: info@casaresliving.com

JOB OPPORTUNITY

AN Alicante hospital has carried out a pioneering procedure that destroys breast cancer cells via freezing. It was successfully performed on a 90-year-old woman at the city’s Doctor Balmis Hospital.

The technique used by the radiology department is known as cryoablation.

The procedure is guided by ultrasound equipment which is usually safer and less invasive than surgery to cut out diseased tissue.

The Ministry of Health said it is an ‘innovative formula that is transforming’ the treatment of the disease while ‘improving the quality of life for patients’.

Medics at the Doctor Balmis Breast Unit said they achieved good results the first time they carried out the procedure to counter breast cancer.

COLD CURE

Breast cancer cells frozen out by Spanish doctors

By Alex Trelinski

The hospital’s radiology department has extensive experience in cryoablation for the treatment of bone and soft tissue tumours, but the Health Ministry said it was the first time that it had been used to treat breast cancer.

Specialist Dr Maria Isabel Moya said: “It is an ultrasound-guided technique that involves inserting a very fine needle through a small incision in the skin, which has a system that reaches extremely cold temperatures, below

ANTIDEPRESSANT usage has leapt up in the last three years among teenage girls and young women in Spain according to the Ministry of Health.

Experts say the gender difference is down to bias within the health system as doctors medicate females twice as much as men if they have mental health issues.

They claim there's a link to increased pill-popping due to general discrimination and violence suf-

-40C, achieving the freezing of the tumour, as well as the destruction of tu -

Pill problems

fered by young women.

Twice as many females aged 15 to 19 years use antidepressants compared to males, as revealed by Ministry of Health figures.

The gender gap widens further among young women aged between 20 to 24 years.

Sociology professor from the University of the Basque Country, Amaia Bagacilupe, warned that taking antidepressants is being 'normalised'.

The procedure takes less than an hour, during which time a needle is kept in the target area and several successive cycles of freezing and thawing are carried out.

Painless

In addition, it is a simple, safe and painless process performed under local anaesthesia, on an outpatient basis. It cuts the chance of post-surgical problems such as seromas, infections, hematomas or chronic pain leading to a faster recovery time.

Best in the Business

HOSPITAL Quirónsalud Marbella is excited to announce the addition of new professionals to its Plastic, Aesthetic, and Reconstructive Surgery service.

Their goal is to provide patients with personalised care and the best solution for each case. With this in mind, Dr Gonzalo Martínez Magide, Dr Carmen Alfonsea Carmona, and Dr Juan Luis Alfonsea Carmona join the hospital’s team to implement an individualised, comprehensive care model.

“One of the key differences in our

360º personalised care from Quironsalud: The best aesthetic treatment is always the one guided by a certified and experienced professional

approach is that we work as a team. This means that for every procedure, two surgeons are involved, which ensures a higher level of safety for the patient,” says Dr Martínez Magide.

He explains that this team structure sets them apart from other approaches, which can sometimes put the patient at risk. “In our case, the

patient won’t just get one opinionthey’ll receive guidance and support from two experienced professionals who are focused on helping them meet their goals and needs.”

Dr Alfonsea Carmona also points out, “One of the biggest challenges in our field is dealing with unqualified practitioners. It’s crucial to warn patients about

the importance of checking a surgeon’s qualifications and experience by asking for their medical credentials and specialist certification to avoid unnecessary risks that could harm their health.”

The patients at the Plastic, Aesthetic, and Reconstructive Surgery service have a wide range of needs.

On one hand, there are patients requiring reconstruction for specific areas, like after burns or complex surgeries related to trauma

or tumours, such as breast cancer. On the other hand, the unit is known for its procedures aimed at enhancing parts of the body, like the breasts, face, or body contour.

The consultations for this speciality are located in one of the most exclusive areas of Quirónsalud Marbella, in the newly built Singlehome building.

This area is designed for patient comfort, ensuring that the entire process happens in a hospital setting with top-notch specialists and personalised care.

Quirónsalud in Andalucia

Quirónsalud currently operates eight hospitals in Andalucia, located in Málaga, Marbella, Los Barrios (Cádiz), three in Seville, Córdoba, and Huelva, as well as 19 speciality and diagnostic centres and two outpatient surgical hospitals. This makes it the leading private hospital network in the region.

About Quirónsalud

Quirónsalud is the leading healthcare group in Spain and, along with its parent company Fresenius-Helios, also in Europe.

In addition to its operations in Spain, Quirónsalud also has a pres-

ence in Latin America. Together, they employ more than 50,000 professionals across 180+ healthcare centres, including 59 hospitals with over 8,000 beds. They offer state-of-the-art technology and a large team of highly specialised and internationally recognised professionals.

Some of their most well-known centres include the Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Centro Médico Teknon, Ruber Internacional, Hospital Universitario Quirónsalud Madrid, Hospital Quirónsalud Barcelona, and Hospital Universitario Dexeus.

The group is also focused on education (with ten of its hospitals being university-affiliated) and medical research (including the FJD Health Research Institute, accredited by the Ministry of Science and Innovation).

Their healthcare services are organised into units and networks that help improve patient care by sharing expertise across different centres and applying research findings directly to clinical practice. Quirónsalud is currently involved in numerous research projects throughout Spain, and many of its centres are pioneers in areas like oncology, cardiology, endocrinology, gynaecology, and neurology, among others.

mour cells.”

Honourable welcome

A CORUÑA has honoured two illegal migrants who risked deportation to stop a vicious homophobic assault.

Flight risk

BRITS were left stranded in Bilbao after air traffic controllers ‘went home’ instead of dealing with a late-night diversion during a Malaga-Manchester flight.

Couch suffering

AN Estepona landlord has sparked outrage after listing a sofa bed for €450 a month on popular rental platform, Idealista.

LEGAL HIGH

‘More-ish’ sweets recovered in Fuengirola raid land policemen in hospital

THREE Malaga police officers ended up getting high after munching on jelly beans seized in a drugs raid.

The cops came across the innocent-looking sweets lying around in the police station and, feeling a bit peckish, they scoffed the lot.

The sweet-toothed officers apparently had no idea that the ‘more-ish’ sweets were

By Michael Coy

linked to a recent bust.

When they tucked into the tempting beans it all went a bit pear-shaped and they were rushed to hospital, feeling a tad ‘woozy’.

The offending jelly beans had been confiscated from a cannabis club in Fuengirola, but due

A MALAGA town has sparked outrage after dressing a pig up as a woman in ‘honour’ of International Women’s Day. Campillos traditionally burns a pig effigy to mark the end of carnival season, which this year coincided with March 8.

As a result, the town hall added makeup, breasts and lingerie to the ‘ guarra ’ which, while meaning pig, can also refer to a sexually promis-

to a ‘a bit of a mixup’, they hadn’t been properly bagged and labelled as evidence.

It wasn’t until one offi cer began to feel a bit too relaxed that things started to get serious. “I felt like I was floating,” said one of the officers, who did not wish to be named.

The force then

Farm faux pas

cuous woman. The effigy also included ‘8M’ designs, commemorating International Women’s Day. It has been heavily criticised by locals, with left-wing political movement Izquierda Unida branding the stunt a ‘flagrant mockery of women.’

took no chances and immediately whisked them off to hospital for a check-up, as the law treats drugs like ‘poisons’. Spanish law recognises the right of a private club to sell cannabis to its members and for those members to consume it on the premises, but the club must be a ‘smoking association’, and the range of products it can sell is tightly controlled. This is why, say police, the jelly beans were confiscated The three officers soon got over their high and were back on duty.

A RARE grey seal has been spotted far from its comfort zone lounging around in Gibraltar harbour. Usually found in colder climes, the species is not usually known to venture further south than Brittany in France.

But this seal has also been spotted in La Doñana and Conil de la Frontera.

Experts fear the seal is likely lost and disorientated so far south. The public is urged not to approach the creature if spotted, while environmental protected professionals are monitoring its wellbeing.

Bucket list

A WOMAN in Cadiz has become a social media sensation after she was captured on camera throwing buckets of water on revellers she spotted peeing in the street. Neighbours have taken note of her unerring accuracy as the city’s famous Carnival week was blighted by people relieving themselves between parked cars and against doors.

“What I find most amazing is her aim, which always hits the target from up on high,” said an X user.