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Andalusia Coasts
Costa del Sol
This densely populated area, popular with
tourists on account of its fine beaches and
picturesque towns, extends along most of
Andalusia’s Mediterranean coastline, from
Almeria to Tarifa.
Usually regarded as little more than the
gateway to the Costa del Sol, Málaga is an
attractive and lively city with plenty to
interest the passing visitor.
The birthplace
of Spain’s greatest 20th-century artist, Pablo
Picasso, it is now home to the newly opened
Picasso Museum which exhibits an important
collection of his paintings. His parents’
house is also open to the public. Other sights
worth a look are the unfinished Cathedral
(16th to 18th centuries), the Tropical Gardens
and two restored Moorish castles, the Alcazaba
and Gibralfara. Marbella and Torremolinos, the
main resorts of the Costa del Sol, are
overdeveloped, but it is still possible to
find a relatively uncrowded beach further
afield. In the same province is Nerja, known
as the ‘Balcony of Europe’ on account of its
having a promontory look-out which is perched
high above the sea with commanding views of
the Mediterranean. It is also the home of well-preserved
prehistoric caves. An excursion can be made
from Málaga to the old mountain town of Ronda,
spectacularly situated on a gorge in the
Sierra de Ronda.
The Costa
del Sol stretches along just
over 150 kilometres of Málaga
province and is one of Spain's
most popular tourist
destinations. The area's mild
climate is the root attraction
that makes it possible to enjoy
the beaches and a wide variety
of outdoor activities year round.
Eastern Costa del Sol
This is
the the 54 kilometre stretch of
coast to the east of Malaga city
(the capital of Málaga province).
Though highly developed from a
property point of view, it is
not anything like the property
development on the western Costa
del Sol.
From
Malaga eastwards there are
cliffs of up to 200 meters where
the Sierra Almijara joins the
sea. This section ends at a
place called Mara, on a coastal
plain. It has an urban landscape
surrounded by traditional
agriculture.
Nerja is
the most important urban centre
on this end of the coast and has
grown rapidly. Much of the
eastern Costa del Sol's
accommodation for tourists is
found in Nerja, which is
surrounded by tourist pueblos.
This town also has one of this
area's main tourist attractions
- the Nerja Caves, a spectacular
find that is open to the public
and that hosts an annual music
and dance festival within its
famous caverns. At the foot of
Nerja town a winding footpath
joins several coves and there
are some nice beaches to be
found in this area.
Western Costa del Sol
This is
the 100km of coastline that
begins at Malaga city and
stretches westward all the way
to the border of Cádiz province.
This part of the coast is highly
developed in terms of both
property and infrastructure and
it attracts an important
percentage of Spain's
international tourism.
Communications revolve around
Malaga International Airport (8
km west of the city) and the
N340 backbone coast highway. In
the middle of the Costa the
greatly improved district road
from San Pedro de Alcantara
inland to the historic town of
Ronda is the most important
inland connection.
Marinas. Along the coast of
Andalucía there are numerous
marinas, ideal for both
those with yachts who need a
berth, and for those who simply
enjoy the atmosphere of a
harbour.
Accessibility, safety and an
ample range of complementary
services are the main
characteristics of Andalucían
ports and marinas. Many of them
already have large berths, as
well as yacht clubs, sports
facilities, boat and equipment
rental, hotels, casinos and
shopping areas, plus fuel,
workshops, cranes and winter
hangars.
There are about 30 marinas on
the Andalucían coast, which
means that Andalucía has an
enviable berthing capacity that
places it at the head of Europe
in this type of installation.
Most of the marinas are located
on the Costa del Sol.
The Costa del Sol has a wealth
of yacht marinas and harbours,
many with over 1,000 berths (including
Benalmádena and Puerto Banús).
The latter, located just beyond
Marbella is Spain's answer to St.
Tropez where some of the most
spectacular gin palaces and
luxury yachts are moored. There
are numerous sailing clubs
located at the Costa del Sol's
larger harbours, all of which
offer tuition and classes. Both
crewed and uncrewed yachts can
be rented, although you need a
skipper's certificate or a
helmsman's overseas certificate
to rent an uncrewed yacht.
Despite the large number of
marinas, berths can be difficult
to find in summer in some areas,
although temporary berths can
usually be found on public
jetties and harbours. Between
May and October there are
several large regattas held in
the Bay of Cadiz. For more
information about marinas and
competitions, contact the
Spanish Sailing Federation,
C/Juan Vigon 23, 28003 Madrid.
Nightlife on the Costa del
Sol
Along the
Costa del Sol, there are some
great venues for a night out,
ranging from classy restaurants
with views of the Med to
boisterous karaoke bars.
Casinos, clubs, 'chiringuitos',
English pubs, Spanish bars,
discos, flamenco shows and more…
The following list is our
selection of a few favourite hot
spots. Málaga is the Costa del
Sol capital, where you can
appreciate life lived on the
streets, with more bars per
square metre than anywhere else
in Europe. Torremolinos and
Benalmádena as tourist centres
with a thriving nightlife.
For swankier surroundings head
for Marbella's Golden Mile, lit
by a glittering tiara of star-studded
restaurants, discos and
nightclubs, some frequented by
local hero Antonio Banderas when
he's in town. Puerto Banús is
where people go people watching
for the occasional, elusive,
Hollywood star. Estepona remains
less influenced by tourists, and
its Puerto Deportivo makes a
great night out.
Costa de Almería
To the east of the Costa del Sol is the
province of Almería, one of the most heavily
developed tourist regions of the country. The
capital of the same name is a former Roman
port, dominated by its Moorish castle, the
Alcazaba. Attractions here include the 16th-century
Cathedral and the Church of Santiago el Viejo.
The main resorts of Roquetas de Mar,
Aguadulce, El Cabo de Gata and Mojácar lie
east and west of the town.
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Genoveses beach - Almeria |
The African Enclaves
Ceuta is a free port on the north coast of
Africa. The city is dominated by the Plaza de
Africa in the town center and the cathedral.
The promontory has the remains of the old
fortress. Bus services are available into
Morocco and there are regular car-ferry
sailings from Algeciras.
Melilla is also a free port on the north coast
of Africa, and is served by car ferries from
Málaga and Almería. The town is mainly modern,
but there are several older buildings,
including a 16th-century church
Costa de la Luz
This attractive stretch of coastline extends
from the Portuguese border in the west to
Tarifa in the east and, while popular with
Spanish tourists, is still relatively
undeveloped.
Cádiz’s heyday as a port was in the 16th
century when it traded in gold and silver from
the Americas. Today, the town’s slightly down-at-heel
appearance is part of its charm. Points of
interest include the sea fortifications, the
‘old’ and ‘new’ cathedrals and the tower,
Torre Tavira, worth the climb for the sweeping
rooftop views. The nearest beach is the Playa
de la Victoria, but there are plenty of
alternatives in the direction of San Lúcar de
Barremada. Less than 30 minutes away is the
sherry town of Jerez de la Frontera. Several
of the bodegas (bars), whose links with
England began with the importation of
‘sherris-sack’ in the 16th century, are open
to the public for tastings. Other attractions
include the splendid Renaissance cathedral and
a restored 11th-century Moorish Alcázar with
baths. Another popular excursion from Cadiz is
to the Sierra de Grazalema National Park where
visitors can enjoy the wonderful mountain
scenery. Points of interest along the route
include the Puerto de las Palomas mountain
pass which overlooks Grazalema itself, the
fortified town of Zahara de la Sierra and
Arcos de la Fronteira, a picturesque village
with a commanding cliff top location
overlooking the Rio Guadalete. The road from
Cádiz to Algeciras offers spectacular views of
the Straits of Gibraltar, the North African
coastline and the Atlas Mountains. From
Algeciras, ferries run to Tangier and Ceuta on
the north African coast, as well as to the
Canary Islands.
In the province of Huelva is the village of El
Rocío where one of the most important Spanish
festivals in honor of the Virgin Mary is held
at Whitsun. Also of interest are the beautiful
stalactite caves of Gruta de las Maravillas in
Aracena in the north of Huelva province and
the national park, Coto de Doñana. |
