Sotogrande News Archive - 2023

Luxury living in Sotogrande © Andalucia.com
News from Sotogrande

Sotogrande News Archive 2023

by Chris Chaplow

A round up of news items of interest to visitors and residents of Sotogrande. This is the news archive for 2023. News archive 2022 and News archive 2021. Latest news is found on the Sotogrande News page.

Christmas Market

Saturday 9th December - Los Pinos Polo Grounds
The second edition of the 'Nuevo Hogar Betania' Christmas Market returns to the Los Pinos Polo Grounds on Saturday 9th December 2023 from 11:00 to 22:00. The Christmas Market is organised by the Nuevo Hogar Betania charity of La Linea as a fundraiser for their shelter and housing projects for the homeless. There will also be a play area and live music performances, all accompanied by food and drink. The market is free to attend.

Carol Service in Sotogrande Church

A popular Carol Service was held in Sotogrande Church on Sunday 10th December 2023 at 12.00 hrs in place of the usual Sunday service by the Anglican Chaplaincy on the Western Costa del Sol. The carol service followed the traditional format of Nine Lessons and Carols, made popular by the annual broadcast from Kings College Chapel, Cambridge. The nine lessons telling the nativity were read by regular members of the 150 strong congregation. The Sotogrande 18 singer Camerata choir lead the singing. The Carol service was attended by nearly 200. Mulled wine and mince pies were served afterwards.

Nativity scenes - Belén Viviente

The main San Roque Belén Viviente will take place on Saturday and Sunday 16 and 17 December 2023 from 11.00 to midnight (Saturday) and 22.00 (Sunday) near the parish church of Santa Maria La Coronada and the Plaza de Armas. This nativity scene is organised by the Hermandad de Nuestra Señora del Rocío de San Roque. It includes nativity figures with animals, craftsmen, merchants and Roman soldiers.

The Belén Viviente of Estación de San Roque will take place on Saturday Sunday 9 and Sunday 10th December 2023 from 10.00 hrs to midnight in the Plaza de San Bernardo. On Saturday at 21:00 there will also be a zambomba performance by the Toma Castaña group.

A Belén Viviente is more than a Nativity Scene. To understand more read our page about the renoun Arcos de la Frontera Belen Viviente.  

Lighting of the Christmas tree

Celebrate the festive season at Sotogrande Marina on Sunday 3rd December 2023 at 18.30 hrs with the official ceremony of the lighting up of the 6m tall Christmas tree. Sing along to Christmas carols with the choir of Sotogrande International School.

LIV Golf and Andalucia Masters return to Sotogrande in 2024

Dates for the diary. LIV Golf and Andalucia Masters return to Sotogrande in 2024. The LIV Golf returns to Valderrama Golf Club from the 12th to 14th July 2024. The Andalucia Masters returns to Real Club de Golf Sotogrande from the 17th to 20th October 2024. About the LIV Golf Valdreama 2023 and the Andalucia Masters 2023

Beach at La Reserva Club open for the first time over the winter months

The Restaurant and Terrace swimming pool at The Beach at La Reserva Club Sotogrande will open for the first time over the winter months.

The indoor and outdoor terrace restaurant is particularly known for its oriental-inspired dishes, including fine sushi from chef Carlos Navarro. It will serve a breakfast and a brunch as well as the á la carte lunch menu.

The Autumn-Winter Season is from 18th November 2023 to 17th March 2024. The Beach will be open Saturdays & Sundays from 10.00 hrs to 18.00 hrs for the restaurant and the 25m swimming pool. Single Sunbeds are 25€ for the day and double sunbeds are 60€ for the day. The sandy beach lagoon area is closed. The sports lagoon is open and non-motorised aquatic sports equtment such as kayaks and paddle boards can hired. More>

Andalucia Masters 2023, Sotogrande - 19th to 22 October 2023

Winner Adrian Meronk from Poland wanted to make the headlines after not being picked for the European Ryder Cup team. At Real Club de Golf Sotogrande he did just that, by reaching 16 under par after posting a sublime six under par final round of 66 to secure his third victory on the 2023 Race to Dubai. He finished one stroke clear of overnight co-leader Matti Schmid, whose title charge fell away after bogeying the par four 16th. More>

Sotogrande Music Festival - 1st July to 25th August 2023

The second edition of the Sotogrande Music Festival will take place in the grounds of the Puerto Maria Polo Club, Los Pinos fields from 1 July until 15 September, a musical extravaganza that will present artistes of diverse styles, ranging from more traditional music such as copla, or Spanish song, to energetic genres such as urban pop, rock and rap. Artists include Antonio , Ecos de Rocio, Pablo Lopez, God Save the Queen, Marita Sea, Pastora Soler, This is Michael, SFDK, Onmar Montes and Ana Mena, and Raul More info>

Flamenco Festival Trocadero Sotogrande

Some of the most celebrated names from the world of flamenco came together at the Flamenco Festival Trocadero in Sotogrande in summer 2023. This is the third edition of the festival, which presents a series of ten concerts in the popular Trocadero Beach Club and Restaurant.More info>

Valderrama ready to host the LIV GOLF tournament from 30th June to 2nd July

12 Teams: Golfers in individual and team competitions. 48 Players: Small Fields. Shotgun starts: Action everywhere from the very first moment. No Cuts. LIV Golf is a professionsal tour series started in 2022 as an invitational series and in 2023 is a fully fledged tour series. It is financed by the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia. Valderrama was one of the first tournaments to be announced back on the 30th November 2022 three venues were simultaneously announced. These were Real Club Valderrama (30 June-2 July), El Camaleón Golf Course at Mayakoba, Mexico (24-26 February), Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore (28-30 April). The Grange Golf Club in Adelaide (21-23 April) was previously announced. The 2023 tour comprises 14, three day 54 hole tournaments.

Ordenacion del Espacio Maritimo project

The ‘Plans of the organisation of maritime space’ were approved and published in the BOE on the 28th February 2023. These wide ranging plans cover five marine areas of Spain, one of which is ‘The Strait and Alboran sea’. The plans are published by the  ‘Ordenacion del Espacio Maritimo’ project and are in effect a super compendium listing all the different protections and  uses of the waters. The plan includes mention of proposal by the Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras for a zone to be demarked off coast between Alcaidesa and Sotogrande to be listed as anchorages for large ships. The relevant section in the 450 page plan can be downloaded here (700k pdf).

In 2016 the Port Authority's plans were publicised and given the seriousness of the visual impact and the environmental risk of having cargo ships located two hundred meters from the San Roque beaches the town council led an opposition demonstration by citizens, businesses and environmentalists.  It appeared successful since the Port Authority announced in May 2017 that it was suspending the anchorage project in order to study alternatives.  When it was raised again in August 2018 more than a thousand people formed a human chain in Torreguadiaro. Since then little has been heard of the project, and now they are written into the overarching maritime plan. The offshore anchorage zone is not approved but neither is it abandoned.   

I Ruta de la Tapa con Sabor a Mar de San Roque

The ‘I Ruta de la Tapa con Sabor a Mar de San Roque’ is taking place from the 2nd to 5th of March 2023. 20 restaurants in the Guadiaro Valley and Sotogrande are taking part in the event. Each restaurant offers a seafood tapa and a drink for 5 euros, clients can follow the route with the "tapaporte", a 24-page booklet which includes information about each participating establishment, with a description of the tapas.

This first edition focused on dishes made with fish and seafood. The establishment taking part are: Río Seco, Umo Cocina al Carbón, Puratapa, Trasmallo, La Verandah, Summum, 2x4 Empanadas, Milla de Plata, Kugawo, Ke Sotogrande, Fresco Marina, Don Diego, Mara, Midas, Bunker Beach, El Rinconcito, El Recinto, La Habana, El Patio y Moncayo.

A round up of news items of interest to visitors and residents of Sotogrande. This is the news archive for 2023. News archive 2024 News archive 2022 and News archive 2021. Latest news is found on the Sotogrande News page.

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