Andalucia is the perfect destination to pamper your mind, body and soul. The warm Mediterranean climate of Andalucia is so enticing for relaxing, personal development, and it's even becoming a fashionable destination to sneak away for a little "nip and tuck". With an extensive range of spas, retreats, private clinics and alternative health professionals based in this beautiful part of the world, it's no surprise that celebrities also love the area.
The Sierra Nevada is a dramatic, rugged and extensive mountain range, the highest in Europe after the Alps and the most significant section of the Cordillera Penibética. The protected area encompasses 86,208ha of torrential rivers, sheer-sided gorges, stony scree slopes, glacial lakes between snowy summits and, in the foothills of the Alpujarras, cultivated terraces of almond trees and vegetables.
The hotels in Mijas Pueblo are located within and around the hillside village which is the historical centre of Mijas. Spectacularly situated in mountainous countryside, Mijas Pueblo is a traditional Andalucian "white village" whose main economic income comes from tourism. Listed below you can see some of the magnificent hotels you can stay in near the town.
Ok so you love flamenco, the next step is to shop for your very own outfit. The vocabulary involved can a little daunting so Andalucia.com have come up with a list for our readers of Spanish words, which should help you on your shopping trip.
Every year in May, after the first full moon, fishermen from towns on the Cadiz part of the Costa de la Luz, including Barbate, Zahara de los Atunes, Conil de la Frontera, and Tarifa, set up a complicated labyrinth of nets off the Atlantic coast, called the almadraba, to catch blue-fin tuna. This is a major social and gastronomic event, providing essential (if seasonal) work for fishermen, packing factories, restaurants along the coast.
Spain's modern, extensive, efficient railway system makes travelling by train in Andalucia a delight. Thanks to excellent infrastructure, comfortable trains and reliable service, more and more travellers are choosing this relaxing, ecologically-friendly form of transport in order to get the best out of their time in Andalucia.
Andalucia is extremely well-connected for international visitors, with thousands of flights arriving from all over Europe every day. There are six main airports in the region - five in Andalucia itself (Malaga, Seville, Granada, Jerez and Almeria), plus Gibraltar, which is handy for the Costa de la Luz (south of Cadiz) and western Costa del Sol (west of Malaga).
The major international car rental companies have offices in most Andalucian cities and at the airports such as Málaga Airport, Seville, Jerez. The smaller local car rental companies tend to be less expensive. It's advisable to reserve a rental car online before arriving, particularly during peak periods. On arrival follow the instructions in your rental confirmation.
Nerja is situated at the eastern tip of the Costa Del Sol, 50km away from Málaga. It is a picturesque fishing town which has done very well in avoiding the construction of concrete high-rise buildings which crowd some of the other coastal resorts in this area of Spain.
The Costa de la Luz (Coast of Light) in Huelva Province runs from the Guadiana river, which forms the border between Portugal and Spain, to the Guadalquivir river in the east.
Gaucin offers a hotel in the centre of the village: La Fructuosa plus another in the nearby vllage of Benabarra. There are a number of hostals in the village and just outside, on the road towards Jimena.
There is a frequent service between the main towns in Andalucia and also day and overnight services to and from Madrid. Buses will be the only form of public transport into the surrounding villages. The bus and coach services are operated by different private bus companies. Most operate from the main bus terminals in the towns. Some however do use their own bus station.
Andalucia's gastronomy is finally starting to get the adulation it deserves. Of course, those who are familiar with its outstanding piggy, fishy and veggie dishes will already have their own preferred delicacies. Here we offer a geo-mapped list compiled from your suggestions.
Estepona's new Bus Station opened in July 2014 and is located next door to the Exhibition and Congress Centre on Avenida del Litoral just beyond Carrefour hypermarket on the link to the A-7 coast road 1 km east of town center. The bus station houses the ticket office, toilets and waiting room. No cafeteria but there are vending machines.
For a real performance of the most noble and classical kind, no one should miss the magnificent stallions of the Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Ecuestre, the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art.
Almuñecar is situated between Nerja and Motril in Granada province. It’s Granada’s most popular coastal destination on the Costa Tropical. In approximately 800BC the Phoenicians were the first settlers in the area and there are artefacts from this period in the town’s museum in the Castle of San Miguel.
Torre del Mar is a resort town on the Eastern Costa del Sol. Amongst the resort-style landscape of 70s apartment blocks, there are some simple, whitewashed one-storey fishermen’s houses dating back to the town’s pre-tourism years. In terms of the accommodation options, on top of a couple of well-priced hotels there are a number of decent holiday apartments in Torre del Mar
Neighbouring the well-heeled Puerto Banús, San Pedro de Alcántara is a pretty village with independent shops and bars. A palm-lined avenue called the Avenida del Marques del Duero leads to the beaches and several chiringuitos (beach-side restaurants).
Nerja is a charming coastal town which has a mix of largely 18th and 19th century buildings and modern apartment blocks. The old town extends out from inland from the famous Burriana Beach and the Balcon de Europa, which looks out grandly over the Mediterranean.
Out at the far end of the Costa del Sol and sandwiched between Marbella and Puerto Banús to the east and Manilva and Sotogrande to the west, Estepona is undoubtedly one of the most attractive of the towns west of Málaga. Its beaches, paticularly La Rada and Playa el Cristo, are highly rated on the Costa del Sol, and make estepona a popular family tourist destination.
