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MARBELLA

Marbella's motto is "A Way of Life" and, certainly, this luxurious resort town seems to have it all and is, once again, rising to the fore as a favourite location with the rich and famous, as well as more ordinary folk who are willing to pay just a little bit extra for southern Spain's answer to St Tropez. 

Marbella has a down to earth side as well, an air of individuality which can be best appreciated by exploring back streets in the old part of town. One of the prettiest places is the fabled 'Orange Square' which is located just off the main street in the older district and is also home to the 16th century town hall and tourist office where you can pick up a detailed map and visitor information. 

In Orange Square, or "La Plaza de los Naranjos", as it is called in Spanish, expect to meet with stately buildings, small shops, art galleries, bars and bistros and is a hub of activity day and night. And, depending on the time of year, the colours here can be vibrant, with the trees and exotic tropical plants set against a backdrop of dazzling white buildings and a deep blue sky. 

Be sure to explore the honeycomb of surrounding narrow streets where homes and shops intermingle to create the atmosphere of a small village, rather than a cosmopolitan town. There are numerous excellent restaurants to choose from, ranging from those specialising in the predictably pricey exclusive cordon bleu to the gritty individuality of a backstreet Spanish bar. 

Back towards the coast is the La Alameda park where you can book your personal horse and carriage to travel in style or, if you prefer, stroll on towards the sea along the Avenida del Mar. This is arguably one of the most delightful promenades on the costa, flanked by classy restaurants and bars and mercifully free of concrete skyscrapers, glass bottom boat trips, imported shells 

The Marbella coastline stretches along some 26 kilometres of sunny beaches bathed by the Mediterranean and where you can enjoy traditional fish and seafood favourites like sardines on a spit, fried fish and the incomparable paella. There are also two large parks in Marbella which provide some welcome shade to spend some time with a book. The amphitheatre at Constitution Park (once the garden of a private residence) is frequently used for concerts and plays in the summer. Casinos, clubs and just about every sporting activity under the sun, few places can match Marbella for world class tennis, sailing and golf. There are also three pleasure craft harbours here. 

 

PUERTO BANUS

Puerto Banus is all about the see-and-be-seen lifestyle. A marina packed with sleek millionaires’ yachts, shiny super-cars purring through the streets and a shopping scene that’s all about names - Chloe, Louis Vuitton and Gucci, it’s all here. You can almost smell the money. So it's little wonder it's such a hit with the jet-set. Everyone from celeb royalty to real-life royals have been “papped” on their summer holidays here. It iss not unusual to see the faces of the stars strolling along the seafront.

Puerto Banus is the place to be pampered yachtside and ogle those fabulous luxury yachts while sipping a drink at one of the many open air restaurants and bars. The setting is close to ideal, with its impressive mountain backdrop and ocean views.

Since its inception over forty years ago, the port has steadily grown and now features a casino, commercial shopping centre, the El Corte Ingles department store, marine observatory and a multi cinema with films shown with their original soundtrack.

The nightlife buzzes at Puerto Banus with your choice of alfresco bars, piano clubs and discos while during the day this is a window shopper´s dream with several of the world renowned fashions houses featured here, in addition to small, interesting shops and boutiques. If your pockets are deep enough, check out some of the celebrity haunts like the Ivy Marbella and Nikki Beach to mingle with those beautiful people.

If you really want to have a bird´s eye view of the port´s magnificent position, then regular boat trips are the ideal solution and available on a regular basis from the central promenade. The beach adjacent to Puerto Banus holds a European blue flag.

 

SAN PEDRO 

San Pedro de Alcántara is, just a short drive or bus journey away. An ancient farming community, once famous for sugar cane, today San Pedro is a refreshingly unspoilt pueblo with an appeal all of its own. 

Be sure to head for the central plaza here with its gracious parish church and surrounding narrow streets which are packed with intriguing small shops, sidewalk cafes and bars. Thursday is street market day with all the associated hustle and bustle; a veritable bargain shopper's paradise.

A pleasant walk is from the centre of town to the beachfront along the Avenida del Marques del Duero which is a particularly attractive wide avenue flanked by palm trees. And the modern wide promenade is ideal for continuing your stroll with several excellent chiringuitos (beachside restaurants) specialising in fish dishes. Visit Bora Bora if only for a drink at the bar. It is one of the best beach clubs on the coast, with a superb restaurant and all the usual beach facilities, a tropical paradise. 

San Pedro also has the last summer fair ( feria ) in Andaluciabeing in the second week in October. 

History buffs will enjoy the Paleochristian Balisilica Church by the sea and the third century Roman Baths, Las Bovedas. Check at the local tourist office for timings.

The Paleochristian Balisilica Church and Necropolis is located in the woods next to the Bora Bora Beach Club that is on the sea front directly infront of the town. A little further west along the beach to Guadalmina is located the restored remains of the Roman Baths. If driving leave San Pedro westward towards Estepona. Stop at the tourist office in the Arch for the keys. After passing under the Marbella Arch, turn right and double back under the road tunnel. 

Head down to the sea and the Roman baths are next to the Guadalmina Beach Club. 

 

 

ESTEPONA

The 'old town', as it is known, is a bustling and atmospheric centre.

Estepona is one of the few coastal towns that has succeeded in maintaining its pueblo charm and character, despite the onslaught of tourism. Notwithstanding, all the tourist facilities are here, including hotels, restaurants, leisure and cultural activities, and shops.

The flip side is that the numerous street cafes and tapas bars still serve traditional Spanish delicacies and the steep, cobbled, narrow streets seem more suited to horses than cars. You'll also find unusual shops and bodegas in Estepona, where you'd least expect them, all very inviting, very friendly - and very cheap.

The Estepona Marina is situated at the west end of the seafront promenade. This is a very pleasant place for a stroll and there are some magnificent boats moored here. There are also a wide variety of excellent bars and restaurants, open both midday and in the evening while younger revellers can enjoy the late night disco bars. There is a popular tourist market here on a Sunday morning.

After midnight (especially in the summer season) the port comes alive. Numerous night clubs and discos seem to materialise from nowhere. Most of them cater for the young and energetic. Visitors will be amazed to see the very young and the very old dancing the traditional Andalucían Sevillanawell into the early (and not so early) hours of the morning. Renaldo's on the corner is a favourite meeting place, 'Chico Diez' is one of the liveliest and 'Attico' the place to be at the moment.

The fishing port is located to the west of the marina. Here you can watch the fishing boats land their catch. This can take place throughout the day, but is generally during the early morning, mid-afternoon, and late at night. It is not possible to buy fish but you can watch the auction process (as long as you don't get in the way) which is followed by the covering of the fish pallets with ice and loading them into the insulated vans for distribution to local suppliers.

The large and small fishing boats are located in the fishing port adjacent (east) to the marina. Watch the catch landed, iced, sold and transported away. Notice the fisherman's lock - ups where they store materials, mend nets and have parties. Try the excellent fish restaurant here.

 

RONDA

Ronda is one of Andalucia's loveliest towns, steeped in history. It stands on a towering plateau in the mountains of Malaga Province, and is famous through Spain for the plunging river gorge which divides the medieval from the 18th century parts of the town. This gorge is known as "El Tajo" - The Cliff and is spanned by a stone bridge, which once housed a prison. Visitors love to peer down into the gorge, to see the waters of the River Guadalevín.

Ronda is also famous for its bullring, the oldest, and the most beautiful one in Spain; the arena itself is also the country's largest. When there are no fights, the bullring is open to visitors, and has a fascinating museum with many mementos of Spain's renowned Bullfighters.

Ronda is located 50 km (about 1 hour's drive) from San Pedro. The road winds up through the mountains of the Sierra Bermeja, and then descends into the Serrania de Ronda and the town itself. One of the most charming and fascinating towns in Andalucia, it is very popular with day-trippers from the Costa del Sol, and has a wide range of cafés and restaurants. However, it retains all of its traditional charm and languid atmosphere.

Ronda stands on a mighty promontory, or outcropping, which made it impregnable to the Christian armies until the very last years of the re-conquest. This plateau is slashed into two main quarters by a deep cleft in the rock, spanned by the 18thcentury "Puente Nuevo" or New Bridge, which is the chief landmark for all itineraries.

Modern (largely built in the 18th century) Ronda is the quarter to the North of the gorge, called El Mercadillo, with the Plaza de España, the site of Ronda's recently built Parador, the spectacular walkway along the river gorge with superb views of the countryside below.

This walkway leads to Ronda's lovely "Mirador", with colourful flower beds and a railing for sightseers to lean against as they gaze into the distance. Just behind the charming Mirador is Ronda's famous bullring, one of the most beautiful and ancient arenas in Spain, made famous in the 18thcentury by a local bullfighter, the legendary Pedro Romero, who killed over 5,000 bulls during his career. You can visit the arena and its fascinating bullfighting museum.

You can walk from the Plaza de España and the bullring up the Calle Nueva, Ronda's pedestrian shopping district, where some of the shops still retain their traditional appearance and style.