I'm at quite a loss as we're in the early discussion stages of this idea and would love all your input!
We would like to get together with another family for a long (2-4 week) vacation in a beach town in Spain. There will be 4 adults and 5 kids, ranging from 1 to 7. The town does NOT have to be a happening/hopping place but we'd like it to have the basic shopping ammenities and a few restaurant choices. We're looking to experience the local culture and rent a villa or house with a pool. Any suggestions on WHERE to start? I've heard a lot of recommendations for Costa del Sol but I'm sure there are other great areas as well. Thanks in advance for all your help! Jess
Posts: 15 | Location: outside of Washington DC | Registered: 21 August 2007
I am sure others will be able to be of more assistance - but a couple of places you could consider are Nerja or Frigiliana. We are more familiar with Nerja which has all you want - although depending on the time of the year could be very busy.
Something to consider is that for the size of place you are looking to rent,you may have difficulty being IN a town, as they are often smaller properties. I assume you may not want a car.
Hi: I am not a fan of the Costa del Sol. However, of all the places in that region I would choose Nerja.
You may want to consider the Costa de Luz area in Cadiz province. We found that El Puerto de Santa Maria was a larger centre that maintained its authenticity. It has the added bonus of being one of the points of the Sherry triangle. The other two Sanlucar and Jerez can be reached easily by public transit and Seville is an hour's train ride away.
You may also want to consider Cabo de Gata nature preserve. We were very pleased with the town of Agua Amarga. A larger town (Carbonaras) is a bout 10kms away. A car is really a necessity for this area. I would avoid the western part of Almeria where plasticos (greenhouses) ruin the landscape.
A third option if you are travelling in the summer or September are the rias of Galicia. We enjoyed Baiona (Bayona)in the south of the province near Portugal. From here with a car you can explore northern Portugal, a delightful part of the world. There are also numerous places along the Pontevedra Ria.
The Spanish Tourist office provides accommodation guides for the various areas. Also the local tourismos usually have listings. An email citing your requirements usually will get a response. We've been lucky with Google searches for "long term vacation lets"or "rentals" and the area we're interested in.
Have a great time planning. Dennis
Posts: 190 | Location: Calgary, Alberta Canada | Registered: 08 November 2003
Your plans may have developed more by now, but I will chime in with a site link for rentals that was extremely helpful for our trip last month to Spain and Portugal. It is a jackpot site for great deals on apartment rentals: http://www.ihacom.co.uk/.
to me the costa brava is the best coast line in spain unless you go to the island. It's less touristy and the sea is crystal clear. Parafrugell and any up near Cadaques is ideal.
How about taking a flight from Barcelona and spend the week on the island of Menorca? Its relatively quiet, has tons of rentals along some very pretty beaches, is easy to navigate by car, and the people are very friendly. Just be sure to google by this spelling, not majorca which is definitely a different island!
Posts: 462 | Location: Massachusetts | Registered: 11 April 2006
I spent a few days in San Sebastian last summer. The beaches (there are two main beaches) are wonderful. It is also close to Bilbao and La Rioja wine region so there would be some good day trips/sightseeing when you need a break from the sun. Not sure when you're going, but we were there in July and it was warm but not terribly hot, which I've heard is the case in Southern Spain in the summer. Enjoy your trip, sounds great!
I would reccommend you areas like Motril, La Herradura and Almunecar in Costa Tropical (Granada coast), where there are nice houses with swimming pool ideal for a holiday with children. The areas are not as crwowded as Costa del Sol and it is beautiful there. Cliffs, mountain views and nice beaches where you can practice scuba diving and snorkle.
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This message has been edited. Last edited by: Shannon,
I would recommend Andalusia, the Southern part of Spain. Culture, pleasure and tradition are everywhere ! The Costa del sol is gone... too much concrete. Estepona and Almunecar are still nice places to stay.
The Costa de la luz has amazing beaches, but I would suggest to stay in-land, in the Cadiz province to get good value for money houses with swimming pool (Gaucin,Vejer, Jimena).
Have a look a spanish website for rentals : www.niumba.com
