Hi! We are looking for something different for next winter's vacation. What about the Costa del Sol for 3 weeks. Has anyone been? We are thinking first 3 weeks in March (or end of Feb. into Mar.
We would like to take some interesting day trips while we are there.
Costa del Sol in general is day (beach activities) night (nightclubs dance action). very touristic with folks from all over.
As to places to see, Malaga and Marbella are the main centers. You should take a ride up to Ronda (first bullring of Spain);near there are the Caves of Pileta (Cueva de la Pileta);the white town of Mijas is pretty. perhaps a trip to Antequera see the natural garganta del churro (throat of the waterfall) nice nature trails. Also my favorite is Medina Sidonia, dates from phoenician times and many wonderful buildings all thru the Roman and Moors history of Spain.
The weather is almost always beautiful on the Costa del Sol ( or that has been our experience this winter).We just did a tour with family during the same time period, so you can look to our blog for ideas if you want.
We did rent a car, but you can do things by bus and train. It depends on what you like, but for the most part the Costa del Sol is pretty built up and full of endless cranes of more building.
I think everyone in northern Europe wants a condo on the costa del Sol sometimes. So if you are looking for the real Spain on the Costa del Sol, you will have to look hard. It has more of the flavor of anywhere on a built up coast ( think Miami beach or Mexico or Hawaii).
That said, your daytrips can help you find interesting, more authentic spots and our guests really liked being based at thier time share in Marbella which had all the comforts of home and a good base for a large group to explore Andalucia.
If you are in the States, I do not see the point in coming all the way to Spain just for the sun in the Costa del Sol. You can find the same thing in Hawaii or Mexico.If you are in the UK or Europe,then it makes more sense.
The Nerja caves and Balcony of Europe and La Jolla like beach is a nice day trip and less built up area on the Costa del Sol.
Sevilla,Cordoba and Granada ( Alhambra) are really worth seeing and doable from the Costa del Sol. Perhaps the Ave train from Malaga to Seville will be running by then.
It is about 3 hours from Marbella to Seville so it is a possible daytrip,but an over night or two makes it so much better. With 2 nights at a beautiful and well located B&B in Seville, we got to see it, 2 flamenco nights, a day trip to Cordoba via 40 minute ave train, and then a stop at the Andalucian horse ballet in Jerez on the way back.
The horse show would be harder without a car possibly, but the rest could be done with train or bus.
Ronda is definitely a fun drive and visit and the bullring is divine.
With 3 weeks maybe do a week in 3 places in Andalucia like Nerja, Marbella and Seville? You could take a bus to Granada from Nerja, beaches,Ronda and Picasso from Marbella and tons to do in Sevilla including Cordoba.
Definitely do not miss time in some beautiful white villages!
We have been to Hawaii and to Mexico. The reason we are thinking of the Costa del Sol is because we don't take too much sun. When we go to the Caribbean or Mexico, there is not much to do when you want to get out of the sun. Because it isn't as hot in Southern Spain, we figure it will be good weather for sight-seeing (and a little r and r at the same time.
We have already spent a lot of time in Sevilla, so we will not stay there again. We went to Jerez and saw the horse show.
We have never been to the white towns and would like to visit them. Also, along the coast, there may be interesting places to visit. We want to see Gibraltar (but definitely not Tangiers!!!)
We may even go to Barcelona for a few days before we return home. Although I don't know what kind of weather they have in March.
Someone I know was there this January and had gorgeous sunshine. We all need a little luck!
I have heard that this March is a little warmer than usual and Barcelona is much colder than here in the south of Spain. We have been here from Nov 1st and it is much warmer and MUCH less rain than California winters ( SF,LA,SD...as I have lived in all 3) which are very nice.
The high season in the Costa del Sol is the summer, especially August ( which seems insane to me since it is so hot then and not a place I would be) and I hear it can be somewhat busy in April for Easter and Spring break. So coming in early March ( if it is not Easter) is a good time to come. The last week of February is a school holiday here and Andalucia day and I think much of Europe gets that time off ( they call it "white week" or semana blanco).
January and Feb. are the coldest months here traditionally, but it was never bad here during the day as the sunshine warms things up. We do not have any central heating,so the nights were chilly,but we never wore our winter coats and usually just wore a sweater.
There are people swimming in outdoor pools & the sea in March ( in Marbella,Nerja etc) and soaking up sun on beaches or in sleeveless tops and shorts at outdoor cafes.But it is not overly hot at all and one also often needs a light jacket or sweater if in the shade or if it is breezy.
Why not stay at least one week in a white village? I think the prettiest ones are Mijas, Casares and Frigiliana ( but I have not been to all of them).Mijas and Frigiliana are very near to the sea and Casares is not too far and that way you can experience some of more authentic Spain rather than the condo lifestyle.
There are a ton of rentals available at this time of year and you could possibly bargain a good rate ( especially if you stayed more than one week). You might luck out and catch one of the Carnival festivals as I think the festivals are one of the great things about Spain, especially in a small village. Andalucia has 3000 festivals a year, so you might catch something.
The little villas with ocean views and pools are very nice, but I think it is smarter to be right in a lovely village townhouse.Most are very charming, especially if you get one in the old section. We are country people but have really enjoyed it and it is VERY convenient without a car as you can walk around to everything and shop etc. They are touristy places so have buses and tours to other nearby places.
We are looking at a precious little villa with pool surrounded by avocado trees that has all the feel of a country place and some land,but is attached to the village, so the best of both worlds. There are lots of hills in a white village so keep that in mind ( but I have mobility challenges and have managed just fine).The food is fabulous in white village restaurants and usually many different styles.
If you have not seen the Picasso Museums and old town in Malaga, you might want to check that out ( easy to do by bus from one of the white villages I named).Granada is a day trip from at least two of those villages and the Alhambra is a must see and the cathedral and old town are also very special.If you are into nature there is beautiful countryside here with hikes ( or reasonably priced jeep or horse rides).You can take a wine tour of many white villages or a history tour of the village.
As some one who has recently done the nondescript ( could be anywhere) nice condo on the beach Costa del Sol route ( Marbella beach resort) and has lived and wintered in a white village for 5 months, I say go for the authentic life if you are flying all the way to Spain.
Wt, I loved your post! It sounds so wonderful.I am going to look into this (and probably ask you a million questions!) You are so lucky to winter in warm places! We are in our 60's and frankly I am tired of the snow. We thought spring was arriving, then yesterday, another snow storm. I have to admit it is pretty when you look out the window, but when the boots come back on and you have to navigate the elements, it's not that great!
My husband is still sleeping. When he gets up, I will show him your post. I think he will be very interested.
We love to walk. We love to walk along a beach. But walking in the Spanish towns may be more enjoyable (more interesting, at least)
We would not be happy in an environment that is "honky tonk". We prefer something charming, but with comforts! The best of both worlds!
My husband spent hours today, looking up places to stay in the white towns. He came across one that looked lovely. It is the Rosa Alta Apartments in Gaucin. It's one town over from Casares. Do you know it? Do you know anything about the property? Is it easy to take a bus from there to anywhere? It looks like what you recommended:a renovated older property in the centre of town.
I don't know Gaucin but I have always read good things about it and I do want to see it. To a certain extent, picking any place for a rental is a certain amount of crap shoot unless you know someone who has been there before.
I just picked my village and house over the internet.Next year I have it easier because I am picking it now ...altho still a little unknown until I actually live there. ( I may just come back here...we are still deciding).
You should be able to get your questions answered by the people who are renting it to you. We had an English owner ( quite common to have UK or nothern European owners) and UK caretakers who live here in the village and they gave us lots of information.
I also found several places thru different agencies ( just googled the town and rental) and asked lots of questions about the village ( like bus/trains etc because we mostly walk) and the village house. I gathered lots of information that way that gave me a real sense of what I was getting into.
That said, there were some surprises.There was a lot more construction going on here than I expected and NO ONE mentioned it. You might want to specifically ask about that as there is just a ton of construction going on in Spain. Cranes are everywhere and our recent guests were amazed.
The good news is there should be a ton of rentals available at that time of year. We could have picked something different once we got here and you should have that option as well if you do not like it.
Hopefully it will be just what you expected or like us if not exactly, still really special. Get as much information as you can before deciding and perhaps line up a few choices ( just in case).
I narrowed it down to the town first and then several different great places to stay. They all had pros and cons, but we were/are very happy with what we picked.
You might be able to talk to them via skype which might make it easier than email.
have not been at Gaucin but folks up here rent quite a bit there :here is a link with a house for rent with info on transports. http://www.locasun.fr/ann2.php did not took the link but go up right change to english and look for Casa La Terraza - Serranía de Ronda reference 25125.info plus photos.
Hi Sadie, We have been to the Costa del Sol and there is a bus that was connecting many villages with Granada. I just wanted to mention that you may want to spend a bit more time in Granada than a day trip. It is very interesting to visit and a pleasant place. We stayed in Fuengirola which is a modern place, but has a very long beach with paseo Maritimo where you can walk, and it was well connected with Malaga, Granada, Marbella and Gibraltar. We found Mijas being a pretty place, it was close to Fuengirola.
Hi Anastasia! Now we are planning Spain! I think I can cover the world right here on my computer!!!
Thanks for the input.
I read that Fuengirola was UGLY. What do you tink? I also read the same about Torremolinos. Then there are the defenders of both!
I am wondering. Should we spend 1 week in Gaucin, 1 week in the Marbella or fuengirola or Torremolinos area and 1 week in Nerja. (which is closer to Grenada.)
We were in Grenada on a day tour from Seville. We had a fabulous tour of the Alhambra and we visited a famous church. We didn't see anything else. That is why we want to return. To see what we missed out on.
There are not many beach areas in Spain prettier than Nerja. It has had huge build up since the day when it was a small fishing village, but remains much more charm than most of the Costa del Sol.
Our family loved the beach there and we had a great lunch just steps away from the water on a glorious sunny day. ( Pics will be up soon on my blog).
What is unusual about the beach there is it is sort of La Jolla like and on cliffs, unlike the rest of the Costa del Sol. The mountains and views are spectacular from the Balcony of Europe next to the beach which is a fun promonade area for walking and viewing.So you can be right on the beach, or on a cliff above it and both ( all) views are breathtaking in a charming setting.
You can visit several small white villages from Nerja and even a wine route around them. Take a hike,jeep or horseback ride in the gorgeous countryside nearby.
BUT you are still not going to be able to see much more of Granada than you did before from Seville. It is closer and they do have a bus,but in a day trip you will miss the nightlife and things in Granada.
You might think about spending at least one night in Granada. We did that with Seville ( stayed two nights) even tho we had two paid for places ( a timeshare in Marbella and our winter home).
It all depends on what you want to experience, so there are many ways to do this. The good news is there are a TON of rentals available at that time of year, it is not crowded, the weather is great,Almond and other trees are in full bloom etc etc...so you have endless opportunities.( I encouraged a March visit with family and my mom will come next March).
AND you are starting plenty early in your planning and you already know lots about Spain from previous trips.So you have much on your side.
Look at Penelope Casas book "Discovering Spain" if you have not seen it yet.She is a foodie married to a Spaniard and has lots of good ideas for lesser known areas to visit and what to see.Maribel's guides are also wonderful and some might be of use to you.
People may find Fuengirola ugly, may be also other places on the coast because they are built with modern buildings. Fuengirola has gray buildings. I will not discuss the beauty of those buildings as this is a very controversial subject.
We, however, enjoyed a lot our stay in Fuengirola because the beach was very good and big, sandy. It had good connections to visit other places. It had several food markets and numerous supermarkets. The view from our apartment terrace was a marvelous sea view and it was not an expensive place. It is just a more ordinary place. Many people choose to stay there long term because of all that. We chose to stay there to relax at the end of one of our numerous trips to Spain (we love Spain and my parents live now in Menorca) a tour from Madrid down to the coast. I have to say we had so much fun there that we would return at any time, which we may not do to some of the places on the Amalfi Coast, considered as beautiful by most (including ourselves).
Marbella is much nicer, however it was more remote as the suburb train didn't get there. Fuengirola was the last stop on that line connecting to Malaga. Benalmadena and Torremolinos, we didn't find them ugly neither.
Wow! I love all this feedback! I am getting a clearer picture of the different options.
Of course, I want EVERYTHING! I want the comfortable accommodations, I want to walk along a beach (or beachside promenade). I want the convenience of an indoor pool for laps (in case of poor weather). I want activities, i.e. aquafitness classes, duplicate bridge, Spanish lessons!
Then I also want the quaintness of the white villages.
I also want to revisit Grenada and visit Gibraltar and lots of different towns.
I think we will have to stay in more than one location.
My husband is really excited about our find in Gaucin. So we will have to include it. (Unless we find something more exciting!!)
Thank you, Anastasia, for the websites. What would be a nice place in Fuengirola?
WT, do you know the Riu Monica in Nerja? What do you think of it?
I read good reviews about the Don Marco in Torremolinos. Has anyone heard about it? It's the newer addition to a complex of 3 hotels with lots of shared activities.
The better hotels seem to be in Marbella and Estepona, but when I looked them up on Tripadvisors, guests often sound disappointed. Also, location may be difficult for us...no car!
We e-mailed Gaucin and are awaiting a reply. If it looks promising, I will ask more questions!
Without a car, I think 3 weeks will be too long to stay there. Maybe 1 week, then 2 weeks on the coast. We could always save the last 2 days for Grenada.
Sorry, I do not know that place in Nerja and do not know too much about Nerja as I have never stayed overnight there or spent much time. It is one of the prettiest places that I have seen right on the Costa del Sol.
It is more built up than the small white villages ( I have read that it has 12,000 to 20,000 people compared to about 2000 or less in the small villages).It is still more built up than my particular taste,but it is much better than the typical high rise blight of much of the Coast. ( Both Rick Steves and Penelope Casas like it over the rest of the coast towns).
Have you looked at any places in Mijas? That is in the same Malaga area that you are looking at ( with F. and T.) but so much more charm and authenticity.
I will be posting some pictures soon of our visit to Nerja. It has great beaches,spectacular views and beautiful areas to walk near the old town. ( Not to mention the prehistoric caves which are some of the best in Europe and Spains 3rd most visited site).
If you want a very nice, modern place with every convience and luxury, I would look into Marriot Marbella Beach Resort where we stayed.If you have a time share, it is VERY cheap and set up for tou
