Alhaurín el Grande: Our local town – a vibrant atmosphere at all times (except between 2 and 5pm when it’s siesta time). Good shopping and excellent restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets. There are stunning Easter parades and in May a Feria week when all Alhaurín is in party mood with a huge night time fairground and day time parades. (Click here for more details.)
Mijas: A very picturesque village, with many lovely shops displaying typical local crafts at very reasonable prices. Spectacular views of the coast from here, and many excellent restaurants.
Ronda: The route along the C344 is stunning and the perfect introduction to the ancient ‘pueblo blanco’ of Ronda. Whilst Ronda is regarded as the birthplace of modern bull fighting and boasts one of the oldest and most beautiful bull rings in Spain, it is best known for the 500' deep El Tajo gorge which divides the old town from the new. The gorge is spanned by the Puente Nuevo (New Bridge), and a look over the side is not recommended for anyone who suffers from vertigo!
Gibraltar: British colony so all prices are in sterling. Duty free shopping, history and fantastic views of the Spanish coast and Africa. There are excellent value for money taxi tours which take you to St Michael’s caves, the Napoleonic Siege Tunnels and the nature reserve where the Barbary Ape colonies live. The taxi drivers of course speak perfect English and are extremely knowledgeable about the Rock and its history. Nearby there are boat trips to see the dolphins. Passport required.
Granada: Wonderful, and not to be missed. A full day’s walking so comfortable shoes very much recommended. From Granada you might want to drive up to the Sierra Nevada ski station (journey time about 30 minutes) which overlooks the city.
El Torcal: The erosion of limestone rock has produced a quite sensational landscape of bizarrely shaped outcrops. There is a visitors centre and a number of paths have been laid out to provide walks around the site of between one and three hours duration.
Marbella and Puerto Banús: The road from Alhaurín winds down to the coast in a series of sweeping curves with superb coastal views, and has recently had a new bypass built which greatly reduces the journey time. The Refugio de Juanar is a beautiful diversion from the main road and provides a perfect place from which to stroll along broad woodland paths into the Sierra Blanca. Puerto Banus marina is a great place to promenade and admire the outrageously ostentatious yachts but it is expensive. The nearby Corte Ingles shopping centre is a very large and attractive store offering a huge range of goods, often of the very highest standards – a Spanish Harrods. The paseo at Marbella offers cheap places to eat and a pleasant walk. There is an open-air roller skating arena on the paseo where you can hire skates. The Old Town with its Orange Square is only a short walk from the paseo.
Alora and the Lakes: The Garganta del Chorro gorge is some 600' deep and truly breathtaking. The final scenes of the movie ‘Von Ryan’s Express’ were filmed here with Frank Sinatra heroically dying on the railway bridge approaching the entrance to the gorge. From El Chorro the road narrows and winds on into Malaga province’s own Lake District. The short detour to the Moorish ruins of Bobastro is worthwhile, and the Lakes are beautiful with clear turquoise water. The difference between the Lake District in England and here (apart from the weather!) is that there are hardly any other people around!
Antequera: Ancient caves, dolmens, 24 churches and a Moorish fortress. Not bad for a day out!
Malaga City: Visit on a weekend when the locals are out of town and enjoy the beautiful old town, cathedral and Alcazabar (castle). There is a hop-on, hop-off guided bus tour.
Fuengirola with its beaches and Aqua Park and Benalmádena with the Teleférico (10 minute cable car ride up the mountain) and Tivoli World theme park are enjoyable days out and are both about 30 minutes away. There is also the excellent Selwo safari park and many other nearby attractions including Selwo Marina with dolphins, sea lions and penguins. Selwo offer a €23 combined adult ticket for the safari park, cable car and marina (€17 for children and OAPs) which is excellent value.