Things to see and Southern Spain is a wonderful place that benefits from fantastic weather and wonderful, friendly people. Renowned for its fabulous beaches, food and nightlife it is a holiday winner year on year with visitors from across the globe.
However what many tourists miss out on when visiting the region is realising that there is much more to Marbella, and Andalucia, than just beaches and the nightlife.
Hire a car and drive in any direction and within 30 minutes to 2 hours you are met by a whole different Spain and there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Mijas Pueblo
Mijas Pueblo is just a short drive inland from Marbella and Summer Place Villa. It is a typical white, Spanish village. Accessible by bus or car it is a must visit location for any trip to this region. With its narrow cobbled streets this picturesque hillside village, although home to a large ex-pat community, has managed to retain much of its traditional Andalucian way of life.
Visit the village to enjoy a Spanish tapas lunch take a ride on the Donkey Taxis that still operate around the village.
Santa Semana – Holy Week – is when the Spanish celebrate Easter and this is when Mijas really comes alive with history and tradition, a celebration not to be missed.
El Chorro
More commonly known as Malaga’s Lake District, El Chorro is a small village in the Guadalhorce Valley. The village is located in the limestone region and is home to reservoirs, created by the introduction of a large dam in the 1920’s, that are a stunningly beautiful turquoise colour and this is where the Spanish come to picnic, swim and fish and relax with family and friends.
You can also camp here so if you want to leave your luxury Spanish villa rental and get back to nature you can do so in El Chorro – just remember your mosquito repellent!
Ronda
Just 45 minutes from the coast Ronda is set in between three natural parks and is the birthplace of modern bullfighting, Spain’s national sport.
Although considered barbaric by many, the sport, and its heritage, cannot be ignored. A must see on any visit to the town is the Plaza de Toros, the oldest bullring in Spain, which is now a museum charting the history of bullfighting. Look closely and you may see memorabilia charting the success of Frank ‘El Ingles’ Evans, the Salford born English bullfighter who was, at the height of his career, 63rd in the world rankings.
Ronda works hard to retain its historic charm and is known worldwide for the views from its three bridges that span the El Tajo gorge.
Holidaying in southern Spain has so much more to offer than just the beach and the pool. Make the most of your stay on the Costa del Sol and explore this fantastic region to begin to truly understand the beauty of Spain.
Friday, 10 February 2012
Monday, 23 January 2012
Beach Clubs to visit in Puerto Banus
If you are visiting Puerto Banus on holiday, it’s a good idea to have an idea of the beach clubs in the area. Beach clubs are the perfect place to spend a lazy day, soaking up the sun and having a dip in the pool or the sea. After the day is over the beach clubs turn into the place to be with pool parties and DJ’s and a collection of VIP’s.
If you are looking for a luxury establishment then you are spoilt for choice, this area of Marbella is like Spain’s answer to Saint Tropez.
Buddha Beach combines a pool on the beach front so you can have your choice of sea or pool. There are a range of bed options on offer from a single sunbed to double beds and four poster beds depending on the level of luxury you want. You don’t need to move as there is a snack and drinks service to the sunbeds.
If you do chose to move you can visit the alfresco restaurant where east meets west. Choose from Sushi, fresh local seafood or Thai fusion cuisine or why not a combination. The menu is varied and will have dish to suit all tastes.
Also away from the sunbed you can visit the spa area, where you can get a head or full body massage or immerse your feet in fish with Aqua Sole fish pedicures.
The day doesn’t end when the sun goes down, Buddha beach hosts Limelight Dance events on Thursday nights and Funky Friday pool parties every Friday. On Sundays there’s the brunch buffet the perfect cure for the night before at 35€ for a buffet of thai, sushi, meat and seafood.
There is also the pool party event of the season Lovejuice on Saturday 4th June 2012. Buddha beach is open from April through to September
Ocean Club Marbella is located on the seafront, with a large saltwater swimming pool. The pool is surrounded by double sunbeds. The restaurant has a menu suitable for most tastes, with a combination of sushi, classical French cuisine and traditional Mediterranean foods. This beach club attracts the top VIP’s into the VIP areas and can offer a party service where you can design every aspect of the party. The Ocean club has Tropicana Fridays with cocktails and entertainment with a tropical feel. OC Saturdays feature the clubs resident DJ’s liven up the night with amazing tunes and entertainment. You can then chill on the Sunday with Lazy Sundays. This club is open from the end of April to mid-September.
If you are just looking for a beachside restaurant with sunbeds then take a look at Mistral Beach that offers standard sun loungers, an Italian themed restaurant that also offers local dishes. The local water sports centre will keep you entertained with varied water sports to try.
Pedro’s beach is the place to go if you are not looking for a resort style environment. The bar hasn’t really changed in years, it’s very laid back, and you can rent a sunbed and have a drink or snack on the fresh fish dishes
.
With the choice of beach clubs and beaches on offer Puerto Banus is a great location for a holiday, stay in a luxury villa rental in Marbella and visit the Spanish Saint Tropez.
If you are looking for a luxury establishment then you are spoilt for choice, this area of Marbella is like Spain’s answer to Saint Tropez.
Buddha Beach combines a pool on the beach front so you can have your choice of sea or pool. There are a range of bed options on offer from a single sunbed to double beds and four poster beds depending on the level of luxury you want. You don’t need to move as there is a snack and drinks service to the sunbeds.
If you do chose to move you can visit the alfresco restaurant where east meets west. Choose from Sushi, fresh local seafood or Thai fusion cuisine or why not a combination. The menu is varied and will have dish to suit all tastes.
Also away from the sunbed you can visit the spa area, where you can get a head or full body massage or immerse your feet in fish with Aqua Sole fish pedicures.
The day doesn’t end when the sun goes down, Buddha beach hosts Limelight Dance events on Thursday nights and Funky Friday pool parties every Friday. On Sundays there’s the brunch buffet the perfect cure for the night before at 35€ for a buffet of thai, sushi, meat and seafood.
There is also the pool party event of the season Lovejuice on Saturday 4th June 2012. Buddha beach is open from April through to September
Ocean Club Marbella is located on the seafront, with a large saltwater swimming pool. The pool is surrounded by double sunbeds. The restaurant has a menu suitable for most tastes, with a combination of sushi, classical French cuisine and traditional Mediterranean foods. This beach club attracts the top VIP’s into the VIP areas and can offer a party service where you can design every aspect of the party. The Ocean club has Tropicana Fridays with cocktails and entertainment with a tropical feel. OC Saturdays feature the clubs resident DJ’s liven up the night with amazing tunes and entertainment. You can then chill on the Sunday with Lazy Sundays. This club is open from the end of April to mid-September.
If you are just looking for a beachside restaurant with sunbeds then take a look at Mistral Beach that offers standard sun loungers, an Italian themed restaurant that also offers local dishes. The local water sports centre will keep you entertained with varied water sports to try.
Pedro’s beach is the place to go if you are not looking for a resort style environment. The bar hasn’t really changed in years, it’s very laid back, and you can rent a sunbed and have a drink or snack on the fresh fish dishes
.
With the choice of beach clubs and beaches on offer Puerto Banus is a great location for a holiday, stay in a luxury villa rental in Marbella and visit the Spanish Saint Tropez.
Wednesday, 18 January 2012
Ski in Sierra Nevada
Most people see Marbella as a summer destination; however Marbella is only a couple of hours drive from the Sierra Nevada, a Spanish Ski Resort.
The Ski Season tends to run from the last week in November until the 1st of May, but there does tend to be snow all year round on the peaks, so you can visit at any time of year. If you are visiting Marbella in the summer, Sierra Nevada is also a great destination for walking, cycling, horse riding and mountain climbing.
The highest peaks in the Sierra Nevada are Mulhacén, Veleta and Alcazaba but there are a number of smaller peaks that make up the range. The southern side has long narrow river valleys. The steeper and craggier northern side is more irregular. The ski resort is located on the Northern slopes of Velata.
At the foot of the slope is the resort village of Pradollano, it is home to a large number of shops that rent and sell ski equipment, a supermarket and a number of bars and restaurants and ski schools. The next resort is at the mid station at Borreguiles which is served by two cable cars from Pradollano, there are cafés, restaurants, ski schools, souvenir shops and some hire shops and lockers.
Outside of the winter holidays and weekends, visitors on weekdays will find a fairly quiet resort that does not really suffer from overcrowding. Even holiday and weekend visitors tend only to find short queues if the whole of the resort is open as it covers a large area.
Over the past few years the number of activities you can do at the resort has grown, you can skate at the ice rink, and there are toboggans, ski-bikes mini-skis and a track for wheeled toboggans. The resort has also recently opened a superpark in an area of the resort called Loma de Dilar. This area is geared up for snowboards with half pipes, s boxes, pyramids, gaps, rails and jumps. The area is away from the skiing area and well supervised so you are unlikely to run into any beginner skiers. New for the 2011-2012 season is a new half pipe 165 metres long and 6 metres deep for some really big jumps.
The resort has a selection of different difficulty runs there are 16 Green runs, 40 blue runs, 50 red runs and 9 black runs. So the resort is suitable for both beginners and advanced skiers alike.
If you don’t fancy a week long ski holiday but want a day out, you can stay in Marbella and visit Sierra Nevada. It’s one of the only places in Europe where you can ski in the morning and swim in the sea in the afternoon. So why not visit our Luxury Villa Rental in Marbella and take some time and visit Sierra Nevada while you are in the area.
The Ski Season tends to run from the last week in November until the 1st of May, but there does tend to be snow all year round on the peaks, so you can visit at any time of year. If you are visiting Marbella in the summer, Sierra Nevada is also a great destination for walking, cycling, horse riding and mountain climbing.
The highest peaks in the Sierra Nevada are Mulhacén, Veleta and Alcazaba but there are a number of smaller peaks that make up the range. The southern side has long narrow river valleys. The steeper and craggier northern side is more irregular. The ski resort is located on the Northern slopes of Velata.
At the foot of the slope is the resort village of Pradollano, it is home to a large number of shops that rent and sell ski equipment, a supermarket and a number of bars and restaurants and ski schools. The next resort is at the mid station at Borreguiles which is served by two cable cars from Pradollano, there are cafés, restaurants, ski schools, souvenir shops and some hire shops and lockers.
Outside of the winter holidays and weekends, visitors on weekdays will find a fairly quiet resort that does not really suffer from overcrowding. Even holiday and weekend visitors tend only to find short queues if the whole of the resort is open as it covers a large area.
Over the past few years the number of activities you can do at the resort has grown, you can skate at the ice rink, and there are toboggans, ski-bikes mini-skis and a track for wheeled toboggans. The resort has also recently opened a superpark in an area of the resort called Loma de Dilar. This area is geared up for snowboards with half pipes, s boxes, pyramids, gaps, rails and jumps. The area is away from the skiing area and well supervised so you are unlikely to run into any beginner skiers. New for the 2011-2012 season is a new half pipe 165 metres long and 6 metres deep for some really big jumps.
The resort has a selection of different difficulty runs there are 16 Green runs, 40 blue runs, 50 red runs and 9 black runs. So the resort is suitable for both beginners and advanced skiers alike.
If you don’t fancy a week long ski holiday but want a day out, you can stay in Marbella and visit Sierra Nevada. It’s one of the only places in Europe where you can ski in the morning and swim in the sea in the afternoon. So why not visit our Luxury Villa Rental in Marbella and take some time and visit Sierra Nevada while you are in the area.
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Coincide your trip to Marbella with a festival.
If you are thinking of visiting Marbella why not visit during one of the many Spanish festivals that occur throughout the year. Here is a guide to some of the festivals celebrated in the region and their dates so you can get a culture rich experience from your trip.
Christmas and New Year
If you are thinking of visiting Spain for Christmas, you should be aware that the holiday is celebrated slightly differently to in the UK and it split into three stages. Christmas Eve tends to be a family affair, with families meeting up for the festive period and spending time together and sharing a meal.
Christmas day is one of the quietest of the year, it’s a fiesta day so all shops and banks are closed. The third and main part of the Christmas celebration is Los Reyes on the 6th January. The arrival of the three kings is like the arrival of Father Christmas in the UK, the kings replace Father Christmas and are the ones that bring the presents and the children write to them with their gift requests. The night before there is a procession and the kings arrive and work their way through the city throwing sweets from the floats. This is a festival with a real buzz and is worth attending, each town and city has their own parade so it’s almost impossible to miss.
New Year is celebrated similar to the UK with the exception that at midnight you need to eat 12 grapes one on each stroke of the clock.
Carnival
This celebration occurs immediately before Lent, it usually involves a parade and most people dress up similar to Halloween. Celebrations vary from town to town, but there tends to be a week or so of activities in this period associated with Carnival.
Semana Santa
This is the Easter week, huge floats are carried through the town adorned with candles and flowers. The floats are carried through by brotherhoods, and are followed by hooded penitents. The ceremony is a celebration but can be fairly solemn and some processions are watched in silence. It is an experience to watch but is a very different festival to the ferias.
Corpus Christi
This is a festival that occurs at the end of May that celebrates the triumph of good over evil, the streets are carpeted with flowers and herbs and there is a procession of the host through the streets.
Marbella Feria
The Marbella Feria occurs every night of the second week of June. Celebrating Saint Bernabé, the patron saint of Marbella, the festival has marquees selling tapas and drinks and there are plenty of dancing shows and cultural entertainment.
La Virgen del Carmen
This mid-summer event in the middle of July is spectacular and occurs in the Puerto Banus area of Marbella, there are masses held in the local chapels and fishing boats that line the coast. Sacred church statues are stored in caves at sea level and the festival ends with a spectacular display of fireworks
Feria de San Pedro
This occurs the second week in October and is a weeklong celebration of Saint Pedro de Alcantara, and occurs in the San Pedro district of Marbella. There will be people dressed up in flamenco costumes; there will be activities throughout the day, lots of food stalls and fairground rides and fireworks. It’s definitely worth a trip.
Fiesta del Tostόn
This fiesta is held on November 1st and celebrates All Saints Day. It’s celebrated with roasted chestnuts and local specialities and a party that goes on the next morning.
Whatever time of the year you visit Marbella, you can be sure there will be a fiesta or festival of some variety, so time your visit for one of these festivals and stay at our villa in Puerto Banus and take advantage of the luxury villa rental in Marbella to take some time out from the crowds while you experience a real taste of the Spain.
Christmas and New Year
If you are thinking of visiting Spain for Christmas, you should be aware that the holiday is celebrated slightly differently to in the UK and it split into three stages. Christmas Eve tends to be a family affair, with families meeting up for the festive period and spending time together and sharing a meal.
Christmas day is one of the quietest of the year, it’s a fiesta day so all shops and banks are closed. The third and main part of the Christmas celebration is Los Reyes on the 6th January. The arrival of the three kings is like the arrival of Father Christmas in the UK, the kings replace Father Christmas and are the ones that bring the presents and the children write to them with their gift requests. The night before there is a procession and the kings arrive and work their way through the city throwing sweets from the floats. This is a festival with a real buzz and is worth attending, each town and city has their own parade so it’s almost impossible to miss.
New Year is celebrated similar to the UK with the exception that at midnight you need to eat 12 grapes one on each stroke of the clock.
Carnival
This celebration occurs immediately before Lent, it usually involves a parade and most people dress up similar to Halloween. Celebrations vary from town to town, but there tends to be a week or so of activities in this period associated with Carnival.
Semana Santa
This is the Easter week, huge floats are carried through the town adorned with candles and flowers. The floats are carried through by brotherhoods, and are followed by hooded penitents. The ceremony is a celebration but can be fairly solemn and some processions are watched in silence. It is an experience to watch but is a very different festival to the ferias.
Corpus Christi
This is a festival that occurs at the end of May that celebrates the triumph of good over evil, the streets are carpeted with flowers and herbs and there is a procession of the host through the streets.
Marbella Feria
The Marbella Feria occurs every night of the second week of June. Celebrating Saint Bernabé, the patron saint of Marbella, the festival has marquees selling tapas and drinks and there are plenty of dancing shows and cultural entertainment.
La Virgen del Carmen
This mid-summer event in the middle of July is spectacular and occurs in the Puerto Banus area of Marbella, there are masses held in the local chapels and fishing boats that line the coast. Sacred church statues are stored in caves at sea level and the festival ends with a spectacular display of fireworks
Feria de San Pedro
This occurs the second week in October and is a weeklong celebration of Saint Pedro de Alcantara, and occurs in the San Pedro district of Marbella. There will be people dressed up in flamenco costumes; there will be activities throughout the day, lots of food stalls and fairground rides and fireworks. It’s definitely worth a trip.
Fiesta del Tostόn
This fiesta is held on November 1st and celebrates All Saints Day. It’s celebrated with roasted chestnuts and local specialities and a party that goes on the next morning.
Whatever time of the year you visit Marbella, you can be sure there will be a fiesta or festival of some variety, so time your visit for one of these festivals and stay at our villa in Puerto Banus and take advantage of the luxury villa rental in Marbella to take some time out from the crowds while you experience a real taste of the Spain.
Thursday, 24 November 2011
Book a Golf holiday on the Costa del Sol
If you are looking for a golfing holiday in Marbella then Puerto Banus could be the ideal location with 3 first class golf courses to choose from you will be spoilt for choice.
Los Naranjos Golf Club is located in the “Golf Valley” in Marbella just a few minutes from Puerto Banus. The course was designed By Robert Trent Jones Sr and is representative of his designs offering generous fairways and testing bunkers and water hazards. The green was originally designed in 1977 and has been recently rebuilt with Penn A4-gras.
The course has hosted the Spanish Open and has won awards for course of the year in the Costa del Sol in 2005 and 2008
If you want to polish your skills there is a golf academy offering lessons, a driving range and a putting green.
As well as the course, the club has a golf shop offering clothes, clubs, bags and balls. The club also has a hairdressers and a wellness tour offering massage and use of fitness equipment. So you can be sure you will be well looked after on and off the course.
La Quinta Golf & Country Club is also located a few minutes inland from Puerto Banus. Originally an 18 hole golf course designed by Manolo Pinero, the golf course has been extended to offer 27 holes, in three 9 hole courses. It hosts the Benahavis Senior Masters, a regular European Seniors PGA Tour Event.
La Quinta golf club offers the best golfers a good choice in courses and in order to play at la quinta you need to have an official handicap of 28/36. The course offers its own challenges with sloping fairways and well placed bunkers and water hazards.
If you are looking to improve your game La Quinta golf academy has a number of options from private lessons to golf courses, junior programmes and intensive courses. In the academy there is a 2 tier driving range with covered bays, chipping and pitching areas and a video room for digital swing analysis. A pro shop and a café-bar will help you to relax between lessons.
If you are not interested in golf but are visiting with someone who is why not take advantage of the onsite spa offering manicures, pedicures and treatments. There are experience rooms like sauna, steam, hydrotherapy and sensory showers and if you want a work out there is also a gym and paddle courts and paddle classes if needed.
If you have kids then there is a kid’s cub to keep them entertained with a playground, pool, workshops, sports courts and TV and reading room.
Las Brisas Golf is located in Marbella’s golf valley and is another design by Robert Trent Jones, it was designed in 1968 and was one of the first to use bent grass.
Las Brisas is a particularly challenging golf course where water is the main obstacle with 12 holes where you must either cross or avoid it, it is not the only challenge though as there are a number of strategically placed bunkers
This course has hosted several important tournaments from the World cup to the Spanish Open and has been considered as an option for other major tournaments. The course also features a friendly clubhouse to have a drink with fellow golfers after a round
These three golf courses are all within easy reach of a fantastic villa, available to hire in weekly blocks. The villa has its own staff and you will have 2 cooked meals per day and drinks, prices vary depending on the season. The villa is located between las brisas and los naranjos golf courses. Our location allows you to combine your golf trip with a relaxing villa, allowing you to have a morning on the course and the afternoon by the pool. Why not take a look at availability and book your Costa del Sol Golf holiday now.
Los Naranjos Golf Club is located in the “Golf Valley” in Marbella just a few minutes from Puerto Banus. The course was designed By Robert Trent Jones Sr and is representative of his designs offering generous fairways and testing bunkers and water hazards. The green was originally designed in 1977 and has been recently rebuilt with Penn A4-gras.
The course has hosted the Spanish Open and has won awards for course of the year in the Costa del Sol in 2005 and 2008
If you want to polish your skills there is a golf academy offering lessons, a driving range and a putting green.
As well as the course, the club has a golf shop offering clothes, clubs, bags and balls. The club also has a hairdressers and a wellness tour offering massage and use of fitness equipment. So you can be sure you will be well looked after on and off the course.
La Quinta Golf & Country Club is also located a few minutes inland from Puerto Banus. Originally an 18 hole golf course designed by Manolo Pinero, the golf course has been extended to offer 27 holes, in three 9 hole courses. It hosts the Benahavis Senior Masters, a regular European Seniors PGA Tour Event.
La Quinta golf club offers the best golfers a good choice in courses and in order to play at la quinta you need to have an official handicap of 28/36. The course offers its own challenges with sloping fairways and well placed bunkers and water hazards.
If you are looking to improve your game La Quinta golf academy has a number of options from private lessons to golf courses, junior programmes and intensive courses. In the academy there is a 2 tier driving range with covered bays, chipping and pitching areas and a video room for digital swing analysis. A pro shop and a café-bar will help you to relax between lessons.
If you are not interested in golf but are visiting with someone who is why not take advantage of the onsite spa offering manicures, pedicures and treatments. There are experience rooms like sauna, steam, hydrotherapy and sensory showers and if you want a work out there is also a gym and paddle courts and paddle classes if needed.
If you have kids then there is a kid’s cub to keep them entertained with a playground, pool, workshops, sports courts and TV and reading room.
Las Brisas Golf is located in Marbella’s golf valley and is another design by Robert Trent Jones, it was designed in 1968 and was one of the first to use bent grass.
Las Brisas is a particularly challenging golf course where water is the main obstacle with 12 holes where you must either cross or avoid it, it is not the only challenge though as there are a number of strategically placed bunkers
This course has hosted several important tournaments from the World cup to the Spanish Open and has been considered as an option for other major tournaments. The course also features a friendly clubhouse to have a drink with fellow golfers after a round
These three golf courses are all within easy reach of a fantastic villa, available to hire in weekly blocks. The villa has its own staff and you will have 2 cooked meals per day and drinks, prices vary depending on the season. The villa is located between las brisas and los naranjos golf courses. Our location allows you to combine your golf trip with a relaxing villa, allowing you to have a morning on the course and the afternoon by the pool. Why not take a look at availability and book your Costa del Sol Golf holiday now.
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