Attractions

Well over 600,000 people live in the capital of the Costa del Sol today. In recent years, Picasso’s birthplace has evolved into a busy metropolis that has established itself as a major art and cultural hotbed.

The town has invested an enormous amount of money and numerous projects into the restoration of its Old Town. These days, the historic buildings present themselves in an array of every imaginable pastel hue. The streets and boulevards, the shady alleys and expansive plazas are pulsating with life and beckon visitors to explore them.

Here, you will find yourself in a maze of history that has turned to stone!

Relics of an enthralling past can be found in the historic center – spanning eras from the Phoenicians to the Romans to the Moors and making them come alive even today. The city is a buzz with activity, stores, galleries, museums, tapas bars, restaurant and old-fashioned coffee shops. In the heart of it all sits the majestic cathedral dating back to the Renaissance.

Step into the frankincense drenched interior and you will be amazed. The historic Atarazanas market hall is bustling with people engaged in turbulent transactions. The hall was erected in the same spot where the Moors used to build their ships. The imposing Moorish castle Alcázaba surveys the entire scene. At an even higher vantage point sits the ancient Phoenician fortress Gibralfaro on top of its rock in the ocean.

Other points of interest include the Picasso Museum, which offers alternating exhibits, as well as the museum inside of the house where the painter was born, the CAC – the Contemporary Arts Center – as well as the Finca de la Concepción, a botanical garden that opened more than 150 years ago.

On the built up coastline, the traveler virtually happens upon the suburbs of Marbella without even realizing it. The magnificent town is nestled into a huge cove much like a colossal amphitheater at the foot of its own mountain, the La Concha, elevation 1,200 meters.

The rather small city center, which is composed of a picturesque Moorish Old Town and a definitely not picturesque busy New Town, is surrounded by more or less loosely scattered residential and pompous subdivisions full of villas that extend into the mountains and have been erected along the coast.

The town boasts an amazing four yacht harbors. Thanks to its plentiful parks and innumerable gardens, Marbella has a distinctly green flair and luckily just a few high rises. The beaches of Marbella stretch across an expanse of close to 30 kilometers. Palm trees tower over many of the beaches, some of which are very busy and right in the heart of town, while others are quieter and located in the villa-studded suburbs.

You will have no trouble finding beach restaurants on every single one of them. The choice ranges from simple Chiringuitos to eccentric beach clubs. MarbellaEach summer, the latter never fail to break the latest daily champagne consumption record registered in the Guiness Book of Records. Marbella has close to 150,000 permanent residents, however, when all the owners of second homes and apartments descend upon the town, its summer population can easily swell to 400,000.

The abundance of luxury hotels, extremely pricey restaurants and clubs, the shiny luxury limousines and sports cars in the streets and in the yacht harbors, as well as the million-Euro boats docked first and foremost in Puerto Banús, which is also known as the celebrity harbor and the golden shopping miles flanked by the flagship stores of all leading designers and jewelers make it easy to imagine that the amount of discretionary spending that occurs here is far from moderate.

Other attractions include the Dalí sculptures in the Avenida del Mar, as well as the Casco Antiguo – the white washed Old Town with its Moorish castle and of course the majestic baroque church, the Town Palace on the Calle Ancha and the Museum of Contemporary Spanish Embossing Art in the old hospital (Museo del Grabado).

Take a close to two hour drive across a dramatic mountain road and you will spot Ronda, surrounded by its walls, nestled into this terrific landscape.

Once stronghold attackers found impossible to conquer, the small white town sits, as if on a throne, on a rock nose that sticks out into the land haughtily. It boasts numerous prominent structural monuments even today.

A stroll through the romantic alleys allows visitors to discover Moorish houses, artfully constructed sand stone portals, Arabian gardens, cozy patios or town palaces dating back to the Renaissance.

Ronda is a home to museums, artisans and endless fantastic views of Mother Nature’s majestic splendor. No one who ever sees it will forget the gorge against which Ronda is pushing its houses in a dramatic gesture and across which the imposing Puente Nuevo leads from the Moorish Old Town into the New Town.

And: Ronda is also famous for being the cradle of the traditional bullfight. Rilke spent an entire winter here; Hemingway was just as frequent a guest as Orson Welles, who insisted on making Ronda his final resting place. Madonna is also partial to this magical place; she shot one of her music videos on location.

If you decide to take this trip by car, you will travel through impressive landscapes before you reach Granada, the metropolis in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.

It was once the final stronghold of the Muslim Moors on Spanish terrain before it was conquered by the Christian armies of the Catholic Kings at the end of the 15th century. The heritage the Moors left behind is awe-inspiring: the red fort – the Alhambra – is a World Cultural Heritage Site for all of human kind.

Under the Moors, it last served as the palatial town of the Nasrides. It does indeed have all the makings of a palace in the tale of the Arabian Nights (Thousand and One Nights).

It is still easy to imagine scenes from the refined life at the royal courts back then. Albaycín, Granada‘s Arabian Old Town is also a World Cultural Heritage Site and beckons visitors to explore its maze of alleys, courtyards and plaza, many of which offer views of the Alhambra and the ice covered peaks of the Sierra Nevada that sparkle in the spring.

Some of the white washed houses feature magnificent patios and gardens that invite you to stop in for a drink or a meal – they are bars and restaurants. As a patron, you will be a guest of Granada’s dazzling past.

Other three-star attractions include the Generalife (the palace gardens just above the Alhambra) and the cathedral with the sepulchral chapel of the Catholic Kings. If you are ready for a truly cool experience, participate in a Tapeo in the early evening around the Plaza Nueva. You’ll find yourself trekking from bar to bar in the dimly light alleys and you will be able indulge in complimentary small snacks served along with your drinks.

Córdoba is famous for its palate pleasing local cuisine, which highlights delicious fresh ingredients. Romantic restaurants are easy to find in the ancient buildings and on the flower covered patios.

By car, a trip to Córdoba will take you well over three hours. If you want to get to Córdoba more quickly and more conveniently, the luxurious high speed train AVE is definitely your best bet – the ride takes just an hour.

Judería, the Old Town, is the heart of Córdoba. Protected by the UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site for all of humankind, it is a relic of an era when Córdoba was a vibrant power, trading and intellectual center of the Moorish world in Spain.

It was one of Europe's most prominent cities at the time. A network of alleys and pathways, portals, plazas and courtyards interlaced with white washed houses and town palaces spans the Alcázar ( palace ) and the most important individual monument, the Mezquita.

Formerly the main mosque and a place of worship that accommodated 30,000 believers, it is also a World Cultural Heritage Site. Even today it is a place that, along with its gothic cathedral in the center, exudes a magical ambience: 856 pillars support the miraculous creation of a roof with its horseshoe shaped arches. The prayer lounge called the Mihrab is a true highlight – a masterpiece of art in perfect colors embellished with priceless precious stones and gold: virtuous architectural art.

The excavated Moorish palace town Medina Azahara, which can be found right outside the gates of Córdoba, is yet another three-star attraction. Strolling through the hospitable Judería in the evenings, stopping by local venues for a drink or dinner, can be a magical experience.

Seville on the banks of the Guadalquivir River is the capital, the center and the heart beat of Andalusia. It is the city of Flamenco dancing and world-renowned for its singing barber and for Carmen’s fiery eyes.

Each alleyway, each plaza, each courtyard in the Old Town presents itself as a stage on which life performs scintillating acts.

Seville stands for music; the entire town is one big theater – and a magnificent one for sure. Fantastic architectural, playful decorations, graceful activities – all of it combined overloads the senses.

The main attraction is certainly Old Town Barrio de Santa Cruz with its town palaces and charming facades. The aroma of orange blossoms floats through the alleys like a sweet toxic concoction that everyone succumbs to.

The imposing Giralda Cathedral (a World Cultural Heritage Site) reaches high towards the heavens; right next door the ancient Moorish residence Alcázar (also a World Cultural Heritage Site) is waiting to be admired along with its adorned elegant rooms and famous Arabian style gardens.

Tourists from around the globe rendezvous here and are infected by the heated southern laissez-faire approach to living. It’s easy to let yourself go here and to indulge yourself with the flair of this one-of-a-kind and lively metropolis.

The city offers a wealth of priceless attractions. Topping the list is the Plaza España, with its stylish buildings that stand tall like works of art made of brick, colorful ceramics and marble. They overlook the plaza structure and the adjacent park Parque de María Luisa. The best way to experience all of this beauty is in a horse-drawn carriage.

About 30,000 people are huddled together on and around The Rock, which is how the British like to call their Gibraltar. The British have ruled there since 1704, when the British Monarchy conquered it in a coup-like fashion during the War of the Spanish Succession.

From this vantage point it continues to control the Strait of Gibraltar – one of the world’s busiest maritime passageways – even today.

The Spanish are annoyed by this fact and they see to it that crossing the border in both directions isn’t necessarily the smoothest of experiences.

The inspections can prove to be harassing, so make absolutely sure you have your passport of identification card with you. The best way to get around in Gibraltar is on buses and by taxi. Park your car before you cross the border in La Línea, unless you are traveling on a pre-arranged tour and transportation is provided by the organizer.

The local currency is the Gibraltar Pound (code GIP), however, the EURO is readily accepted as a form of payment.

In antique mythology, The Rock was revered as one of the Pillars of Hercules (the second pillar rises above Ceuta in Morocco on the opposite coast and is called Djebel Musa). Until 711, Gibraltar was actually called Calpe, only to be subsequently renamed for the Arab commander Djebel al-Tariq (Tariq’s Mountain), who landed here and whose defeat of the West Gothic made it possible for the Moors to encroach upon Gibraltar in the 8th century.

Today, Costa del Sol tourists tour the rocky languet across from Africa just to experience what it’s like or to go shopping. Gibraltar is a paradise for duty free shopping, so some merchandise is actually less expensive here, including electronic devices and tobacco products. Famous name brand alcoholic beverages are also highly coveted shopping trophies. Smart shoppers interested in buying electronics at the stores, which are usually run by East Indian or Pakistani owners will do well if they inspect the wares closely to make sure that they are actually purchasing the genuine article.

Homesick Brits tend to trek to Gibraltar to indulge in a pint of Lager or Guiness in a pub, shop for British groceries or to just still their longing for the cosmopolitan mix they are so familiar with from their homeland. You're likely to run into them on Main Street, where you'll recognize them by their colonial empire style. The British Crown Colony is complete self-governed in terms of its interior affairs. Its major businesses are tourism, the merchant port and of course offshore banking.

What makes the place a worthwhile travel destination? That’s a good question. For one thing, the imposing rock is close to 5 km long, 1.5 km wide and 425 meters high. A languet connects it to the mainland. Its Spanish name is El Peñon. At Apes' Rock you might see a few Barbary apes who stay busy annoying the tourists, you enjoy fantastic views and the town at its foot is infused with British style even down to its architecture. Main Street also has some of the characteristics of a bazaar and the thick walls that surround the city prove that Gibraltar remains a fortress to date.

Cathedral
The Moorish style Protestant Cathedral on the Cathedral Square was built in 1821 and was erected in the immediate vicinity of the Gothic style Catholic Cathedral.

Upper Galleries
Above the castle you will find the Upper Galleries (Queens Road), which were sculpted from The Rock from 1779 – 1783.

Highest Point
If you’re up to the challenge you can walk to the gigantic rock plateau (very strenuous) or you can take a funicular or spend EUR 25 on a local cabbie who will take you up there in a taxi van (recommended). The cabbie will show and explain everything an interested tourist may want to see and know on and about The Rock: St. Michael‘s Cave, The Siege – a tunnel chockfull of cannons – or the Hercules Plateau boasting breathtaking views of Morocco.

Road of Europe
Starting in Alameda, the high road in the south of the languet offers numerous fantastic views across the Strait of Gibraltar, especially at the Europe Point.

Resplendent jewels of communities can also be found all over the back country of the Costa de Sol. Among those is Olvera, which sits on the peak of a mountain like a crown. Another example is the bizarre village of Sétenil, which has been sculpted from and into the rock.

Other villages are reminiscent of scenes right out of fairytales, such as Arcos de la Frontera, Grazalema or Zahara de la Sierra, where all structures – from the chicken pen to the tip of the church steeple have been white washed.

Time seems to move at a much slower pace here; in fact, it is the seasons that determine life’s time tables in these small communities.

If you're visiting the coast and want to get a taste of old Spain, a short trip will take you to what you are looking for. Towns such as Manilva, Gaucín, Casares, Ojén or Monda are within easy reach in the first mountains off the coast.

Simply drive to any of these places on any given day, spend lunch time on the main plaza and have a bite to eat – maybe a savory sampling of Manchego cheese, baked rabbit or oxtail – stick-to-your-ribs food served by warm folks – the kind of experience that will take you back to the Andalusia of times long ago. The backdrops provided by the often bizarre, rustic landscapes with steep rock towers, rugged canyons and the gnarly geometrics of the olive plantations complement the adventure beautifully.