|
+34 for Spain, 95 for Malaga
Main city tourist information office: Pasaje de Chinitas 4, tel: +34 95 221 3445.
Bus: Half-hourly bus service between the airport and Malaga leaves from the City
Bus stop outside arrivals. Costs €2.50.
Train: The Fuengirola-Malaga train leaves every half hour from 7.11am to 11.45pm.
Stay on until the final Centro-Alameda stop if heading to Malaga. To get to the
platform, turn right outside the airport building upper-level exit and follow
the signs. Tickets, costing €1.50, should be purchased before boarding.
Taxi: A taxi to Malaga costs about €8 and takes around 20 minutes. A
taxi to Marbella costs about €35 and the journey takes up to an hour, depending
on traffic.
902 888 459
Car hire: For special Virgin Express rates visit the Europcar desk on arrival
or call: 91 343 45 12
Although it’s definitely sun-block and bikini time, don’t miss out
on some of the area’s cultural attractions. Granada’s Alhambra palace
is less than two hours’ drive away – be sure to book in advance at
any BBVA bank. Don’t miss out on Malaga city too, but stick to the historic
centre with its narrow shaded streets. Alternatively, head for the tree-lined
Parque de la Alameda and pick up a horse-and-carriage to tour the city sights.
Hop off at the Museo Picasso with its fabulous palatial setting and wonderful
collection of former family-owned paintings. Back on the coast, the highway extension
makes Nerja just a snappy 45-minute trip east of the airport. This super-cute
coastal town is not tarnished by tourism, and is worth a visit for its sandy
coves, inviting shops and excellent bars and restaurants. West of Marbella, Puerto
Banús (pictured) is expensive, extravagant and exclusive – the perfect
place to kick back with a long, cool drink and do your best Oscar impression
of someone rich and famous.
Just beyond Fuengirola, heading west on the N340, is the delightful port of Cabo
Pino, with its horseshoe-shaped bay flanked by terraced bars and cafés,
where you can sip a cocktail at sunset and drink in the view. Only a short jaunt
west of here is Marbella with its dazzling choice of eateries including the trendy
ZoZoi (Plaza Altamirano 1, tel: +34 95 285 8868) famed for its inventive Mediterranean-inspired
cooking and romantic terrace. If you prefer to dine with the sand between your
toes, head for a chiringuito (beachside restaurant/bar) where seafood is the
obvious choice of chow. There are chiringuitos galore throughout the coastal
resorts. In Mijas Costa, the upmarket Sheriff (tel: +34 95 249 3722) dishes up
decent steaks, as well as fresh fish. Just east of Malaga, Restaurante
Antonio Martín (Playa de la Malagueta, tel: +34 95 222 7398) has a vast terrace
and specialises in some of the best catch-of-the-day fish. Popular with matadors
and local bigwigs, this place gets packed out so reservations are recommended.
Malaga’s best shopping street is the luxurious, marble-paved pedestrian
Marqués de Larios. All the major Spanish retailers are here, including
Massimo Dutti (Marqués de Larios
4) where elegant, thirty-something gents head to when dressing for a special
occasion. Across the street, the women’s Dutti store sells equally stylish
threads. Don your slinky gear at the clubs on the Costa: Dreamers with its hot
DJ sounds (Puerto Banús, tel: +34 95 281 2080), or La
Notte, (Camino de
la Cruz, tel: +34 95 286 6996) which attracts a swanky crowd. The ultimate playground
of the rich and famous is Olivia Valere (Carretera de Istán, tel: +34
95 282 8861) set in an Alhambra-inspired building with a Moorish-style interior.
One of the loveliest parks on the coast is Parque de la
Paloma (Arroyo de la
Miel) with cafés and a beautiful lake, plus the surreal surprise of various
animals running wild, including rabbits, chickens, peacocks and the occasional
guinea-pig. Or take a walk from Playamar in Torremolinos to Benalmádenaport, via the quaint fishing village of La
Carihuela. For a touch of wonder,
visit the Cuevas de Nerja (Nerja caves). Once inhabited by Stone Age hunters,
in July the caves host an international music festival.
For gorgeous white sands, head to Tarifa on the Costa de la Luz, only an hour
away on the toll road from Marbella. Take a kitesurfing or windsurfing course
(Spin Out, tel: +34 95 623 6352), or just sun yourself. If you tire of being
a beach bum, the vast El Chorro reservoir, 50kms northwest of Malaga is surrounded
by some of the most dramatic mountainous scenery in the province, perfect for
camping, renting a boat, or carp fishing. There are also lots of climbing centres
including Aventur El Chorro (tel: +34 649 249 444) if you really want a high.
At first sight, it looks like 1960s England with a suntan. Delve deeper, however,
and you’ll discover that Gibraltar is a fascinating cocktail of Jewish,
North African, Portuguese, Spanish and British cultures. There are plenty of
fascinating sights: historic tunnels, a nature reserve and the local resident
monkey population. You can also go dolphin-spotting or wreck-diving. Check the
tourist department (+34 95 674 5000) for info.
Many of the Costa hotels are block-booked by tour groups in summer, so reserve
in advance. In Torremolinos, long-time favourite Hotel Adriano (Avenida de los
Manantiales 1, tel: +34 95 205 0838, doubles from €85) has a roof terrace.
Just a frisbee-throw from the beach in Fuengirola, Hotel
El Puerto (Paseo Maritimo
32, tel: +34 95 247 0100, doubles from €85) has pretty rooms and balconies
with views, plus a rooftop swimming pool. Away from the coast, 20 minutes’ drive
northwest of Marbella, is the sumptuous Amanhavis Hotel (Calle del Pilar 3, Benhavís,
tel: +34 95 285 6026, doubles from €125), with a gorgeous garden and plunge
pool.
Words Mary McLean
|
USEFUL NUMBERS
Virgin Express reservations: 