The Costa Del Sol - Spoiled For Choice

Once upon a time people only went to Spain - and insuch as the Botanical Gardens on the outskirts of
particular the Costa del Sol - for the warn sunshineMalaga. Even the English cemetery in Malaga is
and the beautiful beaches.worthy of a visit with its beautiful secluded garden of
That is still the case today but people are alsohistorical interest.
seeking other things to do other than sunbathe.The gastronomes will be happy with the variety of
The Costa del Sol has something for everybody.food and drink from the traditional tapas dishes in
The Mediterranean climate lends itself to sports andlocal bars to fresh fish and seafood in the chiringuitos
outdoor activities. Sports enthusiasts would be(beach bars/restaurants) to avante-garde cuisine in
amazed at the different choices available from golfaward-winning restaurants.
to horseriding, paragliding, hiking, sailing,There is also a variety of accommodation to suit
tennis,fishing,windsurfing and even skiing in the Sierraevery budget ranging from the campsites, hostels,
Nevada.rural fincas (farmhouses), apartment and self-catering
Culture vultures will be happy with the number ofaccommodation to top-of-the-range luxury spa hotels.
museums, theatres, concert halls, ancient churches,Children have little chance of being bored as there
castles and palaces. There is the famous Picassoare many attractions to keep the kids happy. There
Museum in Malaga, bullfighting museums in Mijasis the Selwo Safari Park near Estepona, the Selwo
Pueblo and Cordoba, cathedrals in Malaga and Seville,Marina and Sea Life aquarium in Benalmadena, Tivoli
theatres and concert halls in Malaga and Seville,World Amusement Park in Arroya de la Miel, Crocodile
palaces and historical buildings in Seville as well as lotsPark in Torremolinos, Fuengirola Zoo, Aqua Park with
of local museums such as the sherry bodegas inwater slides and chutes in Mijas Costa and
Jerez or the hunting and craft museums in Ronda.spectacular cable-car rides overlooking Benalmadena
Also there are many cinemas- these are often foundand Malaga. There is a wolf sanctuary in Antequera
in commercial shopping centres and there is alwaysand donkey rides up mountain paths. All over the
one screen showing English versions of the latestCosta del Sol you can find lots of parks with swings,
films.slides, open spaces for bike-riding and seating areas
Lots of tourists love visiting the traditional Andalucianfor picnics etc..
'white villages' with their quaint cobbled streets andThe main airport is Malaga but there are other smaller
colourful pots of geraniums and orange and lemonaiports at Jerez and Granada. For travelling around
trees. Mijas Pueblo, Gaucin, Casares..to name but athere are plenty of car-hire companies, local taxis,
few. Another place worth visiting is Nerja with itsexcursion coaches, local buses, a regular train service
famous caves with formations of stalactites andfrom Malaga to Fuengirola and the fast AVE train
stalagmites.which runs from Malaga to Cordoba and onto Madrid.
Nature lovers will enjoy the protected naturalThe port at Malaga has many visits by large cruise
parkland of Donana near Huelva with its wildlife and isships and Fuengirola is principally a fishing port. Other
ideal for bird watchers. Some of the parks in theports such as Marbella, Puerto Banus, Benalmadena,
Jaen region are home to rare and endangeredDucquesa and Cabopino are used by sailing clubs or
species of flora and fauna. The lakes in the Malagato moor private yachts.
province near Ardales are set amongst beautifulLastly, but not least, Andalucia is the birthplace of
countryside with spectacular mountain views. Theflamenco. There are actually many different
lagoon at Fuente Piedra on the outskirts ofcomponent parts to flamenco and styles vary from
Antequera is a natural lake and home to a largeprovince to province and flamenco dance is still the
colony of flamingos.main attraction for tourists to this region.
There are also plenty of other green spaces to visit