Sign in with Facebook
On Plaza de Los Naranjos.
Seafood display
Out for dinner in Marbella Old Town
A water fountain
I am coming for a wedding on a Friday in May and have Sat Sun Mon available before flying back from Malaga.
So far what has caught my eye is Ronda, El Torcal and Chorro (is the Camino del Rey open?). We will be visiting the Alhambra before the wedding. I'm open to other sugestions, but also need to know what is practical. We are budget minded and will not be hiring a car (unless you have good reasons to tell me otherwise).
Can these be visited as day trips from Marbella by public transport? Or should we be based in say Malaga?
Ronda has some good value hotels and hostals (Spanish for a cheaper basic hotel). Easily reached by bus:
Look at PORTILLO bus company schedules as they are based in Marbella and Costa del Sol. (See also their direct bus to the airport)
http://www.ctsa-portillo.com/
If you enjoy walking then Ronda could make a good base as you can go to surrounding villages by bus or even the train. Look at the route of the train --- From Ronda it passes the following places before getting to Algeciras . (Not all the stations are close to the places because the railway line follows the valleys etc in the Serrania de Ronda)
ARRIATE
BENAOJAN-MONTEJAQUE
JIMERA DE LIBAR
CORTES DE LA FRONTERA
GAUCIN
SAN PABLO
JIMENA DE LA FRONTERA
ALMORAIMA
SAN ROQUE-LA LINEA
ALGECIRAS
In addition to the railway line that also by the way takes you to Cordoba and Madrid and other interesting places, you have several buses.
It is worth while looking at the LOS AMARILLOS time tables.
http://www.touristbus.es/frgrsamar.htm
Also the TG COMES times. (web site not functioning just at the moment to show all times)
http://www.tgcomes.es
To give an example of where to visit from Ronda.
Bus to Grazalema at 12.30 return bus at 16.15 (Amarillos)
Bus to Arcos de la Frontera at 11.30 return at 16.00 (COMES)
From Marbella you can reach all the destinations shown on PORTILLO bus plus others if you can change somewhere like Malaga.
I don't think anybody in their right minds would wish to attempt the Camino del Rey at El Chorro after reading this recent report:
http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=37869/
Another thing I found interesting in Marbella and other towns in Spain, are the BEAUTIFUL TILES that are spread throughout the Town. You really have to look out for them, as they are usually on the walls of the white-washed buildings and usually describe everything from street names, to restaurants and shops. The one pictured here displays a scene for Farmacia Espejo.
Another thing I love about Marbella and Spain are the beautiful ORNATE STREETLIGHTS. They are such a lovely addition to an already charming atmosphere. The wrought iron lamp-posts are always so intricately designed.
You must visit the beautiful farmlands and orchards of Costa del Sol. Rent a car and drive from Marbella east to Malaga. Along this major thoroughfare you will see scenic views of beaches and towns along the coast. This alone is worth the drive. Be sure to have a camera and lots of film (or flashcard) and batteries.
But the real treasure is in the highlands, north of Malaga. From Malaga to Casabermeja is a nice 17 mile (27 km) drive along a four lane highway. From Casabermeja to Riogordo is approximately another 5 miles (7 km).
Or going from Malaga to Riogordo, along a very scenic and well-maintained road, is possibly a better choice if you are not in a hurry. Either way you are now right in the heart of the Axarquia district.
The Andalusian Olive Oil Route begins in Riogordo and continues to Alcaucin crossing many interesting pueblos such as Colmenar, Alfarnate, and Periana, which are part of the Axarquia. The mountain roads are surrounded by olive trees and panoramic mountain peaks.
An interesting feature to keep you eye out for in Riogordo is the niches situated at the top of the houses.
You might want to make a brief stop in the Venta de San Miguel overlooking the Sabar River and the Gomer mountain peak. Not far away is Mondron with its important Andalusia Olive Oil processing plant.
Continue your trip on to Periana and make a brief stop at the Vilo Arab Baths. Located off the main road, on a steep winding road off a tiny mountain valley, it is covered with many beautiful Mediterranean flowers and trees. The baths are Arabic in origin and its mountain water contains sulfur that is recommended by dermatologists for skin diseases.
Driving the Olive Oil route allows you to get back in touch with nature, where the air is clean, fresh and invigorating. You can enjoy the history and culture of these highlands, experience the hospitality of the friendly mountain people or simply lean back and enjoy the spectacular scenery before you decide that the day is over and start back to Marbella gloriously refreshed.
I ended up eating here twice, Wednesday dinner with Hansi (waalewiener), Lori (loripori) and Kat (keida84) and Thursday lunch with Chris (balfor) and his friend Michelle, joined later by Kay (haldane) and her lovely daughter Keziah.
A few things annoyed me about this place, the 1.5E service charge per person (just another way to rip tourists off!), the price of the drinks and the manager, who looked at awful lot like Andy Garcia, was pretty rude on both visits as were the servers. The food was better than the service (and the company was, of course, superb!) but I imagine there are better places to get Italian food if you get off the touristy boardwalk. Wednesday night I wasn't very hungry so I ordered a fried calamari appetizer which was pretty good but overpriced. Thursday I ordered a seafood pizza which was good and more than I could finish.
This restaurant also serves superb food, not only spanish dishes but also international ones. The food is homemade style, very well done and presented.
It has a nice romantic ambiance, with a patio with tables outside , surrounded by bouganvilias. It's advised to book in advance as it usually gets full. The duck and the roasted pig.
Latest Marbella hotel reviews
Sponsored Links
Comments