Spain 2019 Costa del Sol

AVE from Madrid to Malaga

olive monoculture

black iberian pig under oak trees

Miraflores
     

Fuengirola
  




Spain seafood counters
      


Ronda

Spanish serpentine road from Ronda to Marbella on A-397

                                                                                                    
  


Granada

        
    



Seville

Lunch at Patio San Eloy San Fernando

   
       

  

  


2. wedding-spain

Spain trip October 2019

Overview:

drive to Vegas to deal with HOA violations.
fly from LAS to MAD on a Friday
            got lost in the terminals 4 and 4s
AVE train from Atocha to Malaga
           caught shuttle from Malagacars.com to airport
drove to Miraflores     get in on a Saturday.
next day Sunday,  look for groceries, food.   National holiday-?Columbus, many places closed.
walked the boardwalk along the shore.

day trip to Ronda, then Granada, then Sevilla.
Alhambra was relatively uncrowded in October.  although tickets showed sold out.  but parking was plentiful.

Alhambra tickets sell out from 90 days prior.  Many tour operators have tickets.  We got tickets from Apartments Turisticos Alhambra for an 8 euro handling charge.  In the old Albaicin 
neighborhood, with steep and narrow cobblestone roads.

trip to Fuengirola, fish alley.   had lunch--menu del dia.     moorish shop.

did not try chiringuitos on the beach.  sardines roasted on a stick.

Friday:  3.5 hr drive from Miraflores to San Jose.   lots of plastic greenhouse acreage.

to meetup Angelica/Gio for lunch before wedding.
             since wedding dinner is around 10pm
          Menu del dia in hotel, by the ocean.
turns out triathlon is occurring on Saturday, and streets will be closed.
         but if we leave early, we can probably park car anywhere.
high winds during wedding ceremony.
drinks and tapas.  jamon.     flamenco performance.   windy, got cold.

get back from wedding around 2am.  clean up, pack.   get 1 hour shut eye.
          4am:  hit the road back to Malaga  to return rental car, shuttle back to Maria Zambrano, and catch AVE  11am.

can walk from Atocha to Marriott  AC hotel Carlton.
            visit  Sophia Reina museum, and  Prado during free evening hours.
          walk towards Cathedral, Royal Palace.  past several  mercados.
           Plaza Espana under construction,   Debod temple--water drained.
         went to top of El Corte Ingles to have lunch with a view.    took metro back to Atocha.
       found Puerta del Sol and the bear statue
        there was a Mercadona near hotel.    some decent Spanish wines for 1-2 euro
        had a racione of paella in a bar.
        menu del dia at As Fonte near the hotel.
       I did try the bulls tail stew.

fly back to Vegas.   next morning drive back to San Jose.
      accident on 152, makes us detour towards Hollister.

Power outage Saturday night  thru Monday night  due to high winds and fire danger.


1. spain-2019-costa-del-sol

2. wedding-spain    3. wedding-reception-spain

4. spain-2019-madrid

5. misc-spain-notes

Wedding Spain

3. wedding-reception-spain

Best view of Ronda

You can find the route from the image below. You need to programme your navigation for Calle Virgen de la Cabeza.

https://probearoundtheglobe.com/best-view-of-ronda-spain/

Followed your route #1 today. We did not realize that the cobbled road you show on your map is just to your left as the hill climbs to Ronda in front of the castle. Take the next right from the roundabout as you pass the right turn to head up the hill into Ronda. It is almost like pulling into a parking lot…so easy to miss. A professional videographer was there with several drones liking your spot!



https://goo.gl/maps/PSCQPUHU3t9DGB5d8

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mirador+puente+nuevo+de+Ronda

Andalusia

Visit Andalusia’s most famous cities — Cordoba, Seville, and Granada — on a 4-day immersion in the home of flamenco, tapas, and Andalusian culture. You’ll travel from Madrid to Cordoba to stroll through cobbled lanes in the city’s Jewish quarter, then spend two nights in Seville, the birthplace of flamenco. Admire Granada’s Moorish architecture at the World Heritage-listed Alhambra, and take a walk through the medieval walled city of Toledo.

Top tapas: Home to hundreds of kilometers of beautiful coastline, Andalusia serves up some of the best seafood tapas in Spain. Some of the best pescaíto frito (fried fish) will practically melt in your mouth. Also worth mentioning are the espetos (grilled sardines) that are especially popular in Malaga. If you’re looking for something refreshing, order a tapa of chilled soup. Gazpacho, salmorejo (similar to gazpacho, but thicker) and ajo blanco (chilled garlic and almond puree) are some of our favorites!

To drink: You can’t eat tapas in Andalusia without washing them down with a crisp glass of sherry! This fortified wine is produced exclusively in southern Spain and makes a great accompaniment to any round of tapas

Gambas al ajillo—flash-fried shrimp in a sizzling garlic sauce—have become one of the most popular tapas in Spain. However, they have humble roots right here in Madrid! 

Miraflores Beach and Country Club

Profile: Mijas Costa

Mijas Costa, just east of Fuengirola, is a vibrant and modern coastal town with great hotels, fine dining, and excellent beaches perfect for swimming and scuba diving.

Proximity makes it the ideal place for those who want to explore the quaint inland town of Mijas. Without ever leaving the beach one can visit the unique Museum of Miniatures, a massive collection of very small objects.

Malaga is also a historic city with a rich heritage that has great monuments like the Castle of Gibralfaro, the Alcazaba, Malaga Cathedral, the Roman Amphitheatre, the Ruins of Acinipo

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 Guests can dine in the on-site restaurant or grab a quick bite to eat in the snack bar. Restaurants and grocery shops are available just a 5-minute drive away in the town centre. 

For stays of 7 nights or more, a change of bed linen and towels is included. 

Definitely need a car to get about comfortably .Its a mile drive up hill from reception to our accommodation.Lovely walks along the beach along a boardwalk(park car at reception & walk over bridge to beach) .Go left to Calle de mijas or right to Calahonda

 busstop in front of apartment, near a boardwalk along the beach to the lovely village la Cala de Mijas.
With excellent restaurant Antonio on side and other cosy ones along the beach.

 Near beach, restaurants, and supermarket.

The nearest supermarket is a good 15-20 minute stroll the otherside of the motorway reached by a footbridge. If your laden with shopping and need a taxi back they are readily available outside the shop approx 4 Euros.

You will NOT regret staying at Miraflores Beach & Country Club Resort - especially on the beach side of the resort.

Antonio restaurantwas our go to everyday, either for a quick drink or bite to eat. 

 We were in the Playa area which was convenient for local transport and an exceptional beach bar/restaurantcalled ' Antonios 'which we made good use of as the food was really special and good value..Bit of a hike to the supermarket but we made good use of the watering holes along the way both going and coming back

 I arrived after the check in time but the instructions on how to get the keys and locate my apartment were very clear.

Location Miraflores was perfect with busstop in front of apartment, near a boardwalk along thebeach to the lovely village la Cala de Mijas.
With excellent restaurant Antonio on side and other cosy ones along the beach.

If you don't rent a car, the resort recommends bus excursions that go to Seville, Gibraltar, Granada, Cordoba, Mijas and some other places. We took two of them and were fairly pleased. We would have taken more but for the fact that they left SO early in the morning. (An excursion to Cordoba left at 5:40 a.m.)

Cabs are expensive

https://www.rome2rio.com/s/M%C3%A1laga/Miraflores-Beach-Country-Club-La-Cala-de-Mijas

Avanza Grupo operates a bus from Málaga to Miraflores Beach & Country Club, La Cala de Mijas hourly. Tickets cost $7 - $13 and the journey takes 58m. Transportes de Area de Malaga also services this route every 4 hours.

. By all means hire a compact car for around 150 euros a week, gives you unlimited mileage, and should cover most of the insurance - shop around on websites for the best deal. Your best destinations are Granada , and the Alhambra , about 2 hours by car, Seville is about 2 and a half hours, Cordoba is 2 and a half hours, Malaga 30 minutes, and Rondaabout one and a half hours. You may like to look at www.andalucia.com for descriptions of the cities and villages.

Are all your apartments located on the beach?

Approximately 20% of them are. The rest is located in the upper area of ​​the hill overlooking the sea and / or the mountains.

The registration process takes place from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm, except on Saturdays when check-in takes place from 4:00 to 12:00. If you expect to arrive outside reception hours, please contact the property in advance. Contact details can be found on the booking confirmation. Please note that the keys to collect the keys will not be provided outside reception hours.

In Miraflores Beach & Country Club we can differentiate 4 different locations.

 The Reception of the Resort, where you will have to come first to check-in (if you have not previously done the online check-in ) and to collect the keys of your accommodation. 

The apartments are located in three areas: 

• Miraflores Beach , 
• Villas and 
• Country Side ( Rancho y Monte ). 

Enjoy a day in Granada and visit the Alhambra, the Generalife and gardens of the Palace of Charles V among other historic buildings.

Visiting Seville will allow you to discover some of the most important corners of this city: María Luisa Park, Torre del Oro, the Giralda and the Barrio de Santa Cruz.

Upon arriving in Cordoba, you will discover the Mosque, a symbol of the city and declared a World Heritage Site. You can also enjoy a visit to the Jewish quarter with its synagogue.

 You can enjoy a host of attractions of the Costa del Sol with a short drive inland that will take you to the typically white villages, and along the coast to the East you can visit the Picasso Museum in Malaga, Sea Life theme park in Benalmadena, Tivoli World, or go west to see the Puerto Banus Marina, designer shops in Marbella and a visit to Ronda.

Hotel details

Set on a hilltop and overlooking the sea, these modern apartments are 2 km from both Miraflores Golf Club, and the shops and restaurants of La Cala de Mijas. 

Relaxed studios and 1- and 2-bedroom apartments feature furnished sea-view balconies, living/dining rooms, kitchenettes and washer/dryers, as well as flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi. Apartments add separate living areas.

Amenities include a seasonal outdoor pool, a hot tub and sunloungers, as well as gardens.

Keep in mind you may need to secure your international driver’s license ahead of time.

https://www.aaa.com/vacation/idpf.html

 International Driving Permits may not be issued more than six (6) months in advance of desired effective date.   http://www.aaa.com/vacation/application2a.pdf

Spain — countries where you're technically required to carry a permit. If all goes well, you'll likely never be asked to show it — but the permit is a must if you end up dealing with the police. That said, I've never been asked to show one.

Top festivals, fiestas and feria during October include the Fuengirola feria which is fast becoming one of the largest of its kind on the Costa del Sol. Spain closes down on the 12th October for the Dia de la Hispanidia, Spain’s national day.

Fuengirola--is where we're looking at

Fuengirola October 6, 2019 – October 12, 2019 all-day ... The Fuengirola Fair Feria del Rosario in honor of the Virgen el Rosario

Fair begins day 6 and ends the day 12 of October, the same day is celebrated the Columbus day also called 'dia del Pilar', a free national day.

Flamenco Festival in the Palacio de la Paz. Singing, guitar and dancing.
Date: Friday 12th October
Time: 22:00h
Venue: Palacio de la Paz
Price: From €5 

Malaga on the other hand, is the 6th largest city in Spain and the main business of the city is olive- and wine production. Due to the climate, it’s one of the most important tourist destinations in Spain, but if you avoid high season and come here in September or October, it’s really worth it!

There are regular buses throughout the day between Malaga and Madrid. The journey takes six hours and costs under 25 euros. This is the cheapest way to get to Madrid from Malaga, but it is also the slowest.

A flight from Malaga to Madrid takes about one hour, but remember that check-in times and actually getting to the airport will make your total journey time similar to taking the train. If you can book in advance, flying should be cheaper than the train.

Nerja, a bit less than an hour's drive from Malaga, is a popular beach town on the Costa del Sol, but its caves set it apart from the other coastal towns of Andalusia. The caves stretch for about three miles and contain the world's largest stalagmite, which is nearly 105 feet tall. The caves of Nerja are one of the most visited sites in Spain.

Getting around

• Malaga (AGP) - 29 min drive
• Granada (GRX-Federico Garcia Lorca) - 92 min drive
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• Number of buildings/towers - 2
• Garden
• Terrace
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Malaga Maria zam car rental

https://trainspain.com/collecting-malaga-station-car-hire

Car hire parking

There is an underground car park, beneath the station. You’ll find car hires parked here. Just follow signs to Parking. There is a lift/elevator by the SuperSkunk shop in the concourse, which you can use to go down to the car park.

The train station is housed within the Vialia Shopping Centre and on-site car hires use Vialia Parking. 

 the station’s car park (either referred to as Maria Zambrano Parking or Vialia Parking) is on Calle Mendivil, which is the road that runs between the train station and the bus station. There are two entrances. For car rental return, you need Entrada 2. Once on Calle Mendivil, you’ll drive past Entrada 1 first so ignore that entrance! Entrada 2 is around 200m further down.

https://trainspain.com/returning-car-hire-malaga-station