Within walking distance of the apartment you'll find a wide range of
restaurants, bars and shops including Spanish, Italian, American, Thai, Chinese and Indian. Even traditional
English food! Try the genuine sangria and tapas which is a far cry from the poor imitations so readily available
at home. The fish and seafood generally is also excellent.A short drive away is Marbella with its exciting promenade and beach. Seek out the beautiful old town with the Plaza de Naranjos at its centre and narrow whitewashed streets feeding off from it, offering a wonderful chance to wander, explore, shop and when it all gets too much, to settle down in one of the
outdoor restaurants for a reviving drink or freshly prepared meal.All along the Marbella coast there are lovely stretches of golden sand, merging seamlessly with the azure-blue sea of the Mediterranean. Particularly beautiful beaches are to be found around Tarifa where the windswept Atlantic makes it a haven for windsurfer's.
With the tremendous climate it is not at all surprising that sporting activities are extremely popular throughout the region. Along the coast there are many water-based activities, including sailing, windsurfing, water-skiing and pedaloes. There are also wonderful opportunities for horse-riding, walking and cycling. Local Leisure Centres offer a wide variety of sports including badminton and squash, as well as providing gyms and exercise classes.
Take the car onto the beautiful whitewashed hillside villages of Benahavis and Casares
with their narrow streets, bars, restaurants and artisan shops. Or nip into Puerto Banus with its intriguing marina and
luxury yachts, designer shops and the renowned department store El Corte Ingles. Afterwards select a waterfront bar for a
drink to gaze out to sea with Gibraltar and Morocco tantalisingly close. Gibraltar
is just a 50 minute drive away with its caves, apes, duty-free shopping and day-trips to North Africa!Also close by are the very Spanish coastal towns of San Pedro and Estepona, both with pedestrianised areas, promenades, shops and very Spanish local restaurants and tapas bars. Slightly further a field are the historic cities of Seville, Granada and Cordoba, as well as the beautiful town of Ronda. Two hours drive away is the beautiful Sierra Nevada with its excellent skiing.
The Tivoli Theme Park is in Malaga and has a fun-fair and stage shows whereas
Fuengirola zoo replicates the natural habitat of each and everyone of the animal species living there. Alcazabas is
probably the most important military fortification remaining from the Hispanic-Arabic period and the Garden de la
Concepcion will delight with its 19th century garden full of exotic flowers and ancient Roman statues.
Make sure you take a dolphin-watching boat trip, and see how these enchanting mammals
live and play in the warm Mediterranean waters. A huge variety of water sports are available all along the coast
from jet ski to scuba and good old fashioned swimming. For a change of pace visit Los Montes de Malaga Natural Park for
lots of wildlife, flowering bushes and forests of carob, cork oak, olive and Monterrey pine. The fit and adventurous can
even explore a mountain railway line and tunnels where Frank Sinatra filmed the 1965
World War II hit film "Von Ryan's Express".
Nightlife buzzes in Puerto Banus where you can rub shoulder pads with the rich and
famous perhaps in one of the many alfresco bars, piano clubs and discos, while during the day it's a window shopper's dream with
several of the world's renowned fashions houses featured in addition to small interesting shops and boutiques for your
essential Gucci and Versace accessories.:
