Travel Agent Somerville

Malaga and Marbella in Spain.

Nov 2008 I arrived in Malaga. Malaga airport is having some major renovations and will be quite large when completed. My destination to start with is Marbella. A town about 45 minutes from Malaga on the Costa del Sol coast. The freeway which is quite modern and well looked after winds through the mountains giving you a bird’s eye view of some of the towns nestled in the valley’s below. Once I arrived in Marbella it was time to do some exploring.

Marbella is easy to get around either on foot or by local taxis. As Marbella is a popular all year round destination. There are many restaurants and cafes to choose from along the waterfront and in town. The local supermarkets have reasonable prices for all your needs and a great selection of seafood. There are also many golf courses in the area with great views of the ocean and the mountains. The historic part of town is beautiful with its white washed walls and orange trees lining the streets and squares.

Having a few words of Spanish may be quite helpful here. Although many of the local restaurants have menus with both English and Spanish, many of the locals have very limited English. If you need to use a taxi, it can be helpful having the name of the place you need to go written down to show your driver. There is a range of standards of hotels to choose from in Marbella so you are sure to find one the suits your needs and budget.

There are many other areas you can visit from Marbella as day trips, making it a great place to base yourself. One of the closest areas is Puerto Banus just West of Marbella. Many luxury yachts can be seen here while you sip a drink in one of the many bars and restaurants. There is a casino, shopping centre and department stores. Bars, clubs and discos are a buzz here at night.

Malaga. I was not too sure what I expected of Malaga however it was full of surprises. I loved the beautiful architecture. With a map in hand and some comfortable shoes, I set off to wander through the beautiful orange tree lined streets and the well kept public parks. Malaga has a hop on hop off sightseeing bus which is a great way to see the town and all its sights with ease. From the Plaza de Toros bull fighting ring which still hosts bull fights during the summer months to the beautiful Cathedrals and monuments.

La Alcazaba is a fortress overlooking the town. Walking through its grounds you see some lovely gardens and fountains. Malaga, the birth place of Picasso has a couple of museums with his artwork on display. Along the waterfront area, Paseo de Los Curas, are some bars and across the road restaurants. One of the locals said to me it was a place for serious drinking in the warmer months.

In the main part of town called “Centro” there are an abundance of little streets where you come across cafes, restaurants and a multitude of shops. There were so many shoe shops I actually lost count. Malaga and Marbella are both well worth a visit. If you have time to do some day trips from these areas, it would be well worth your while.