SPAIN: Sunny Costa del Sol

The Costa del Sol stretches along Spain’s Mediterranean coast.

Remember that jingle "The rain in Spain stays mainly aboard the plane"?

With more than 300 days of sunshine a year, the Costa del Sol is known for sunny skies, warm summers and mild winters.

We like warm summers, sunshine and mild winters.

Nerja

Nerja is a town on the eastern edge of the Costa del Sol, perched on the cliffs above the Mediterranean.

Nerja's Balcón de Europa is a viewpoint overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

It is called the Balcón de Europa because King Alfonso XII reportedly admired the view during a visit in 1885, calling it a “balcony overlooking Europe.”

The town's historic center has the typical narrow streets and whitewashed buildings of the area, a legacy of the Moorish occupation.

John seems to be inspecting this one closely. I'm not sure if its the For Sale sign, or, if he's checking it for electrical safety.  

Malaga

Málaga was founded by the Phoenicians around 770 BC. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe. At one time it was inhabited by whom else, but, the Romans. 

Still remaining is the Roman Theatre of Málaga, dating back to the 1st century BC. It was used for dramatic performances and public events with the seating carved into the hillside. The marble was brought from distant parts of the empire.

After falling into disuse during the Moorish rule and with materials needed for new construction, parts of the Roman theatre were used as a “quarry” and "repurposed" into Moorish buildings. The remaining Roman theatre was then hidden for centuries until it was rediscovered in the 20th century.

 

Moving along the timeline to the 11th century, the Alcazaba of Málaga is a Moorish fortress-palace built on the site of earlier Roman fortifications. 

An Alcazaba was both a military stronghold for defense, and, a luxurious palace with gardens, fountains and intricate courtyards for governors or royalty.

There were thick walls and watchtowers. 

There were sharp angled entrances making it more difficult for attackers to advance, which made them more vulnerable.

You can see here where materials from Roman construction were "recycled" into the Alcazaba.

Deeper into the compound, where the governors or royalty lived, there were interior courtyards, gardens and fountains.

And even deeper into the fortress, which was closer to the power, it was more luxurious and there were more intricate Islamic architectural touches.

The fortress was located within the walled city (medina) and served as the last line of defense.

Outside the ancient fortress there is now a "newer" Malaga. We were there in December and the streets were decked out in Christmas decorations, which are more focused on religion than a consumer perspective.  

We're still working on perfecting selfies...

Marbella

Marbella’s Casco Antiguo, or old town, was also occupied by the Moors and the old town layout reflects it. 

There are whitewashed houses, narrow winding streets and small plazas.

Most historians agree the town's name is a direct evolution of "Marbil-la", the name given to the city during Muslim rule in the 8th–15th centuries. It is often translated as "beautiful sea" or "white sea". 

A popular legend attributes the name to Queen Isabella I of Castile during the Christian Reconquista in 1485. Upon first seeing the Mediterranean from the nearby mountains, she is said to have exclaimed, "¡Qué mar tan bella!" ("What a beautiful sea!"). 

The old town is centered on Plaza de los Naranjos (The Orange Plaza) with its historic church and town hall.

A great place to stop for lunch.

Puerto Banús

Continuing further west along the coast, we took a short 20 minute ferry ride from Marbella to Puerto Banús. 

Puerto Banús is totally different from the old Moorish towns.

There is no modesty here and no shortage of uber yachts, designer boutiques, upscale restaurants and nightlife.  Built in the early 1970’s it is safe to say this is the modern, high-end side of the Costa del Sol.

We knew in advance to look for the luxury superyacht Lady Haya. We actually didn’t have to look very hard. It is a 64‑metre (210 ft) superyacht originally owned by the late King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, now still owned by the Royal Family. It dwarfs the other super yachts. It is frequently in Puerto Banús alongside other luxury vessels. 

For scale, look how it dwarfs the luxury yacht beside it. Hopefully the "little yacht" owner doesn't have a fragile ego.

As expected, there are a lot of luxury cars in Puerto Banús. I thought it was interesting to see so many foreign license plates. 

Estepona

Further west along the coast, and back to reality, is Estepona.  

It is another traditional whitewashed old town. 

They love their planted pots, which add a pop of colour to the limestone whitewashed buildings. 

I though this was a cute little whimsical "modern" addition. 

And then there are the sandy beaches and sunny weather (most of the time.)

In the background, that's the Rock of Gibraltar on the right and Africa on the left.

Sunsets were pretty spectacular on the coast. 

Especially when sharing with friends. 

Many thanks to Richard and Hannah from London for meeting up with us on the Costa del Sol.