Making a Splash

in English Summer’s July here 2018 The magazine for the holiday season in southern Spain Making a splash Swimming, paddling, river hiking, diving, drinking... water is the key ingredient for a perfect summer Taking a break in style. Exclusive villas and fancy beach clubs Entertainment. A sizzling agenda of live music on the Costa del Sol 1 WHAT’S INSIDE Cover photo: Cool thrills at the water park. Youngsters enjoy a day out in the water at Aqualand in Tor- remolinos, one of several parks on the Costa del Sol. :: SALVADOR SALAS SUR IN ENGLISH SUMMER SPECIAL The sounds of summer Director General: José Luis Romero Editor-in -Chief: Manuel Castillo Publications Director: Pedro Luis RACHEL HAYNES zine crosses the border into Granada prov- Gómez ince to find the Vía Verde near Almuñé- After this year’s somewhat unstable car, with its natural swimming pools and Editor: Rachel Haynes spring (I refer to the weather although spectacular waterfalls. Assistant editor: Daryl Finch perhaps the adjective could equally apply Reservoir levels are higher than last to politics or sport) summer has arrived year which is good news for fans of inland Commercial Director: Jorge Artero with authority to restore the uniform bathing and watersports, as well as for the Advertising Manager: Emma Vera blue to the skies above southern Spain - at water supply in a region whose popula- Art Director: Francisco Ruano least at the time of writing. tion multiplies in the summer. The threat Now school’s out and the sea and pools of drought restrictions has been held off Contributors to this magazine: are full of splashing children, beach bars this year but that doesn’t mean that we Andrew Forbes, Debbie Bartlett, Jen- are doing a roaring trade, umbrellas have can relax our water-saving measures. nie Rhodes, Tony Bryant, Denise been moved to the back of the shops and Gardens have also benefited from the Bush, Maddy Hay, Gabriela Berner weather websites have seen their visitor spring rainfall, making this a good year to figures go right down as we trust the sum- take time to stroll through the town park Date: July 2018. mer to behave as it should. or visit botanical gardens such as La Con- The rainy and unpredictable spring cepción in Malaga or El Molino de Inca in may have dampened the plans of some Torremolinos, featured in this edition. tourists and locals but it has left its mark Water influences the sounds of our on this summer season. The countryside summer - the splashing of bathers, the as you head inland away from the sand bubbling of mountain streams, the pour- and concrete is greener than it has been in ing of a waterfall - during the day, but drier years and more inviting for those come the evening it’s time to lend our wishing to explore some of the area’s var- ears to music with the full and varied pro- ied hiking routes. The spring rainfall has gramme of concerts and festivals on the Published by Prensa Malagueña S.A. meant that rivers and streams are fresher Costa del Sol this season. www.surinenglish.com and livelier than in some previous years. This magazine aims to provide plenty @SUR_English There are numerous “water walks” of ideas of how to fill the season’s warm Advertising: [email protected] around southern Spain, the Chíllar river days and nights, as well as providing 952649669 route in Nerja perhaps being the most fa- plenty to read while relaxing with the Editorial: [email protected] mous, but this year our summer maga- sounds of summer in background. 952649741 3 WHAT’S INSIDE A beach for all tastes If it were straightened out, the coastline of the region of Andalucía would stretch for the best partp of a thousand kilometres. So if you rate peace and quietuiet above serviceservices then there’s no excuse to stay on the crowded beachesaachesches ofof the Costa del Sol. Here is a just a smalll selectionselection fromfrom Huelva to Almeria. 6 Holiday in style Marbella’s famous beach clubs where champagne flows freely and sunbeds cost more than your flight; ultra-lux- ury holiday villas with private art collections,,p spa thera- pists and infinity pools; residential areas withith qualityquality golfggololf and exclusive services.... see how far your hholidayololidayiday spendspend-- ing money will stretch. 10 Back to nature Get your feet wet hiking along the Río Verde in the province of Granada and explore the magicalag ca landscape a dscape of El Torcall46 at sunsetsunseunset A busy Seasonal agenda flavour Surprises in town A guide to the many con- An insight into how the The holiday season gives us more time to explore the certs, music festivals and fresh fish reaches our table towns we don’t know or find shady and surprising cor- events to fill thetewa warm and how ouruavoute favourite ners of the places we think we knowwwe well. The eu urban ba evenings onon thethe CostaCosta deldel beach bars cookcook it,it, ffol-ol- summer section takes us from the botanicalotanicalninicalcal gardengarden inin Sol this summer.ummmmer.mer. lowed by refreshingeefreshingfreshing waterwater-- Torremolinos, through the villages ofof thethhee Axarquía, past melon treats.atts. street art in Marbella, down to the localocal street market 64 76 and around Gibraltar. 20 4 5 ON THE COSTAS Sandy shores that take your breath away With town centres bathed in heat, plan your beach escape; after all, there are plenty to choose from in Andalucía... Nearly six hundred miles of province of Andalucía is Almeria whe- Cadiz and the Doñana National Park in sandy beaches, rugged cliffs re much of the beautiful rugged the province of Huelva. Here are just coastline is protected as part of the some of the finest beaches that Anda- and rocky coves are ready to Cabo de Gata nature reserve, on the lucía has to offer. be explored this summer edge of Europe’s only desert. Moving VANESSA SWALES further west, we cross the border into El Rompido Granada province and the Costa Tropi- Cartaya, Costa de la Luz cal, so-called for its unique climate and El Rompido in Cartaya (province of production of tropical fruits. Heading Huelva) on the Costa de la Luz is a The coastline of Andalucía stretches into the province of Malaga, the cliffs small fishing village, situated right by for some 945 kilometres, from the bor- and coves disappear, giving way to the the mouth of a river estuary. It is a der with Murcia on the Mediterranean long sandy stretches of beach in the beach that has barely been developed to Portugal on the Atlantic. That’s Costa del Sol’s popular holiday resorts. as it is located in the Marismas de Río nearly 600 miles of spectacular sandy Finally, as the Mediterranean joins Pedras y Flecha del Rompido nature beaches, rugged cliffs, rocky coves and with the Atlantic Ocean, the Costa del reserve. It is a perfect trip for nature- flat marshlands. Not all beaches are Sol turns into the Costa de la Luz, fa- lovers. You can even get a boat to a the same, though, and southern Spain mous for its neverending white, sandy more isolated part of the beach, if you certainly has variety. The most eastern beaches that border the ancient city of wish. El Rompido in Cartaya, Costa de la Luz. :: SUR 7 ON THE COSTAS Matalascañas Almonte, Costa de la Luz This is the closest beach you will find to Seville. Although it is predominantly seen as a busy holiday resort town, Ma- talascañas also has more secluded parts with its white sand dunes in the Doña- na National Park, where access is only by foot or bike. The main stretch of Ma- talascañas is popular with visitors and teenagers due to its lively atmosphere The white sand beaches of Playa de Bolonia, Costa de la Luz. :: SUR and abundance of chiringuitos and its strong wind and so attracts sunbeds. many wind and kitesurfers throughout the year. However, it Playa de la can get pretty breezy there, so Barrosa check out windguru.com for in- Chiclana de la formation on when the ‘Levante’ Frontera, Costa de is passing through. la Luz Regularly labelled Playa de Cabopino one of the best bea- (Marbella, Costa del Sol) ches in the south of The famous holiday resort of Mar- Spain due to its ave- bella has 27 kilometres of coastli- rage of over 300 ne for its thousands of tourists to days of sunshine choose their spot on. Cabopino is per year and its perhaps one of the quietest, lying deep blue waters, in one of the area’s few non-urba- La Barrosa, in Chi- nised stretches of coastline. The clana de la Frontera, beach is backed by an area of na- is a must for beach tural sand dunes, known as Du- lovers on the Cadiz nas de Artola, which have been coastline. The beach granted protection due to their stretches for eight environmental value. With a sec- kilometres and is as Cala el Cañuelo, Costa del Sol. :: SUR tion reserved for naturists, Cabopi- wide as 100 metres in no is a pleasant change from the some places. It is divided into three sec- more crowded beaches lined with busy tions from the quieter stretches in the promenades and large hotels, so typical south to the busiest more urbanised area of other resorts on the Costa del Sol. to the north. The Sancti Petri castle is vi- sible from part of the beach. Playa de la Caleta Malaga, Costa del Sol Playa de Bolonia La Caleta is considered one of the Costa Tarifa, Costa de la Luz del Sol’s most beautiful urban beaches, Just up the coast from kitesurfers’ para- located not far from the heart of the city dise Tarifa lies the Playa de Bolonia (Ca- of Malaga.

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