SummerJuly 2017 ’s here Traditions explained. Andalucía Carmen and summer ferias at its best Further afield. The Andalusian Long days on the beach and nights of coast beyond the music under the stars - the best part of Costa del Sol spending summer in southern Spain WHAT’S INSIDE Cover photo. Puerto Banús, where luxury yachts line up alongside a string of designer boutiques and exclusive restaurants. Marbella’s iconic marina comes to life during the summer months. SUR IN ENGLISH Summer’s here! SUMMER SPECIAL José Luis Romero Director General: RACHEL HAYNES tourist attractions too? Editor in Chief: Manuel Castillo After all, those of us who live here have Publications Director: Pedro Luis This year the summer seems to have come an advantage. We’ve done our field work Gómez all of a sudden. After an unsettled start to and we know what time we need to go to spring, with storms battering the beaches the beach and where to park to avoid the Editor: Rachel Haynes which by then we should have been lying crowds. We know that the best place for an on, when the hot weather came in June we ice cream is not necessarily the one on the Commercial Director: Jorge Artero didn’t really trust it, leaving it till the last main drag with the long queues and high Advertising Manager: Emma Vera minute to dig out the flip-flops and the sun prices. And at the same time we’re able to Art Director: Francisco Ruano cream. take advantage of all the attractions this Now though, with the school year at its area has to offer. How often do we find that Contributors to this magazine: end, exams over and the San Juan fires all tourists have seen more in their week’s Daryl Finch, Debbie Bartlett, Jennie burnt out, it’s time for summer proper. holiday than we have in years as residents? Rhodes, Tony Bryant, Denise Bush, This time there’s no doubt about it: it’s hot We’re always reading and even boasting of Marlene Wörner, Ken Campbell, and the season’s in full swing. Malaga’s growing number of museums Gabriela Berner, Uwe Scheele, Kishan A quick survey of the international com- and monuments, but when was the last Vaghela, Rachael Breaks, Patrick munity on the Costa del Sol reveals mixed time we enjoyed them ourselves? The Stamann feelings towards the summer season. For same can be said for waterparks, river many who work in the tourism industry walks, white villages and relaxing spas, all Date: June 2017. this is the busiest season; the pace is the of them on our own doorsteps. same or even faster than the rest of the Neither do we need to go far to take a year - life goes on, work goes on, it’s hot, break and discover somewhere new: Cadiz, but that’s the point. Huelva, Granada and Almeria all have Then there are those who escape, the beautiful coastlines that are easily reach- winter sun lovers who flee the hot able from the Costa del Sol. weather for as long as possible, and there- So let’s stop complaining about the heat, fore are unlikely to be reading this. And the crowds and the traffic and enjoy what Published by Prensa Malagueña S.A. then there are the rest, who may have southern Spain has to offer, whether we’re www.surinenglish.com their summer holidays, or their well-de- here for a week, a month or the rest of our @SUR_English served leisure time that the Spanish so lives. Perhaps this magazine will provide Advertising: [email protected] nicely call “jubilation”, but stay put on the some inspiration to rediscover the area. 952649669 Costa del Sol. This is where everyone else Just remember to keep out of the midday Editorial: [email protected] wants to be, so why not enjoy our many sun and stay cool! 952649600 3 WHAT’S INSIDE Explore The holidays provide us with plenty of spare time to travel a little further afield, beyond the typical Costa del Sol re- sorts and discover what the rest of Andalucíadalucíaíaa has to offer.offer. This summer magazine takes us cyclingng on aann old railwayrailway line in Cadiz province as well as provingng hohoww there’s more to Tarifa than surfing. 58 By the sea Thousands of tourists flock to the Costa del Sol and the entire Andalusian coastline every summer to enjoy a range of sandy beaches and the Mediterranean Sea. In this issue we reveal more about the lesser known beachesacheschheses easteaeass of Malaga as well as a guide to where it’s okay to sstriptrip ofofff completely. Meanwhile others prefer spotting celebritieselebritieslebritielebritiess in the busy and extravagant beach clubs of Marbella.eella.6lla. My summer We asked a cross-section of international residents on the Costa del Sol to tell us what they loveoe(ad (and hate) ate) about the summer,ummer,ummer, wherewhere they like too chchillill and whawhatt they do to kkeepeep cool on a hot day. 52 Beach food Music and A day on the beach in the more province of Malaga is not In town complete without a tradi- From music festivals to fairs Summer evenings, once the midday heat has given way tional ‘espeto’ of sardines and flamenco: if you want to cooler temperatures, are ideal for strolling through cooked on a cane skewer some ideas about how to fill towns and villages. In this edition we look at why the over an openenen fire.fire. ButBut re- your long summerummerummer eveningsevenings town of Estepona is known as the gardenardenn ofof thethe CostaCosta member too ccheckheck ththere’sere’s nnoo with entertainmentttaiainmentnment thethenn del Sol, as well as taking a trip back throughouughgh the historyhistory R in the monthonth and to pputut there are plentyleeentynty of ideas iinn of an iconic holiday high street, Callelle SSanan MMigueliguel iinn your knife28 and fork awaaway.y. this section.nn.80 Torremolinos. 32 4 BY THE SEA Unspoilt beaches and a large dose of history Many tourists and day-trippers heading east jump from Malaga to Nerja, ignoring the quiet stretch of coastline in between From the west of Torre del road, which was once the only one con- to Zafarraya, stopping at El Palo, Rincón Mar to Chilches, authentic necting Malaga city with its eastern de la Victoria, Chilches, Benajarafe, To- province, curves around the cliffs and rre del Mar, Vélez-Málaga and Periana, chiringuitos mix with fields, almost appears to be a continuation of before ending its journey in Zafarraya, fishermen’s cottages, 18th the beach in some parts. up in the mountains on the border of Generally there’s no organised Granada province. century watchtowers and parking and nobody trying to charge The old train station buildings have a former train station buildings you to park. Parking is, just off the road, uniformity about them; each one al- JENNIE RHODES on a first-come first-served basis. By the most identical in design and size. The end of the day, any vehicle perched on ones in Rincón de la Victoria and Bena- the side of the road will be covered in jarafe are used today as tourist informa- dust, if not from the slow moving trafic tion offices and lifeguard bases and in The coastline that stretches out along of the N340, from sand blown on to Torre del Mar and Vélez-Málaga they the N340 coastal road from Torre del them from the beach on which they are are home to the towns’ bus stations. Mar, through Almayate, Valle Niza, Be- practically parked. In February 1937 the N340 wit- najarafe and Chilches is not only stee- This section of the N340 was, from nessed hundreds of thousands of people ped in history but also a treat for the 1908 until 1968 shared with ‘La Cochi- from Malaga trying to flee to Almería as eyes and soul in the 21st century. The nita’, the train that ran from Malaga up news that Franco’s and Fascist Italian Benajarafe beach and town. :: SUR BY THE SEA troops had enetered the city. The event is known as the Desbandá and it is mar- ked every year on the anniversary of what was to become one of the greatest losses of lives in the Spanish Civil War. The fleeing civilians were bombed from the area and attacked from land and sea; several thousand were massacred. This coastal road takes us back even further in history, however, as it is also lined with watchtowers. Most of them date back to the 18th century, when the Spanish military used them to warn of attack during the French-Spanish and Anglo-Spanish wars of the time. This Almayate beach, surrounded by agriculture. :: SUR stretch of coastline has also been used heavily by pirates over the centuries. Now the beaches simply offer wide stretches of sand, calm waters and a na- tural backdrop for those wishing to avoid the noisier and more crowded beaches of neighbouring towns. Playa de Almayate From the mouth of the Río Vélez on the western most point of Torre del Mar, heading in the direction of Malaga, high-rise buildings and trendy beach bars disappear altogether and are repla- ced by reeds, followed by fields growing peppers, tomatoes and other local pro- duce and the occasional boatyard. The first beach on this journey has Torre del Mar train station. :: SUR Old train track near Rincón. :: SUR become a favourite among dog owners since Vélez-Málaga Town Hall designa- ted the space up to the Río Vélez as a dog beach in 2016.