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Costa del Sol ‘best value for money’ holiday destination

costablog — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 21:14:57 +0000

Earlier this week (20^th October 2011) Costa del Sol was named by the Post Office as the best value-for-money destination for families in 2011, and it’s easy to see why. The survey looked at 10 common purchases across 12 popular destinations before ascertaining that despite a 15% price rise throughout Spain that Costa del Sol was still the cheapest European destination.

So aside from the price, what is it that makes Costa del Sol such a tourist hot-spot with Brits? Not to overuse a cliché but this area of Spain really does offer something for everyone; from sandy beaches and an active nightlife to historic castles and old cobbled towns, the Costa del Sol has it all. There are so many activities and sights to take in within Costa del Sol that it wouldn’t be practical to list them all, so here is a collection of activities you may like.

Culture

Costa del Sol is ripe with culture, both in the form of art and architecture. One of the most famous artists, Pablo Picasso, was born in Málaga and so it is only fitting that The Picasso Museum is hosted in his home city. The museum boasts over 200 original works and offers temporary exhibitions, educational programmes and a specialised library. Málaga is also home to a completely different type of museum: the Hojiblanca Museum. The Hojiblanca museum is dedicated to the olive, in forms of olive oil and olive trees. Visitors can view ancient olive mills dating as far back as the 1^st century, as well as have the opportunity to undertake olive oil tastings and purchase the final product.

Sports

Costa del Sol is a popular destination for golf enthusiasts, being home to several fantastic golf courses such as The Santa Clara in Marbella and The Finca Cortesín in Málaga. Some of these courses have been designed by world-renowned architects, which make them a pleasure to play on – especially in the glorious weather that is enjoyed in the Costa. If water sports are more to your liking then the waters of Costa del Sol are ideal for scuba diving, especially for beginners. Additionally in the right months (especially around Easter) windsurfing is a popular sport with Andalucia being home to the Toro Andaluz race.

Family

If you are visiting the Costas with your family then you may be content in enjoying the magnificent beaches and lovely restaurants; however, for the more active family there is a range of entertainment that should appeal to the whole family. For example, The Cocodrilos Park in Málaga specialises in crocodiles with more than 300 different types of species; for those who wish to, visitors can hold a baby crocodile and have their photo taken for free!

Whatever you decide to do on your holiday in Costa del Sol, making sure that you and your family are covered with adequate travel insurance is essential – and it doesn’t have to be expensive. For example, Staysure covers 8 days in Costa del Sol from £4.99 per adult with children being covered for free. Travel insurance allows you the peace of mind that you’re fully protected to enjoy your holiday.

Adventure Park Aventura Amazonia in Marbella

Mirco Rehmeier — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 09:19:53 +0000

A new adventure park called Aventura Amazonia opened near Marbella in a plot of more than 20,000 m2. It is located in Elviria, Avenida Valeriano Rodriguez, N-340 Exit 192. The park offers a total of 73 activities and 20 zip-lines on eight adventure circuits. Aventura Amazonia has the longest zip-line in Andalucia with 240 metres where you can reach a speed of up to 60kph. All of this is located amongst trees in a natural environment. There a varying difficulties amongst the activities so visitors can choose their challenges in agility, speed and balance in a completely safe environment.

All you need is the desire to have fun. No need to be physically prepared. Aventura Amazonia has activities for children from six years old or 1.15 meters, families, adults and sportspeople. The visitors can spend the day in an eco-park which is an example of sustainable development, respecting the terrain and the trees, and making sure the general appearance fits with the surroundings.

This is not the first park for Aventura Amazonia. They already have experience in this area with five more parks in Granada, Pirineos, two in Madrid and even one in South America in Colombia. Prices for this park in Marbella are from 16 Euro for Children up to 20 Euro for Adults. With that you can enjoy the Aventura Amazonia circuits for a maximum of 3 hours.

bicycle day trips and travel insurance

costablog — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 20:24:34 +0000

The Costa de Sol is a popular destination for those wanting to get away on a holiday. This region in sunny southern Spain lines the Mediterranean coastline. With so many breathtaking sites to behold within this region, many visitors enjoy partaking in bicycle trips to enjoy the beautiful countryside of Andalucia. Many of these are day trips but they allow tourists to see the sights. These bike rides can be guided tours or personal excursions. Biking around Costa de Sol also comes at a risk, which is a good reason why a traveler should be protected with some sort of travel insurance.

Travel insurance provides many different sorts of coverage that could be helpful to you while on your holiday. For one, medical emergencies are covered with travel insurance. This provides you with medical coverage while you are on holiday. Many people believe that their health insurance policy covers them while on holiday. This actually is not the case as these health insurance policies are not valid in other countries. Any medical expenses incurred while in a foreign country must be pre-paid out of your own pocket. This could be quite expensive for a foreign visitor. However, with travel insurance you would be covered if this situation would ever happen.

Another aspect of travel insurance also provides for medical evacuation. In some instances, you may need transportation to the nearest hospital or a flight back to your native country. Medical flights can be quite costly as they have to be properly staffed and equipped with medical supplies. Most travel insurance will also provide coverage if for some reason a medical evacuation needs to happen.

Other aspects of travel insurance uk cover specifics of your trip. For example, travel insurance will provide you with coverage in the event that you need to cancel your holiday. Most expenses are not able to be refunded therefore having coverage helps. Reimbursement would include prepaid airfare, hotel rates, tour costs and other travel expenses. Specific reasons for cancellation are covered. These would include illness, a death in the family, job loss or having your home damaged by fire.

insurance packages for student travellers

costablog — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:24:57 +0000

Many students spend their summers travelling, or take a gap year during their studies, and being insured is incredibly important but is something often overlooked by young people, simply because of the extra cost it involves.

The truth is, you can get an insurance policy that will cover you for up to a million pounds for as little as thirty pounds, maybe less if you find the right provider, such as Endsleigh Insurance. Or, for multiple travel in a year, an annual travel insurance policy might be more appropriate. Understanding your policy is of equal importance so don’t just get covered, make sure you know what you are covered for and what you are not covered for. The last thing you want on your travels is a nasty shock if you happen to have an accident.

Find yourself a specialist student insurance provider. They will have policies tailor made for your type of travelling and they may cover specifically for a student who is spending a year or a few months abroad as part of their course.

Student insurance providers will break things down in a way that are understandable for younger people, without being patronising, and they will explain things simply so you know exactly what is what.

Travelling comes with many dangers and accidents do happen, even if you are the most careful person in the world. You must read anything you sign even once you are out there travelling. Signing up to a potentially dangerous activity, even as seemingly harmless as go-karting, can void your insurance and getting hospital treatment can run up bills of hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Always ensure your policy covers repatriation. It might sound morbid but if you need to be brought home, the last thing you need your family to be worried about is paying for this.
Try endsleigh.co.uk for tailor made student packages, whether you are on a gap year or studying abroad, they will have something for you. They also provide insurance for student halls and house sharers. These are all things you might not want to pay for but they will cover the cost of all your precious belongings and offer student directed perks such as laptop replacement within 24 hours.

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Time = Money? – Not here

Emilia Hazell - Smith — Wed, 11 May 2011 08:47:46 +0000

Considering the times of crisis that we are currently going through here in Spain, money is something not a lot of us have to spare, and that’s where this new initiative from a newly opened establishment – a Time Bank – in Marbella comes into play. Now while this concept might sound a little strange at first, I urge you to read on.

In this bank, there are no tellers, no vaults, cheques or even money to speak of. Instead the “bank” offers a selection of different services based on the abilities of its members, and it pays with… well, more services, which is in actual fact “time-based currency”, completely abolishing the need for money at all. Each client, upon registration will offer their own abilities to the rest of the members and can earn the help of others who can teach them, or share what they know.

The Time Bank has only been open for a few short months and this system of exchanging services, abilities, and knowledge is being supported by the local Welfare Department and the organisation ‘Marbella Voluntaria’ and has 13 members so far. The hours these members give range from advice about investing in the stock market to technology or language classes, or even teaching how to cut hair. “Everyone offers whatever they want to give and gets back whatever they need”, Marta Fernández who runs the Time Bank was quoted as saying.

The system of the Time Bank is quite easy to understand. A database which has been created by the founders of the bank shows offers and requests and tells members how to agree on an exchange. The bank also has the possibility of forming workshops if several people are requesting the same type of class or knowledge. “When for example you give three hours of a service to a member, your account is credited with three hours that you can spend on anything that interests you or you have always wanted to know how to do”, Marta explains.

Other members have praised this type of bartering system as truly revolutional, because there are some activities that generally are difficult to access, either because of schedule confinements or because the cost incurred with learning a particular subject or activity is simply too great.

The whole idea behind Time Banks is to provide inspiration, guidance and mutual help. Time banks are fun and exciting way for people to come together to help others and help themselves at the same time by sharing their skills. Time Banks are not a “new” concept on a worldwide scale and although many people have not heard about them, they have flourished in both the United States and the UK in recent years.

You can find the Marbella Time Bank at Divina Pastora Civic Centre.

Puente de Inmaculada – Time for a break!

Tivoli World Changes Opening Hours

Emilia Hazell - Smith — Thu, 05 May 2011 09:28:43 +0000

For those not already in the know, Tivoli World is an attraction park in Benalmadena which offers a great day out for all the family with its combination of traditional fairground rides, faster rides, water rides and many more – all surrounded by lush gardens with decorative fountains.

Tivoli World has decided to change its opening hours, a change which came into effect on the 30^th April. The hours the park now opens to the public are from 11am to 7pm Wednesday to Friday and from 12 midday to 9pm on weekends. Tivoli World has also announced that it will be hosting some new productions this year, including a Ukrainian ballet show produced by Sergei Ilchenko. There will also be various kids plays this year, such as Tanzani K, Tiny Town Show, Cinderella and Aladdin which are performed on the ground – however The Little Mermaid, another kids play is performed on the park’s lovely “boat of mysteries”.

Tivoli World is located just five minutes away from the Arroyo de la Miel train station and not too far from the bus station. Group tickets and special wrist bands can be bought on site and there is also free parking in the area.

You can also save 10% buying your tickets on-line at: www.tivolicostadelsol.com and even purchase a Supertivolino on-line and save yourself a long wait in the queue!

About the city of Cordoba in Spain with places to visit

Mirco Rehmeier — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 10:13:57 +0000

Cordoba also called as Cordova is a city in Andalusia of Southern Spain also it is the capital of Province of Cordoba, with a population of 328.453 as per GeoNames Geographical database. This city was found by Romans in 169 BC which is an unpredictable cityscape showcasing to its sightseers a scenic strike on incredible records on ages back. The city is of diverse culture and religion filling the city with dazzling place of interest for most visitors.

Cordoba holds various names of appreciation, ‘Pearl of Moorish Spain’ or ‘Constantinople of the Occident’ describing it to be a most beautiful cities in the world. The expanse of province of Cordoba is roughly 14,000 square Kilometers and elevation of 120m, located in the north-central part of the community of Andalusia surrounded by provinces of Malaga, Sevilla, Merida Badajoz, Ciudad Real, Jaen and Granada.

A quick travel around Cordoba

Cordoba has got a wonderful list of Places of attraction that invites most of the tourists at once. The Great Mosque of Cordoba with variant names La Merquita-cathedral, Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba is a marvel of medieval world for both Christians and Muslims.

Alcazar de Los Reyes Cristianos, built in the year 1328 and was the headquarters of Spanish inquisition. It has remarkable touch on gardening and 2nd-century Roman mosaics for its fame. Mezquita de Cordoba, a striking royal beauty of 8th century mosque symbolizing religious amend that Cordoba had sustained over centuries. One of the Moorish Architecture in the world is now being used as a house of worship. The graceful arches and marble piece is a quick statement of precedent glory of Al-Andalus.

Sinagoga de Cordoba, Cordoba’s synagogue was constructed in the year 1350 in Andalusia to survive eviction of Jews in 1492. It is the only ancient synagogue left back out of the three in Spain. Cordoba’s La Juderia- the historic Jewish quarter speaks on the richness of the Jewish heritage offering a mesmeric walk way along the patios and narrow paved streets. The fragrance of flower follows all along the way down the streets. It is one among the three other synagogues in the country, where the Jewish Physician Maimonedes prayed.

Other enthralling sights include Alcazar of the Kings, the Arabian Baths, the Roman Bridge, Tree-lines Streets and squares and Flower-filled patios. Cordoba was declared as one of the world’s cultural heritage sites by the UNESCO. The fame of Cordoba does not end with the historical sights of building and beauty but also extends through the center for Art and Music. Events and activities are lined up that fits the culture and traditional practices of festive seasons on a perfect fit. The bullfight, flamenco, visits to museums and partying people in the city are really mind-blowing relaxation and entertainment places for the tourists.

Water Taxi’s – travel in style

Emilia Hazell - Smith — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 09:50:33 +0000

A group of entrepreneurs from Malaga are set to launch an alternative way to travel between Malaga and the rest of the Costa del Sol. They have set up a company in Fuengirola called “Aqua Taxi“, the first of it’s kind in Spain and hope to have the service up and running by Easter of this year.

They have brought one of the twelve-seater boats over from Southampton in the UK, and are in negotiations with national shipyards to manufacture the rest of the boats needed to provide the service. Their ultimate goal is to extend the services offered by their company all the way along the coast to Gibraltar. In the medium to long term, there are plans to run up to Nerja and Almuñecar linking the east and the west.

The Water Taxi service, which will be based in Malaga Port aims to revolutionize the taxi business and connect Malaga and Marbella within 45 minutes. The company has currently received authorization to operate from Marbella, Benalmadena and Fuengirola and hopes be accepted also by Puerto Banus in the near future.

In terms of tariffs, which are still to be confirmed, a 20 minute taxi ride to Benalmadena will cost around 10-12 euros, while rides to Marbella will cost around 25-30 euros. The company has said that they will combine quick service with leisurely tourist trips according to demand from the general public.

Malaga is favourite destination for Culture and City breaks

Emilia Hazell - Smith — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 09:23:12 +0000

According to the Malaga Councillor for Tourism and Sport, Elias Bendodo, Malaga City is the favourite destination for cultural tourism and city breaks in the whole of Andalucia. Nationally, the city is streets ahead of Madrid, Cordoba, Sevilla and San Sebastian, coming second only to Barcelona.

Malaga should be very pleased with last year’s results which showed that 853,481 tourists booked into hotels in the city in 2010, which was 14.35 per cent more than in 2009, and 8.9 per cent more than 2008, which was historically, the best year for tourism until these figures were released.

12.75 per cent more people stayed in the city, equalling a total of 1,591,552 visitors, with an average stay of 1.85 days.

Just over 54 per cent of the tourists who stayed in Malaga city hotels in 2010 were Spanish, some five per cent more than the previous year, and most of them came from the rest of Andalucia, followed closely by Madrid and Cataluña.

The number of foreign visitors has also risen, by 28.1 per cent. The UK continues to be the main interest market, with 63,430 people, an increase of 13.17 per cent. The UK is followed by Germany and France, then Holland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Switzerland, which rose by 50 per cent, and finally the USA and Italy which rose by 30 per cent.

The Malaga Tourism Department attended six national and 15 international fairs in France, Portugal, Belgium, Ireland, Czech Republic, Germany, the USA, Russia, Sweden, Holland and Italy.

Animals return to El Camino in March 2011

Mirco Rehmeier — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 10:01:18 +0000

The Spanish animal protection association “Planeta Animal” who’s main objective is to raise awareness in the human population through targeted projects, invites everybody to walk with them to Santiago de Compostela, a pilgrimage for the animals. In 2009 many people joined a magical pilgrimage for Animal Rights,’ El Camino’, following the St. James Trail to Santiago. Some came from animal protection backgrounds, to experience another way to tackle the problems they’ve been trying to solve for years. Others had no experience of the groups working for years to highlight ill treatment of animals and promote their care and protection, but liked the idea of hiking with a dog.

This brave group of fifteen two legged hikers, from all over the world, along with fifteen four legged hikers, gained respect from many who witnessed them along the way. Just to see them arrive tired, but happy, after another long day’s walking and to witness the shared feelings of the two and four legged beings, made people think a bit more about the animals.

We live in a world full of needs and do not see that everything is related. If we do not teach our children to respect the animals and nature, they will not respect their fellow citizens either. And we all know that respect is the basis of a functioning society.

Now Planeta Animal invites everybody to take part in ‘El Camino 2011′

We will walk for harmonic coexistence between human beings, animal and nature on our planet

Those who do the walk will have a great opportunity to combine a responsible week holiday with a chance to experience the legendary pilgrims trail. The Silver route will take us through some of the wonderful, unknown landscapes of Spain, up to Astorga, then continuing on the French route to Santiago de Compostela.

March 19th to April 29th 2011

The animal companions on the Camino will be dogs and donkeys, so far, but anyone who wants to could bring another animal, as long as they are sure that it would be capable of covering 24 kilometres a day.

Planeta Animal will provide all the infrastructure needed by human and animal travellers, with guides, accommodation (in pilgrim lodgings, rural houses, hotels etc.), food and water, transport of baggage etc. Volunteers who want to take part, can do so in periods of one to six weeks, choosing the most attractive week of the route and making sure of a realistic distance for their own animals.

Those who cannot join us walking, will be able to follow our progress, through a blog on the website. You can also support us by sponsoring one of the four donkeys doing the Camino, one euro per kilometre. Profits from this will go towards funding our nationwide education programs.

For more information, visit our webpage: www.planeta-animal.org

Puente de Inmaculada – Time for a break!

Emilia Hazell - Smith — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 12:09:20 +0000

Say what you will about Spanish mentality, when it comes to R&R and work/rest balance they know what they’re talking about. Take this upcoming “puente” for example. For those not in the know, a “puente” – literal translation “bridge” – is an extra days holiday.

Case in point, Monday 6^th of December is the Día de La Constitución Española and also the 8^th is La Inmaculada Concepción. Therefore, what most Spanish have come accustomed to doing is taking one extra days holiday in between these two “festivos” (public holidays) – therefore effectively “bridging” the gap and walking away with 3 days holiday, for the price of one!

Around this time, the Spanish travel agents go crazy, trying to out-do each other on prices – as most Spanish families book a long weekend away somewhere nice to really take advantage of these “free” days. Usually, families will not venture abroad for these “puentes”, and merely book a stay in a balneario (resort) a couple of towns away.

For a bit of history: La Inmaculada is considered to be the Patron Saint of Spain, although more popularly, La Virgen del Pilar is also considered thus. The Día de La Constitución Española commemorates the day that the Constitutional Referendum was signed in 1978. This referendum replaced the many constitutional laws which were in place when Spain was under the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco (1947-1975).

Single Hiking tours in December

Mirco Rehmeier — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 09:31:35 +0000

Costa del Sol Singles is a new Single Club for singles who want to meet by sharing activities and common interests. Because life is more fun that way. In December they offer different Singe Hiking Tours.

GENTLE WALK TO “EL TÁBANO”
Sunday, 5th of December 2010
Meeting point: Church of El Secadero (near Tesorillo) at 10am.
It’s a gentle walk without mayor hills to climb. Duration of the walk approximately 2 and a half hours. After the walk we shall have some tapas at the village.

PINAR DEL REY – CIRCULAR TOUR
Sunday, 12th of December 2010
Meeting point: Parking Garden Center Agrojardín N-340, Km 117, exit Las Margaritas(117) at 10am. Very pretty, gentle walk through hills, forest and fields. Duration of the walk approximately 3 hours. After the walk we will have tapas in San Roque.

CELIMA – MONTE DUQUE – REFUGIO DE CASARES
Sunday, 19th of December 2010
Meeting point: Casares Restaurante Laura at 10am. We will park some cars there and drive up to Celima. We will walk through the most beautiful estate of the Coast, a cork forest until the Mountain Refuge of Casares with spectacular views. Duration of the walk approximately 3 ½ hours.

DOGS ARE WELCOME
Contribution towards expenses: 9 €
For further information, please send an e-mail or call Julie on 600 543 269. See you!!

Cómpeta Dance Gala in December

Emilia Hazell - Smith — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 17:59:00 +0000

Cómpeta is preparing an exciting dance gala which will last for two nights over the first weekend in December. An fantastic line-up of artists has been confirmed for the event which will include a variety of dances – everything from flamenco, ballet and even tap.

It has been announced that the new gymnasium in the secondary school of the town will be the venue. Director and founder of the organisation, Reach4Dance, Ray Rowden, said that the gymnasium was an ideal location with great views for the audience, on top of which there is a separate space for a bar and tapas service.

Amongst those dancers in the line-up will be Matthew Powell, who is presently dancing in the exceptionally successful production of The Phantom of the Opera in London’s West End and ballerina Julianne Rice-Oxley – who will perform a Strauss waltz, a pas de deux from Coppelia and the fabulous routine from Le Corsaire popularised by Fonteyn and Nureyev.

Also making an appearance will be four of the top graduates from Elmhurst Ballet School including Yamato Mashiko who was born in Japan and has been dancing since age 10. He studied at the Royal Ballet Summer School in 2006 and entered Elmhurst two years later. This year, he performed in the Lausanne Gala in Tokyo.

Flamenco dancer Juan Luis El Borde will also make an appearance as part of the local talent.

Galaxia Play Centre in Guadalmina

Emilia Hazell - Smith — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 10:28:02 +0000

Parents with very energetic children in or around the area of San Pedro will soon breathe a sigh of relief when they read this article. A new play centre has opened up in the Guadalmina Commercial Centre in the area and boasts many great facilities. Among these are: lots of slides, a massive fun ball pool, exciting tunnels and mazes, a great Zip Wire, air powered guns and there is even a dedicated toddler area for the really small ones. In addition to this, there is an outside play area with comfortable sofas where tired, hassled parents can relax while their children run about and enjoy themselves.

The Galaxia Play Centre has even thought about the security aspect and has installed cameras on all the play areas to give parents peace of mind and to know that their children are completely safe.

This play centre really seems like it has everything!

The centre is open from 12.30 till 20.30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 10.30 till 20.30 on other days and there is plenty of parking.

Perhaps you think all these facilities, security and fun will come at a hefty price? However, that couldn’t be further than the truth, because absolutely unlimited access to the park for one day costs only 2 euros for the under twos, 4 euros for the under threes and 8 euros for children from 3 to 12 years old. There are also Memberships available starting from 40 euros.

I can just hear it, can’t you? : “Can we go nooooooow, Mummy?” (or Daddy, of course)

Call: 952885530 for more details.

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Largest Butterfly Park in Europe to open in 2011

Emilia Hazell - Smith — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 10:05:51 +0000

The Town Hall of Benalmádena has announced that Europe’s biggest butterfly park will open early next year in the town. The Mayor of Benalmádena, Enrique Moya, says the Asian-inspired complex, which is a 1,500 square metre site, will house “some of the world’s most spectacular and endangered species of butterfly”.

The local administration has said that it believes that the butterfly park will become a major tourist attraction, as well as a possible research facility in the future.

The complex is situated next to the town’s famous Buddhist temple, known as “La Estupa”, which is located on the outskirts of Benalmádena.

The largest butterfly park in the world is still “Butterfly World” which is located in Florida, USA. It opened in 1988 and the aviary houses over 10,000 butterflies of up to 150 different species.

You may be surprised to learn that the average life span of a butterfly is only fourteen days, and that’s in “captivity” in the aviary. This average life span compares to about seven days in the wild. However, some species like the Zebra can live for up to ten months.

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