Costa del sol travel
Spain has the distinction of being one of the most romantic and vibrant countries in Europe. With a mixture of the traditional and modern aura, Spain is able to provide tourists with an unforgettable experience. Spanish culture, Spanish history, Spanish traditions and rituals and Spanish cuisine fascinate millions of visitors from Europe and the rest of the world. Barcelona and Madrid are couple of the bigger cities that receive more tourists. Costa del Sol has become a very popular tourist attraction, not only due to its beaches and resorts but also due to the intermingling of natural beauty and modern comfort. For someone looking for a perfect vacation, Costa del Sol is the perfect choice.
Costa del Sol is a region located in southern Spain in the autonomous community of Andalusia and includes all the coastal towns along the Mediterranean coast of the Malaga and Cdiz provinces. The towns that come under this region are Benalm'dena, Estepona, Fuengirola, La Linea de la Concepci n, Marbella, Mijas, Nerja, Puerto Ban's, San Luis de Sabinillas, San Pedro de Alc'ntara, San Roque, Sotogrande, Torremolinos, Torrox and V lez M'laga apart from the city of Malaga. With fine, sunny weather all year round with an average annual temperature of 18 C, Costa del Sol, or Coast of the Sun, is indeed the appropriate name for this region.
Costa del Sol has a fascinating history that goes back a long time. There are relics of human settlements in the Bronze Age. Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Visigoths, Vandals and Moors have conquered and settled in the area at different times before the Spanish conquered it. All these ancient settlements have left their mark on the region in the form of architecture and traditions and rituals. Till the 1950's the villages in the area were typical fishing villages. After this period, the region was developed to entice tourists. Today, it boasts of numerous recreation activities, resorts, nightclubs, restaurants and other tourist attractions.
The region of Costa del Sol holds many attractions for the tourist including golf courses, theme parks, water parks, safaris, zoos, bull fights and go-karting as well as the quaint historical village of Andalusia and the gorges of Ronda and El Chorro. This region has come to be well known for its excellent golf courses numbering more than seventy. Many international tourists come here just to play golf on the high quality courses. The region is also known as Costa del Golf emphasizing its importance for golf enthusiasts.
There are a few attractions that one must not miss when in the region. A few of them are listed and described below to whet your appetite for exclusive cultural tourism.
Historical caves: just outside Benaojan, there are a few caves that had been lived in prehistoric times. Discovered in 1911, the Pileta has plenty of pictures of interest to archeologists and historians. This was declared a National Monument of Cave Art and is in a well-preserved condition. 'The Hundidero- El Gato Cave is also exceptional and shows a few relics of its rich history. Besides these, there are also other scenic and picturesque caves that take you way back in time.
The Smuggler's Route: We have all heard stories of Spanish pirates striking terror in the hearts of those they waylay. With plunder and loot, the smugglers had their own routes by ship. Starting from Gibraltar bearing tobacco and cloth, the ships moved towards San Roque, Gaucin and Ronda. Another route led to Tarifa, Vejer and Chiclana and a third route traversed Estepona, Marbella, Ojen and Antequera. One can still travel this route today and feel a part of history.
Castles: The region of Costa del Sol boasts of many castles and religious buildings. The castle in Ronda still retains some of its walls. Other interesting castles are Ataje, Benadalid, Gaucin, Jimena and Castellar. The castle of Guzman el Bueno still stands emphasizing the sacrifice made by the chatelaine of his son instead of surrendering. Olvera is the place to go for those who are interested in castles. Surrounded by castles, this old village also has a magnificent church and is not far from the ruins of a Franciscan Convent of the 16th century. There are also remains of the Almoraiman convent in Castellar.
Though most of the towns are worth a visit, Granada and Ronda have a charm of their own and must not be missed by anyone visiting Costa del Sol.
Granada: A city full of mystery and legends, its main attraction is the Alhambra palace built by the Moors in the 14th century. With its fountains, gardens and general splendor mixed with natural scenic beauty, the Alhambra palace is a must see. There is also a cathedral in which the royal couple, Isabel and Ferdinand, is buried. Also famous are the caves in "Sacromonte hill".
Ronda: Ronda is a historical town that is well worth a visit. The 18th century part of the town is divided from the medieval part by the El Tajo gorge. Spanning the gorge is the Puente Nuevo where the remains of a prison are still found. Ronda is well known for its bull fights and the bullring there is the largest and oldest in the whole of Spain.
Antequera: This is a city full of old fashioned buildings representing practically every civilization that has settled there.
These and many more attractions await the visitors to Costa del Sol. Whether you are interested in history or culture, rituals or nature, sports or wildlife, beaches or wild nightclubs, Costa del Sol is the place to go.
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