SPAIN***                             Andalucia***                        Costa Del Sol***

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You can view satellite pictures of several locations on the coast! Go to ABCRealty MAPS!

A bit of history - Civil War and after

The civil war left 600,000 dead and created a deep scar on Spanish society. Even today, political life bears civil war overtones and private feuds are remembered in small communities. The surrender of the Republic was preceded by an exodus of the liberal intellectual elite, university lecturers, doctors, lawyers, many of whom left for France and Mexico. The impact on the political, social and economic spheres was immense. The end of the civil war was followed by a period of political and social repression. The regionalist tendencies evident in the civil war were quashed and the use of the Euskerra (Basque) and Catalan languages prohibited.

During the second world war Spain maintained a position of benevolent neutrality. Spanish volunteers fought alongside Nazi Germany on the Russian front. With the allied victory in Europe, many expected an attack on Spain. However the politics of the cold war, and Franco's overly anti-Soviet stance led to Spain entering into the NATO alliance in 1949. During the 40's and 50's economic conditions in Spain were harsh, and many left to work abroad in Germany and France. In the 1960's the Basque group ETA began a terrorist campaign and succeeded in killing Franco's prime minister and heir elect Carerro Blanco in 1972.

In 1975 Franco died after nearly fifty years in power. His successor king Juan Carlos opted for political reforms and democratic elections were held in 1977. The first elected government was the Centre Democratic party of Adolofo Suarez. In 1982 the Socialist party overwhelmingly won the general elections and held power until 1996 when they were replaced by the Popular Party led by Jose Maria Aznar. Despite an failed coup attempt in 1981 democracy has been successful and led to increased economic prosperity, especially since joining the European Union in 1986. The main parties today in Spain are the centre right Popular Party, and the Socialist party.

MIJAS/FUENGIROLA/MARBELLA

Mijas

Located in forested hills 8 kilometers from the coast, the pretty village of Mijas (population 10,000) is a typical white Andalucianpueblo. Its proximity to the coastal hotspots of Fuengirola and Torremolinos sees coachloads of tourists come to visit during summer. However, it is not just the daytrippers that are foreigners, the permanent population is now made up of 90% non Spaniards. The municipal area stretches down the the Mediterranean, and takes in the village itself, La Cala and Las Lagunas. It survives today lives almost entirely from tourism.

Fuengirola and Marbella

Fuengirola offer a diversity of entertainment and choices of restaurants. Andalucian tapas aswell as British white beans with dark Guinness.

Mar bella (beautiful sea) exclaimed queen Isabella when she gazed out on to the Mediterranean. In what is one of the poorest provinces in Spain, Marbella and its environs has the distinction of having the highest per capita income in Europe, with more Rolls Royce than any city except London. Adopted by the jet set in the late 1950's, Marbella plays host to Arab kings, industrial magnates, arms dealers, film stars, nobility and criminal kingpins. Here, behind gated mansions and high security, they live in a world of luxury yachts, cocktail parties, Hello magazine. 

Marbella has about 80.000 inhabitants and has become in the course of years a mundane bathing resort. Marbella was founded by the Phoenicians and became an important settlement in Moorish times. The Moors constructed heavy fortifications to protect the town and created the layout of the present old town. Marbella fell to Christian forces in 1485 during the reconquista. In the nineteenth century it was an important mining centre for iron ore employing over one thousand people. After the mines closed, Marbella was a quiet seaside town until rediscovered in the fifties.

The charming pedestrianised old town is centred on the Plaza de los Naranjos, where the sixteenth century town hall is situated. This gathering place with outdoor cafes is built on what was the site of the old Moorish medina. Across the plaza is the Casa del Corregidor (Chief Magistrate's house) also dating from the sixteenth century and which combines Renaissance, Mudejar and Gothic styles. Nearby is the Ermita de Neustro Senor, built just after Marbella was reconquered, and the town's first Christian church. Walk through the narrow alleys of old quarter and the whitewashed Moorish houses are beautifully preserved, adorned with colourful ceramic tiles. To the east is the Plaza de la Iglesia, the site of the town's main church, the seventeenth century Iglesia de Santa Maria de la Encarnacion. Continue on to the Museo de Grabado Contemporaneo, with a collection of prints that includes Picasso, Dali and Miro. Just outside the old town to the northwest are the ruins of the ninth century Moorish fort, with one standing tower, walls and a keep.

North of the old town lie the exclusive boutiques and the urbanisaciones (housing complexes) that encircle the town. To the south is the Alameda park, with banana palms and fountains. Continuing south to the sea we find the two main beaches are El Fuerte and La Fontanilla, with the Puerto Deportivo marina on the right. The so called Golden Mile links Marbella with Puerto Banus to the west, taking in the the most expensive properties and the exclusive Marbella Club and Puente Romano hotels. Ironic that half a millennia after being expelled, the oil rich Arabs should return and construct a gleaming white mosque just off the Golden Mile, the first to be built in Spain since the fifteenth century. Opened in 1971 Puerto Banus is crammed with waterfront cafes, nightclubs, bar, marinas, chic apartments, expensive restaurants and frequented by the beautiful people. Just north, away from the water is Neuva Andalucia a sprawling suburb of luxury developments.

Culture, Historie and "Lifestyle" in Malaga province.

Malaga is a bustling industrial coastal city with a population of half a million people, making it the second largest city in Andalucia after Seville. It is one of the oldest Mediterranean ports with a heritage stretching back to the Phoenicians in the eight century BC Since then the city has seen waves of invaders including the Carthaginians and the Romans. During the Moorish occupation, Malaga was the principal port. The Moors were responsible for building the Alcazaba, a sprawling fortress and the city's most important landmark. The city was wrestled back from the Moors in 1487 shortly before the fall of Granada, and thereafter fell into decline. The historic old city was badly destroyed during the civil war when Malaga rose against the Nationalist army of Franco.

Malaga has a large modern airport to the west of the city, with train connections to the centre. The airport serves as a gateway to the Costa del Sol, handling over 7 million passengers a year.

The city centre is easily navigable by foot and is dominated by the imposing Gibralfaro Hill. The hill is the site of the Alcazaba, begun by the Moors in the eight century. The Alcazaba however was originally occupied by the Phoenicians and later the Romans, and has had many additions and alterations. Much of what can be seen today dates from the eleventh century, when it was the seat of the emirs of Malaga, a short lived independent Moorish kingdom. The palace defenses are illustrated by the triple perimeter wall and watchtowers. The charming gardens are laid out in Moorish style with palms, orange trees and exotic shrubs.

The Alcazaba is connected to the Gibralfaro, again of Moorish construction, which was built in the fourteenth century and which occupies the high ground of the hill. The name translates from the Arabic for lighthouse hill, and the spot must once have been used to light beacons for marine traffic. The Gibralfaro is a wonderful vantage point from which to survey the city and the port below. Nestled next to the Alcazaba is the ruins of a roman amphitheater, which was unearthed in the 1930's and which now serves as a performance venue.

Below Gibralfaro Hill is the city's cathedral, a Renaissance construction built on the site of a former mosque in the sixteenth century. Oddly the cathedral has a single tower to the left north end, the funds for the matching tower are said to have been diverted towards the American War of Independence. Because of this it has assumed the name of la manquita (cripple). Worth seeing is the choir, the chapel of Santa Barbara and the Plateresque doorway. South of the cathedral, running parallel to the sea is the Paseo del Parque, a tree lined park with a botanical garden. Alongside are situated the old custom house, built in a classical style in 1829 and the art nouveau city hall. The bullring can be found to the east of the city centre dating from 1874. It holds 14,000 spectators with a season runs from March to September.

Close to the cathedral is the Museo Picasso, opened in 2003 and dedicated to the artistic genius of the city's most famous son. The collection of Picasso's painting, sculptures and ceramics is housed in a remodeled sixteenth century palace, originally built for the count of Buenavista. It also serves for temporary exhibitions and displays Roman ruins unearthed during excavations on the site. Picasso left Malaga at the age of 14 and his birthplace, Casa Natal de Picasso, which is located a few blocks northeast of the museum is open to the public. Other museums include the archeological museum, located within the walls of the Alcazaba, and a collection of sacred art, on display at the Museo de Arte Sacro next to the cathedral.

Away from sightseeing, good spots for bars and restaurants include the cluster of streets close to the central market and the La Malagueta district, to the east of the port. Naturally seafood features heavily in the local dishes and the are is famous for its sweet wines. For shopping Calle de Granada and Molina Lario are crammed with boutiques.

Malaga is well known for the processions.

 

Climate and sports

The climate to the Costa del Sol is subtropical and counts 320 sunny days per year. Because of this you can enjoy nearly always the outside life: on your own terrace with view on the mounts, the sea or overwhelming Spanish nature or more active on one of the many golf - courts or in and on the water. The many ports offer several possibilities water sports, such as sailing, surfing, diving and water-skiing. Moreover there is an abundance possibilities for polo, horse races, wild fishing, mountain climbing, mountain bike tours etc.. On two hours drive of Malaga lies the Sierra Nevada where you can ski about 5 months per year  Here the prices are still reasonable and you find generally no cues.

Food & Drinks in Andalucia and wine.......!

Andalucia has a varied habitat. The area around Jerez is dominated by sherry bodegas, and sherry is not only enjoyed as a drink but is used to flavour dishes such as rinones al jerez (kidneys in sherry). Just an hours drive from the beaches we arrive at seemingly endless olive groves. Olive oil is used extensively in Andalucian cooking, and marinated green olives is a favourite apéritif. Driving a little further we reach the mountains of Huelva, where the renown Jabugo hams are cured.

The famous chilled soup gazpacho is ideally suited to the heat of the Andalucian summer. It is made from breadcrumbs and pureed summer vegetables, usually tomatoes, cucumber, and peppers and flavored with garlic, vinegar, olive oil and seasoning. Traditionally ground with a pestle and mortar and left to chill in the cellar, today the hand blender and refrigerator makes life that bit easier. The oil gives the soup a thick creamy texture, and the gazpacho is commonly eaten with toasted bread. A variation on the gazpacho is solmorejo from Cordoba, another chilled soup where diced tomatoes is the sole vegetable used. Ajo blanco is another cold soup from Malaga which is made from breadcrumbs pureed garlic, oil vinegar and seasoning.

One of the Andalucia's best known dishes is rabo del toro, bulls tail with a tomato based sauce found in Cordoba. Moorish influences can be seen in dishes like pinchos, lamb kebabs. It is also evident through the use of nuts or dried fruit in savory dishes like calderetas, a lamb stew with almonds, or cordera a la moruna, a lamb dish with raisins and favored with cinnamon and cumin. Away from the coast we can find game based dishes, such as perdices rellanas, stuffed partridge filled with a serrano ham, anchovy and bread stuffing. Serrano ham is also used with croquettes, a popular tapa. For the adventurous sacromonte is a omelette dish from Granada that contains sweetbreads and red peppers, and is said to have gypsy origins.

Unsurprisingly with a coastline taking in the Mediterranean and Atlantic, and stretching over 800 kilometers, Andalucia has a strong tradition of seafood. In the Costa del Sol fresh sardines, skewered and grilled over a fire, are sold along the beachfront. A popular tapa found all over Andalucia is pescaditos, anchovies and other tiny fish which are coated in batter and deep fried. Cazuela malaguena is a soup from Malaga made from clams and fideos, a Spanish noodle similar to vermicelli. Remojon is a Lenten salad from the north of the province made from salted cod, oranges and olives.

Mojama is a exquisite delicacy found in the Costa de Luz that is yet another culinary legacy of the Moors. Fresh tuna is cut into strips, rubbed in salt and left to dry in the sun. The winds coming off the coast in the Costa del Luz aids the drying process. When cured, the mojama has a dark reddish colour. It is eaten by cutting the mojama into thin slices and moistening the fish by soaking in oil for a few hours. The mojama can be eaten on its own, with bread or shredded over salads.

Culture - La Tomatina is good clean fun for all the family

Situated thirty miles inland from Valencia is the town of Buñol, scene of what must rank as the most bizarre festival in Spain. La Tomatina, which is held on the last Wednesday of August, is a full blown tomato fight which involves 35,000 people fueled by copious quantities of wine and consumes some 50,000 kilos of tomatoes. To say that the streets run red is no exaggeration.La Tomatina has been in existence since the 1940's. Legend has it that the festival grew out of a squabble in town which quickly developed into a mass brawl and acquired its artistic interpretation with the fortuitous placement of a crate of tomatoes in the vicinity of the melee. Naturally enough the authorities took a dim view of the shenanigans and tried to put a stop to the activities. When the rabble rousers returned the following year to continue the tomato fight the authorities threatened to throw everyone in prison. Despite their efforts, or maybe in spite of them, La Tomatina has grown and grown until it is now of international importance.

The tomato fight takes place in the main square in the centre of town. Activities commence with a blast from a starting gun and the tomatoes, which are literally brought in by the lorry load, are provided by the town council. Don't expect to be a mere spectator, because everybody is a legitimate target. However, the combatants are urged to crush the tomatoes before throwing them to avoid injuries. The tomato fight is the centrepiece for what is the festival of San Luis Bertrán, the town's patron saint. The celebration also include fireworks, street parties and a greasy pole competition with a delicious leg of ham waiting just out of reach on the top.

 

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Dear spot in the world to live!

The Costa del Sol is in July 2001 by influential American elderly organization AARP (clear 20 millions members) exclaimed to the best place abroad to live. After a research of experts forty well-known and less well-known locations became the Costa del Sol as best place to live. The following variables were taken along in research: climate, cost of maintenance, payable of houses, quality of health care, public transport, cultural activities, political stability and security.

All these facts make clear why the Costa del Sol has a large attraction on many.       Go towards overview projects

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