Golf club, Marbella, Spain by Meindert Arnold Jacob

Shanti Som

Shanti Som Spa has a variety of packages to heal the mind, body and soul which draw influences from South East Asia. A full selection of specific retreats and treatments are available from complete balance and harmony treatments, spa detoxes to yoga retreats. The best way to get the most out of a spa holiday here is to have a consultation so an approach can be tailored to your needs. Shanti Som’s sole purpose is to promote new and healthy habits to follow through life.

LA Quinta Golf & Spa

Plush and luxurious describes the Arabic and Andalucían themed spa at La Quinta. With an outdoor pool, hydrotherapy pool, hammam, aromatic steam room and cascade showers the idea is to touch and sooth your senses into relaxation and renewal. La Quinta itself has wonderful views of the sea and mountains. It is surrounded by a golf course as well if you fancy twinning a bit of exercise with your spa break.

Finca Cortesin Spa

As part of the five star hotel in Casares, Finca Cortesin, their high standards expected at the spa too. The development is in beautiful grounds and surrounded by a world class golf course. It boasts three pools one of which is a heated indoor pool treated with sea salt, a thermal area with Finnish sauna and snow cave. Wellness is the focus in this luxurious spa.

For exercise fanatics there is a fully equipped gym with personal trainers on site to advise on routines. As for spa treatments if has several treatment rooms focusing on the face and body, wellness and rejuvenation.

Marbella Club Hotel Golf Resort and Spa

Sat right next to the sea is somehow a real plus to spa lovers, something in the sea air perhaps. Marbella Club Spa offers your very own personalized spa holiday at its Thalasso Spa. Your every whim is catered to from detoxification to rejuvenation, facial beauty to body wraps the Thalasso spa has it covered. Another plus is all their products are from the luxury brands of BABOR, Morjana and Thalion.

O2 Centro Wellness

This is the least luxurious of the five spas in Marbella however it is therefore the most reasonable too. It offers a thermal circuit of six hot springs, two swimming pools, a Nebula Shower, Steam Bath and Sauna. The mantra at O2 is to enjoy health, sports and beauty so there are good gym facilities too.

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Las Alpurjarras, Granada

Not one town but a cluster of villages which stretch from Granada province into Almeria province. These very atmospheric small villages feel otherworldly particularly if visited in the winter. The drive from Malaga is breath-taking, it’s a dramatic landscape. Once at the highest village (Travelez), take a moment to eat the Serrano ham from there, it is air dried and is famous for its flavour. It’s a great idea to spend a couple of days driving around these villages, taking in the leisurely way of life and stopping to admire the views of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.

Photo of A typical Alpujarran village, Busquístar, Andalucia, Spain by Stephen Lea

Antequera, Malaga

This grand large town with an impressive castle is an easy drive north of Malaga. It has an impressive bull ring, an imposing dramatic cathedral next to the castle and some good examples of nobleman’s houses. Antequera is next to El Torcal, a national park including a mountain range made of limestone which divides Malaga and Antequera. El Torcal is perfect climbing territory or those who enjoy bird watching and hiking.

Antequera, Malaga, Andalucia, Spain by valderrama

Marbella, Malaga

Heading back to the coast, Marbella offers a charming old town with plenty of places to sit to enjoy the sun and a vino or two. It is thought of as a resort town but Marbella itself is a grand village with typical white houses and narrow streets. In the summer months it does suffer a little from a massive influx of tourists but it has romantic restaurants nestled into the corners of pretty squares like Plaza de Los Naranjas. Alternatively, the hotels in Marbella have restaurants which fold onto the main boulevard, where you can gaze out to sea while enjoying a candle lit meal.

Photo of Marbella, Malaga, Andalucia, Spain by bongo vongo

Vejer de la Frontera, Cadiz

Arguably the most beautiful of the towns on this list (and in Andalucía no less), is Vejer de la Frontera. This grand white washed bohemian town situated on a high rocky outcrop in Cadiz province overlooks rice fields. The landscape around Vejer is characterised by the winds that lap around the land. They say these winds can drive people crazy because they are so relentless but this shouldn’t put the road tripper off. Wind turbines stand tall all through the province and create a different view from the other provinces.

Photo of Vejer de la Frontera, Cadiz, Andalucia, Spain by Thibaut Brix

Tarifa, Cadiz

Set beside the beach, Tarifa is probably the coolest place to hang out particularly if surfing, wind surfing or kite surfing is your type of thing. It’s got an arty bohemian feel too with lots of little independent shops, cafes, restaurants and places generally to chill out. Nightlife wise it all happens out of the town along the coast road where there’s all manner of hip hang outs.

Tarifa, Cadiz, Andalucia, Spain by Kevin Walsh

There are so many towns to visit in Andalucía but to get the most out of a trip to Southern Spain it’s a good idea to choose five interesting and unique ones – each one being different from the last. These offer the variety that is typical of Spain yet are all quintessentially Spanish.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Nigel’s Europe

Most visitors find their way up the winding Ronda road from the town of San Pedro de Alcantara just outside Marbella. From San Pedro take the A397 north for approximately 47 km or one hour and you will arrive in the heart of Ronda. It’s an incredible drive through gorgeous scenery but the road does twist and turn quite a lot. It’s a favourite with motorcyclists so be prepared to be overtaken on your way up and down again.

If you’re driving to Ronda directly from your Malaga car hire collection point, then you may prefer to take the straighter A357 and then A367 via Cartama, Ardales, Cuevas del Becerro. It’s a bit further at 100 km or one and half hours but the scenery is still great! Once you get to Ronda, there is plenty of parking with well signed and reasonably priced public car parks throughout the city.

A third option is to take the train. There is one train per day that runs between Malaga airport and Ronda but the line between San Roque Estacion and Ronda is far more scenic. It stops in a couple of pretty villages on the way and you will really get a feel for authentic Spanish countryside. If you’re lucky, you’ll also see the storks nesting on top of the electricity pylons on your way up! There are four trains each day in each direction and the fares are very reasonable.

Ronda dominates the landscape around it and hence was very strategically important to the Moors who survived here until the Christians overcame them in 1485. You will see a lot of Moorish and Arabic influences in the architecture in the centre. The city is located either side of a 100 metre deep gorge, El Tajo. The New Bridge or Puente Nuevo, which dates back to the 18th Century, spans El Tajo and joins together the older southern side of the town with the “newer” part.

In the southern side of Ronda you will find some of the most interesting tourist attractions such as the Palacio Mondragon with its typical Moorish mosaics and plasterwork, Minaret San Sebastian (the remains of a 14th century mosque) and the very impressive Ayuntamiento or town hall with its arcaded facade and Mudéjar ceiling. There is even a Catholic church, Santa María la Mayor, where you can see the minaret and prayer niche which have survived from its previous use as a mosque back in the 13th century.

Whatever your principles, a visit to the bullring is highly recommended. It is thought that Ronda’s Plaza de Toros is the world’s oldest bullring and the spiritual home of bullfighting. The first bullfight is meant to have taken place in 1785. The bullring is a very elegant construction with Tuscan columns forming the two storey seating galleries. The bullfighting museum within explains the cultural history of Spain’s controversial sport or artform (depending on which side of the coin your opinions fall) and includes a tour of the bullring itself and the Royal Harness and Livery collection. Several of the ornate and colourful bullfighting costumes are on display together with an antique fire-arms collection. Next to the bullring is the School of Equestrianism where you can watch the training of their beautiful thoroughbred horses and riders.

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