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Expeditions
(Malaga,
El Chorro, Ronda,
Nerja, Gibraltar, Granada,
Carratraca, Wolf Park)
Fancy a day down in the capital of the
province? Malaga is an interesting city and has a lot to offer. One
of the easiest ways to get around is to use the "Magic Bus". For about 12
euros per person, an open topped bus with take you around the interesting parts
of the old city, complete with a commentary in 6 languages using a plug in ear
phone. The tickets are valid 24 hours and you may hop on an off the bus as
often as you like. Our favourite stops are the castle (nice inexpensive
restaurant with wonderful views, makes a good break for lunch) and the
cathedral. Photos
El Chorro
About 50
minutes by car from Lagar blanco is the fabulous canyon of El Chorro where
the Rio Guadalhorce rushes through the rocks (the speed of which depends on the
amount of rain - it can slow to a mere trickle at the end of the summer!)
You can reach it by train once or twice a day depending on season, but the train
return times are such that you have to get a taxi back.
El Chorro
is home to a huge natural gorge (La Garganta) Reaching the head of the gorge, a
spectacular sight awaits following heavy rains, as a huge volume of water
crashes through the chasm fed from the amazing emerald lakes. The area is a
Nature Reserve of renown and simply must not be missed. There is a reservoir
here and the infamous suspended footpath known as El Camino del Rey (King's Path
) starts here and runs
the whole 3km length of the gorge.
This is where a lot of the local rock climbing takes place.
Aparently you can now belay yourself safely to walk this route - but it is very
dangerous without.
Spend the
day: pack a
picnic to eat by the lakes or enjoy a bit to eat at El Mirador; take a swim in the fabulous waters if it's warm enough; admire the scenery from various view points and, if you
feel like it, take you walking along the safe bits of the Camino del Rey.
There are a some lovely places to eat - or just have a drink whilst soaking in
the view. Our favourite has a great view over the lakes - a couple of ice cold
beers here and an assorted plate of tapas - pure heaven!
The village of El Chorro is located here, although in effect little more than a
bar, church and railway station, throughout the year the village is full of back
packers and climbers and provides a splendid cosmopolitan atmosphere in the most
unlikely setting! It is most crowded in the winter months.
The exciting end sequence of Von Ryan's Express,
where Frank Sinatra is running after the train through the tunnels cut into the
mountain side, was shot here. You can walk
round the mountain railway, on the outside of the mountain, where the gunfights
took place - but be careful, people have fallen off and been killed, in real
life!
Not far from El Chorro
are the Moorish ruins of Bobastro
which are well worth a look - Spain had its own Robin Hood who lived here in the
1500s.
Ronda
A wonderful day out! This
magical city, perched nearly 800 m on a cliff edge, so affected Orson Wells that
he requested his ashes to be scattered here after his death. Ernest
Hemingway enthused "The whole city and its surroundings form a perfect romantic
setting." We fell in love with Ronda -It is a 1½
hours
by car - but somewhat longer by public transport - the times of the buses
and trains don't always coincide with the times you would like to travel!).
Nerja
Famed for
its fabulous caves is also well worth a visit - not just for the caves either.
There's a beautiful walk up through the canyon - particularly nice in the
summer when you can splash up through the river!
It is also about 1½ by car - but again somewhat
longer by public transport.
Gibraltar
With the borders now open
between Spain and Gibraltar, a day trip (with passports) down to The Rock is an
interesting day out. Not being in the EU, duty free is available at
excellent prices in Gib, but beware of zealous Spanish customs checking that you
don't go over your limit! At busy times it is best to park on the Spanish
side and simply walk across the border and take one of the ubiquitous taxi trips
around the rock. Much more information and what's available to enjoy in Gib can
be found on
http://www.discovergibraltar.com
Granada
The famous
city of Granada is some 2.5 hours away by car
(it takes somewhat longer on public transport). This indeed is a cultural day out - even
those who are not particularly interested in sightseeing cannot fail to be
fascinated by the Alhambra - without doubt the best preserved medieval Arab
palace in the world. To get the most out of your visit here, it is essential to
read some of the numerous pieces of literature on the monument - otherwise you
may walk past pieces of incredible history without even knowing it! The
Alhambra
made up of three main parts: The Royal Palace, The Alcazaba (fortress) and the
Medina. As so many visitors flock here all through the year, it is best to book
tickets in advance otherwise you may not get in at all. The official site
is
www.alhambra-tickets.es
Unhappily the site is all in Spanish, although a small amount of common sense
should get you through it okay. Tickets are approximately 11 euros per adult.
The Spa at
Carratraca
The healing properties of the
town’s sulphuric waters have been sought out since Roman times. The public spa
was built in the 18th century and by the 19th century, visiting the spa became
the height of fashion, even enjoying royal patronage. Located close to the town
hall, known as the Arab house, the baths have been recently renovated and are
now open all year again. The baths, with marble-lined pools, Jacuzzis, mud
treatments and massage on offer, are a magnet for health tourists.
Winter:
Mornings 10.00am to 2.00pm Afternoon/evening 5.00pm to 9.00pm
Closed Mondays all day and closed Tuesday morning |
Summer:
Mornings 10:00am to 2:00pm Afternoon/evening 06:00pm. to 10:00pm
Open every day. |
| Telephone 952 52 84
80 to confirm opening times and make reservations. Not for people under 14
years. |
IMPORTANT
Bathing suits, hats and flip flop type sandals must be worn. |
Wolf Park
Recently a Wolf Park has been
set up near Antequera. We haven't actually visited it ourselves yet, but
understand from guests and friends that it is a lovely place to spend the day.
For more information, check out:
Official Web site of the Wolf Park
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