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Costa del Sol Luxury Apartment |
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Hacienda del Sol is located adjacent to Isdabe beach, just off the main coast road (A7/N340), near the attractive town of San Pedro de Alcántara. San Pedro is midway between Marbella and Estepona, about 12km from each. The immediate surroundings are very pleasant, particularly compared with the more built-up areas of the Costa del Sol towards Málaga. Hacienda del Sol is situated close to a Marriot vacation resort and a Crowne Plaza hotel – both exclusive, luxury operations – which means that the beach and immediate surroundings are well maintained. Within 10 minutes walking distance are many local bars, restaurants, shops/supermarkets, and banks. The attractive town of San Pedro de Alcántara is about 2.5km away. There is a bus stop within 10 minutes walk, providing a bus service every 20 minutes to Puerto Banús and Marbella (going east) and Estepona (going west). So, although we recommend a hire car, it is not essential. How to get thereMálaga is the closest airport, 70km away and about 50 minutes drive, with many flights from various UK airports. Alternatively, Gibraltar and Jerez airports are within one hour’s drive but offer less flights. Seville and Granada are about two and three hours respectively. Airlines flying to these airports from the UK include Easyjet, Ryanair, British Airways, Iberia, Thomson, Thomas Cook, Monarch, and XL. Try using flight search engines to get the best combination of airport, timing and price, such as www.skyscanner.net or www.traveljungle.co.uk. There are extensive car rental facilities immediately after the arrivals door at Málaga airport. Again, the Internet allows you to find a good deal. We’ve found that if you book online and pay in advance with Hertz, you get a good price with a top company (and although you pay in advance, you can still cancel for a full refund). www.hertz.co.uk Alternatively, you can taken a cab from the airport, or book a transfer in advance, for example from www.malagaairporttaxis.com. If you don’t have too much luggage, there is also a bus service from Málaga airport to Marbella, where you change for the local bus that passes Hacienda del Sol. There's also the train! Take an afternoon ‘Eurostar’ from London, change at Paris for the overnight ‘Hotel’ train to Madrid arriving 9.15am, then it’s just a two and a half hour ride on the new high-speed line to Málaga on the ‘AVE’ train. See www.seat61.com/Spain.htm#Malaga for information and booking advice. SightseeingThe nearest major town is Estepona, an active fishing port, which has a charming old quarter with cobbled streets, independent shops, and a distinctly Spanish feel. There are over 200 restaurants in Estepona, offering all types of cuisine, as well as many street cafés, tapas bars and bodegas. It has a lively beach-side promenade with various entertainment in the summer months. We are fond of Estepona! Puerto Banús is 10 minutes drive, where you can gape at the millionaire yachts in the marina. Marbella is 20 minutes drive, a pleasant, palm-lined town with a large beach-side promenade. Ronda is a famous Andalucian “white town”, about an hour away, very attractive, and situated over a dramatic gorge setting. The road to Ronda is superb, climbing through hills, surrounded by trees, without a building in sight. Highly recommended. Other nearby attractive hill towns include Benahavis and Casares. Longer-distance excursions worth considering are: · Málaga, about an hour away, which has an attractive old town, and the Picasso museum. · Jerez, after which Sherry is named, about an hour away on the Atlantic coast. · Algeciras, about an hour away, from where you can catch the boat to Morocco, an exciting trip for a day or perhaps overnight. · Gibraltar, about 45 minutes away, the big rock still overlooking a little patch of Britain. · Seville, about two hours away, the cultural and financial capital of southern Spain. · Cádiz, about two hours away, a beautiful, crumbling town, dramatically situated on a peninsula. · Granada, three hours away, with the world famous Alhambra palace and gardens. ShoppingThe Costa del Sol is a paradise for shopping, usually at lower prices compared with the UK. The largest shopping centre is La Cañada on the Marbella ring road. At Puerto Banús, there is a vast El Corte Inglés and many designer shops. On the way into Estepona, there is a Carrefour hypermarket and many other shops. On the other side of Estepona, there is an “outlet” shopping centre. SportsThere are 12 superb golf courses within a short drive from the apartment, and many others along the coast. Other local activities include sailing, water sports, and horse riding. Night lifeThere are lots of bars and clubs in nearby Estepona, Puerto Banús and Marbella. If you don’t want to drive, you can get a bus or taxi; a taxi will cost you €15 to €20. Useful linksMalaga weather http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0198 http://www.malaga-weather.com/ Guardian readers’ tips about Andalucía http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/places/spain/tips/Andalucia Local info: |