Eat Cook Explore

Insatiably Curious

  • Reviews
    • Restaurants
    • Products
    • Sunday Selection
  • Travel
    • Hotels
    • Travel Gear
  • Recipes
  • Lifestyle
    • Giveaways
  • Store
  • About
    • Contact
    • PR and Disclosure
You are here: Home / Travel / Costa del Sol: more than a beach
Costa del Sol: more than a beach

October 29, 2018 By Elena Lapteva Leave a Comment

Costa del Sol: more than a beach

Sharing is caring!

Costa del Sol has it all, long sandy beaches, heart-stopping mountain scenery, vibrant city life and quaint peaceful pueblos blancos, the white villages. You might be reshuffling your winter wardrobe now, reaching for those fur-trimmed parkas and high boots, but in Andalucia, the Spaniards are still enjoying sangrias al fresco.

Get inspired by our recent trip to Costa del Sol with Jet2holidays to beautiful historic Malaga, chic beachside Marbella, mountainous Ronda and Antequera, awe-aspiring Camenito del Rey and El Torqual de Antequera national parks. And of course, straight to Andalusia’s tavernas and bodegas, tasting delicious food and wine of Spain’s sunniest coast.

Top things to see and do in Malaga

Malaga Promenade

Malaga Promenade

Malaga is more than a gateway to Costa del Sol – it is a lively city with an exciting gallery scene, a large variety of restaurants, Moorish architecture, a famous city beach and a lively port. Here is the perfect itinerary for your Malaga adventure.

Explore Malaga by Segway

Explore Malaga by Segway

Malaga Alcazba Citadel and Castillo de Gibralfaro

Malaga Alcazba Citadel and Castillo de Gibralfaro

If you are pressed for time, hire an electric bike or take a Segway Tour from the Segway Malaga Experience. Segways are legal on Malaga streets and they can go up to 20 km/h. It’s easy to master a Segway in just minutes and riding it is a great fun! Whizz your way around Malaga’s narrow streets, past Malaga Cathedral known as Le Marquita (The One Armed Lady) and all the way up to the ancient citadel complex of Alcazba that has traces of Roman, Moorish and Renaissance architecture fused in a beautiful harmony. Get to the vantage point and marvel at a Roman amphitheatre, the magnificent 14th century Castillo de Gibralfaro. Then ride down to the port, along the promenade of Malaga’s most famous city beach, Malagueta.

Exploring the museums of Malaga

In the autumn, afternoons are still hot in Costa del Sol, so museums are a perfect place to retreat for some shade and culture. Malaga, once Spain’s second largest industrial centre after Barcelona, has a fantastic modern museum –Museo de Malaga. With 18,000 sq m of exhibition space, detailing the region’s history and art, including references to its famous son, Pablo Picasso. Admission is free for EU citizens, and only 1.5 euros for everyone else. But a true Picasso fan should not miss a tour of the Picasso Museum. Tickets range from 4 to 12 euros, depending on exhibits and concessions, but the audio guide is included.

Flamenco and food in Malaga

Antigua Casa de Guardia Malaga

tapas at Antigua Casa de Guardia (1)

Flamenco and food are two things Malaga is well known for. To experience both at the same time head straight to El Pimpi, a must visit place for any foodie worth his bacon.  It’s one of the oldest and busiest restaurants and tapas bars in town, frequented by both locals and tourists. El Pimpi is a maze of corridors and private rooms, their walls adorned with pictures of celebrity patrons, from royalty and politicians to Hollywood stars and artists.

Strong local Vino tinto and Vino Blanco at Antigua Casa de Guardia

Grab a plate of jamon and a bottle of strong local wine, find a cosy table next to a collection of wine barrels signed by El Pimpi’s distinguished guests like Paloma Picasso or actor Antonio Banderas. By the way, the Hollywood heartthrob comes from Malaga and according to our waiter has a house close to El Pimpi. If you fancy a really local experience, take a tapas tour around Malaga.

There is no need to stalk Antonio, book dinner in a private dining room named after him, just like we did. There, surrounded by his numerous photos, we savoured traditional local cuisine under his steely gaze. Cured meats, prawns, crispy pan fried anchovies sprinkled with  fresh lemon, baked cod, grilled octopus and a rich homemade desert, orange sorbet with a dash of olive oil.

Add a couple of glasses of strong “Malaga wine”,  that’s how any local house vino is known here, and you are ready for a flamenco class. A local group of dancers treated us to a fiery performance; one more glass and we were dragged one by one onto a dancing floor. Malaga has its own version of flamenco, called Malagueñas and it is looks as seductive as it sounds.

wine casks at Antigua Casa de Guardia (1)

To finish the night on a high note, we headed to another Malaga institution – Antigua Casa de Guardia, an unassuming local bodega that’s been running since 1840. This rustic place is just one narrow long room: behind the bar there is wine in massive casks and busy barmen in aprons. On the bar, big shots of amber yellow “vino blanco” and ruby red “vino tinto”. The local wine, served in tiny glasses, doesn’t have a complicated aroma, it’s straightforward and strong, and at 1.20 -1.40 euro a pop it is also rather dangerous. Make sure to off-set the damage by lining your stomach with tapas – traditional cheese and ham.

wine casks at Antigua Casa de Guardia (2)

Next day, having fixed ourselves with a bit of local cerveza, we dared to take a full culinary plunge and cook the Malaga’s equivalent of Sunday roast -paella. A big pan of bright yellow rice paella with its zesty strong seafood smell is a centrepiece of a local Sunday afternoon. To get things right, we turned to professionals at a proper cooking school for a three- hour class of paella cooking and a market tour of Mercado Artazanas.

My guides were chefs from Spain Food Sherpas, a company, that takes foodies off the beaten track and teaches them about Spanish food culture. Every cook thinks that his paella recipe is the best, the tastiest and the most authentic, so don’t be surprised if you come across dozens of different ways of how to cook the perfect paella. When starting from scratch, it is worth remembering that stirring is an absolute no-no, rice quality is vital (choose a short-grained variety, preferably Spanish bomba), after arranging seafood over rice let it rest under foil.

Day Trips Around Malaga: Antequera and Ronda

Malaga is a great base to discover nearby towns of Ronda and Antequera. The former is famous for its jaw-dropping bridges that look like frames straight out of Lord of the Rings. Antequera is dubbed as “The City of Churches” and is full of small-town charm. A guided tour of Ronda will ensure that you won’t miss anything and be taken to the most scenic spots.

Get Your Guide

Exploring Ronda

Ronda sits in the heart of Serrania de Ronda, on top of El Tajo gorge. It’s about a 1.5 hours drive from Malaga and the views are really worth a 100 km journey. Its most famous sights are Puento Viejo (Old Bridge) and Puento Nuevo. The Old Bridge is the original bridge that linked two sides of Ronda, the circa 15th-century Moorish town and the newer El Mercadillo neighbourhood.

Puento Nuevo is an engineering marvel built around the 18th century, as the city expanded. Ronda’s location atop a deep ravine means that once you get to a viewing point, you face endless vistas of surrounding valleys, highly instagrammable!

A visit of Ronda is not complete without stepping inside Casa don Bosco, an old house, previously owned by the Granada family. They gifted it to the Selesian Priest Order as a nursing home for ill priests. Casa don Boco boasts a collection of ceramics and furniture, as well as a beautiful courtyard decorated with flowers and Arabic ceramic tiles.

Ronda is also home to the oldest bullfighting ring in Spain, Plaza de Toros. The son of Ronda, Francisco Romero, is responsible for drawing-up the set of original bullfighting rules back in the 17th century. His grandson Pedro founded the Ronda School for Bullfighting, that is still operating in the city.

  • www.turismoderonda.es
  • www.rmcr.org
  • www.casadonbosco.es

Antequera

It takes less than an hour to reach the historic city of Antequera, somewhat of a hidden gem of Andalusia. A wealthy city that has long provided a link between Granada and Seville, and between Cordoba and Malaga, it never relied on tourism as a source of income. Its rich citizens were religious and prosperous in equal measure, which resulted in a proliferation of Christian churches, that are true works of art. If you want to experience some of the Andalusian’s unspoilt charm, look no further. The city’s architecture combines prehistorical Dolmens, Roman villas, Middle Age Moorish Alcazba, Baroque and Renaissance churches alongside contemporary mansions and civil buildings.

One of the city’s landmarks is a brick 60-meter tower of the Collegiate Church of San Sebastian in the centre of town. The best church is from the highest point of Antequera the Royal Collegiate of Santa Maria. The viewpoint near Santa Maria church allows you to see most of the town’s 33 churches and a rock of Pena de los Enamorados, or the Lovers’ Rock. Shaped like a human face, the rock is connected to a romantic legend about two young Moorish lovers from rival clans, who shared a forbidden love affair. Chased by their nemesis, they preferred to jump off this rock, hand in hand, than to separate.

Where to stay in Malaga

Hotel Borcelo, Malaga

The slide at Hotel Borcelo, Malaga

You’d struggle to find a hotel with a funkier contemporary design than at the Barcelo Hotel. Let me tell you just one thing – this hotel has a slide. Yes, you can slide right from the first floor restaurant to the reception in a matter of seconds! Seriously, who needs a lift? Just don’t eat too much, although Barcelo’s delicious breakfast buffet might be a temptation too hard to resist. Another great thing about Barcelo is its location right next to María Zambrano train station, the main hub for high-speed trains, and a short walk to a big shopping centre, the El Corte Engles. The C-1 bus route from the airport also stops right next to Barcelo.

More Information

To find out more about similar tours of Costa del Sol, check out Jet 2 Holidays.

EatCookExplore was a guest of Jet2 Holidays

Sharing is caring!

Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: Costa del sol, malaga, Spain

« Easy Japanese Ginger Pork Shogayaki recipe
Korean Temple food with Michelin Balwoo Gongyang »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Google
Custom Search
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Follow me on Twitter

Tweets by eatcookexplore_

Latest Posts

Really Crispy Chinese Five Spice Roast Pork Siu Yuk 

Christmas Food and Drink Ideas

Simpsons Tavern 1757: The Original Chop House in the City

Sushi Masterclass with The Harbour Club St Lucia

Singapore Food Festival London

Restaurants By Cuisine

American
Argentinian
British
Chinese
French
Indian
Italian
Japanese
Malaysian
Mexican
Street Food
Afternoon Tea
BBQ
Michelin

Twitter Updates

Tweets by @eatcookexplore_

eatcookexplore

💉💉 💉💯
🍣 Eater, Cook & Travel Writer Insatiably Curious
Skier, Hiker, Diver, Golfer, Adventurer
🧘🏻‍♀️🚵🏻‍♀️🏌🏻‍♀️Keeping Active #ecxtravel #ecxfood

May EatCookExplore 🏔🏖🏰


Celebrating #ChineseNewYear @thegantrylondon with
Celebrating #ChineseNewYear @thegantrylondon with a feast of dumplings by @mamachensdumplings and cocktails in their bar with a view. The popup in the lobby is for 3 months, so you gave some time to sample their spicy offerings. Do try the noodles doused in killer chilli oil, that’s heavy with the numbing Sichuan peppercorns.  (Tip: grab a table by the circular windows, best view). 
.
.
.
.
.
#chinesefood #chinesenewyear2023 #thegantrylondon #popup #chinesedumplings #invite #londonhotels #stratford

🎄🎄🎄Christmas in London! 🎄🎄🎄
Love

🎄🎄🎄Christmas in London! 🎄🎄🎄
Love how the city comes alive when it’s all dressed up for #christmas! Are you feeling in the Xmas mood yet? 
@carnabylondon @regentstreetw1 @coventgardenldn @stpancrasinternational 
.
.
.
#christmasinlondon #christmastree #christmaslights #christmaslondon #festivelights #londonstreets #lovelondon

INVITE • 🥥🥥🥥It’s the #worldcoconutday
INVITE • 🥥🥥🥥It’s the #worldcoconutday and we’re celebrating with @vitacocoeu at a #SriLankan cooking class @migratefuluk . @Chef_yogi taught us his mum’s recipe for a pepper mushroom curry, spicy roti, sambal with yellow rice. Using the coconut oil, pressed coconut water to make the dishes. It was a coconut lovers menu. 
🌴To support the coconut growers, head over to @vitacocoeu ‘s page and like and tag a friend. Each action helps their Vita Coco project.  🍹To go with that, we had @alunacoconut rum #cocktails 
🥘Migrateful now has a few hundred trained chefs working in hospitality. What a great initiative. #refugeeswelcome 
.
.
.
.
.
 #ecxfood #igfood #foodgawker #f52grams #food52  #foodspotting #igfood #igfoodie #instaeat #luxfood #foodblog #buzzfeat #homecooking #foodism #thefeedfeed #eaterlondon #srilankanfood

INVITE • There’s a #SingaporeFoodFestival on i
INVITE • There’s a #SingaporeFoodFestival on in London from 25 august til September. We did a food tour where we sampled all these deliciousness. These are the places in London that have special menus and limited edition items.  1. @oldchangkee famous for their giant curry puffs (spicy empanada) , they created a chilli crab curry puff! 🦀 AND Singapore #laksa!
2. @rasasayang that serves Singaporean and Malaysian favourites, try their Heritage menu which includes Hainanese Chicken Rice, rojak, satay, chilli crab and sago gula Melaka. End with s properly made Teh Tarik. All for £29.95! Bargain. 
3. Honest Burgers - after sampling a street kitchen dish, cereal prawns, they created a cereal fried chicken burger with a spicy sample sauce.  @visit_singapore 
#SingaporeFoodFestival 
#visitsingapore
.  .
.
.
#foodstagram #ecxfood #igfood #singaporefood #foodgawker #f52gram #food52  #foodspotting #igfood #igfoodie #instaeat #luxfood #foodblog #buzzfeat #yahoofood #foodism #thefeedfeed #eaterlondon

A Mexican lunch. Delish tacos from @herdezmexico ,
A Mexican lunch. Delish tacos from @herdezmexico , a household name in Mexico and now in the UK. Find them on the Southbank today. 
Grab a #Mezcal Paloma #cocktail while you’re there. #invite.
.
.
#foodstagram #foodpic #foodpicture #instafood #foodgasm #ecxfood #igfood #foodgawker #f52gram #food52  #foodspotting #igfood #igfoodie #instaeat #luxfood #foodblog #buzzfeat #yahoofood #foodism #thefeedfeed #eaterlondon

Preview of the historic #africafashion exhibition
Preview of the historic #africafashion exhibition @vamuseum . Showcasing talent from 54 countries with 250 pieces curated by Christine Chechinska and team. 
“Spanning iconic mid-20th century to contemporary creatives through photographs, textiles, music and the visual arts, Africa Fashion will explore the vitality and global impact of a fashion scene as dynamic and varied as the continent itself.” 
Besides the stunning fashion, there are family photos through the last few decades, showcasing the diversity and talent of so many. 
The couture creations were quite breathtaking. Go for the fashion and stay for the cultural narrative. This show opens on 2 July 2022. 
#invite #letsdolondon #lovelonfon #couturefashion #fashion #designers #photographers

@sterminshotel celebrating the Queen’s #platinum
@sterminshotel celebrating the Queen’s #platinumjubilee all summer long with their beautiful #afternoontea. Also celebrating the launch of the cheeky portrait of queenie by @anikamanuelart and the #corgitrail around Victoria. See #sherrythecorgi at the entrance of the hotel. 
.
.
.
#invite #foodstagram #foodpic #foodpicture #instafood #foodgasm #ecxfood #igfood #foodgawker #f52gram #food52 #luxfood #thefeedfeed #eaterlondon

INVITE Limited edition #afternoontea @chelseaharbo
INVITE Limited edition #afternoontea @chelseaharbourhotel to celebrate the Queen’s #PlatinumJubilee served with @gusbourne_wine Rose. A real treat in a beautiful location. 
.
.
.
#ecxfood #sparklingwine #Englisheibe #chelsea #foodspotting #igfood #igfoodie #british #instaeat #luxfood #foodblog #buzzfeat #yahoofood #foodism #thefeedfeed #eaterlondon

Invite Fabulous afternoon tea @thebiltmoremayfair
Invite Fabulous afternoon tea @thebiltmoremayfair with some cute pooches. Delicious pastries, #champagne  and lots of special treats for your dogs too. Hosted in their gorgeous floral terrace. Celebrate the Queen’s #platinumjubilee in style. You can book this all through the summer. #corgitea 
.
.
.
#foodstagram #foodpic #foodpicture #instafood #foodgasm #ecxfood #thequeen #🇬🇧 #lovelondon #quintissentiallyenglish #uk #visitlondon #londonlife #british #afternoontea #thefeedfeed #eaterlondon

Ad Cooking with Extra Virgin Olive Oil- a mastercl
Ad Cooking with Extra Virgin Olive Oil- a masterclass with @laespanolauk @foodat52 with @travelandcuisine . 
We learnt about the different qualities of olive oil, the health benefits and several great recipes like marinating your cheddar cheese with #EVOO !
We feasted on tapas, made a salmon starter and crowned it with a paella. Recipes on the blog. 
.
.
.
.
.
#laespanolat52 #laespanolaculinaryexperiences #foodat52  #spanishfood #laespanolauk #cookexperience #simplecooking #easyrecipes #ecxfood #instafood #oliveoil

The tasting menu @riwazbucks by @chefatulkochhar i
The tasting menu @riwazbucks by @chefatulkochhar is absolutely fab. 7 courses of dishes from different regions of India, with a light touch on slicing, bursting with flavours and do pretty to look at. 
Full review on the blog. 
Way exceeded our expectations for a restaurant in this commuter town. Lucky people of Beaconsfield. 
A really buzzy atmosphere in their restored 18th century Grade 2 listed pub. Exposed beams, elephant wallpaper, an understated,  modern and chic interior. 
.
.
.
.
.
#foodstagram #foodpic #foodpicture #instafood #foodgasm #ecxfood #igfood #foodgawker #f52gram #food52  #foodspotting #igfood #igfoodie #instaeat #luxfood #foodblog #buzzfeat #yahoofood #foodism #thefeedfeed #eaterlondon

Spring has arrived in London. Streets are showere
Spring has arrived  in London. Streets are showered with pretty pale pink petals of all sorts of blossoms.  #blossomwatch  #phototravel #ecxtravel #travelogue #traveldiaries #prettylittlelondon #travelawesome #london #londonlife #wanderful #writetotravel #ngtuk #passionpassport  #destinationearth #exploringtheworld #TTOT #tripnatics #wearetravelgirls #girlswhotravel #guardiantravelsnaps #womenwhoexplore #mytinyatlas

AD A celebration meal with luscious gunma #wagyube
AD A celebration meal with luscious gunma #wagyubeef strips served with stir-fried glutinous rice or "Loh Mai Fan". The wagyu beef is A5, the highest quality and is cut into 8mm thickness that is usually used for yakiniku. Here, it is just seared on a very hot griddle and glazed with some eel sauce. 
The rice is not your typical fried rice but made with glutinous rice, shitake mushrooms, dried shrimps and wind-dried Chinese sausages. The combination of ingredients gives it a rich umami flavour. 
Recipes here: https://www.eatcookexplore.com/gunma-wagyu-beef-with-stir-fried-glutinous-rice/
.
.
.
#chinesefood '#chinesenewyear #homecooking #celebrationmeal #a5wagyu #chinesecooking #cookfromscratch #ecxfood #yearofthetiger #recipedevelopment #recipeoftheday #chineserecipe #chinesecuisine

Today is the 15th day of Chinese New Year, also kn
Today is the 15th day of Chinese New Year, also known The lantern festival. It is the end of the new year celebrations and for observing the taboos. For Hokkien people, it is called Chap Goh Meh, more important than the 1st day of the new Year. 
It’s also important day for singles. Historically, this was the only day that unmarried girls were allowed out. The tradition is to throw mandarins into the sea to ensure that you marry well. And all the young men gather on the streets for their only chance to see their potential girlfriends. 
#chinesenewyear #LondonChinatownSpace #CNYLondon #LoveLondon #London #LondonCity #GuardianCities #NGTUK #PrettyLittleLondon #ECSTravel

✨The 12th day of Christmas. ✨

Today is the da
✨The 12th day of Christmas. ✨  Today is the day of Ephiphany. In Italy, its Befana, the witch brings children sweets. In Spain, they exchange gifts. In France, the celebrate with a Galette de Rois.  In the Christian church this day was known as the 12th day of Christmas. The day Jesus was revealed to the 3 Magi, the 3 Wise Kings who came bearing gifts of frankincense, gold and myrrh.  I’ve not put up too many pics of London’s Xmas lights do here they are. Until next year. 
.
.
.
@regentstreetw1 @oxfordstreetw1 @visitlondon #christmasinlondon #christmastree #christmaslights #londonlife #londonstreets #prettycitylondon


✨🎄🍾🥂Wishing everyone a very Merry Chris
✨🎄🍾🥂Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas from London. 
✨Let’s hope 2022 brings more fun adventures and better sunrises. 
.
.
.
#ecxtravel #prettylittlelondon #prettylittlecities @regentstreetw1 #explorelondon #letsdolondon #morelondon #christmaslights #regentstlights #angellights #lovelondon❤️ #merrychristmas🎄

Tasting #EnglishSparkling #wine @nyetimber on thei
Tasting #EnglishSparkling #wine @nyetimber on their roving bus. 
They’ll be parked in front of @nationaltheatre for 3 days then around London. Drop by for a glass of bubbly in the bus. 
Love the slightly sweet Demi-sec in the teal bottle. Perfect for a festive tipple. Have you tried it?
.
.
.
#winetasting #winetasting🍷 #winelover #wineuk #winelovers #worldinwine #winetime #EnglishWine #englishwinery #sparklingwine #invite

Autumn leaves 🍂

Early morning in London, walki
Autumn leaves 🍂  Early morning in London, walking in the sunlight outside resetting my circadian rhythm. I’m learning to hack my sleep without supplements as did chemicals and how to manage your nervous system and biological responses. A fascinating journey. 
.  .
.
.
#autumninlondon#autumnleaves#lovelondon#streetsoflondon#visitlondon#voyaged#suitcasetravels#shotoniphone#tlpicks#cnyraveler#mytinyatlas#lonelyplanet#theprettycities#facadelovers#ongooglemaps#straightfacade#halloweendecoration #byfolk#autumnvibes#allthefall#postitfortheaesthetic#passionpassport#its_so_london #accidentallywesanderson #hackingsleep #biohacking


Load More…



Follow on Instagram


Navigation

  • Restaurant Reviews
  • Product Reviews
  • Recipes
  • Sunday Selection
  • Eat
  • Travel
  • Hotel Reviews
  • Giveaways
  • Contact

Images and content unless otherwise indicated Copyright © Eat Cook Explore 2009-2022

Foodies100 Index of UK Food Blogs
Foodies100

You might also like

Crispy Roast Pork Belly

Really Crispy Chinese Five Spice Roast Pork Siu Yuk 

Able and Cole Organic Christmas Turkey

Christmas Food and Drink Ideas

Simpsons Tavern Roast Beef with all the trimmings

Simpsons Tavern 1757: The Original Chop House in the City

Make Sushi at home ingredients

Sushi Masterclass with The Harbour Club St Lucia

Singapore Food Festival London Chicken Satay

Singapore Food Festival London

Affiliate Disclosure

Eat Cook Explore participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn commissions by linking to Amazon. In more human terms, this means that whenever you buy a product on Amazon from a link on here, I get a small percentage of its price and it doesn't cost you anything more. That helps support the site by offsetting a fraction of what it takes to maintain the site, and is very much appreciated.

Copyright © 2023

Copyright © 2023

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT