Costa del Sol means the sunny coast of Spain, which is stretching along over 150-160 kilometers of the Malaga province – from Manilva in the west to Nerja in the east, though some also say Cadiz – Motril.

Many of the most well known Spanish towns is situated in Costa del Sol. If you have been there and have some special experiences or places to share with us, please do.

We did drive through most of the Mediterranean coastline, making stops here and there, but we were also taking some roads up in the mountains too. There are so many wonderful places to explore, so many interesting rural villages. We could go on for ages.

Some of the most known places go to are Malaga, Marbella, Torremolinos, Benalmadena, Sotogrande, Granada, Cordoba, Almeria among others – often ending with a visit to the British Gibraltar. We recommend to go along the coastline one way and then through the mountains the other way. There are special mountain routes, check with the tourist office.

Costa del Sol has many fine sand beaches and a mild climate, which obviously have made thousands of tourists coming there year after year. I remember hearing the local names many years back in time from now. My mother has been to a lot of the places in the sixties and seventies.

Even though I think of Seville when it comes to Flamenco and bull fights, we discovered that the Malaga province also has their share of it too.

Many towns has gone from being fortifications from the beginning to become successful producers of different kind of groceries like vegetables, olive oil or goat milk.

We did stay for several days in the Nerja town to relax before heading home again. Nerja is a very nice little town, even though there are a lot of tourists. Personally we like an alternate of both authentic villages and tourist places on our road trips, so this was a perfect stop after being up in the mountains.

The Balcon de Europa (Balcony of Europe), was constructed around 1487, a former 9th Century Castle, now a viewing point at sea with an absolutely magnificent promenade walkway along the edge of a cliff.

There are also the Nerja caves in the limestone hills, discovered in 1959 and one of Spain’s major tourist attractions. It has a natural amphitheatre in one of the chambers where concerts sometimes is hold. Check out the schedule if you are going there, it must be an awesome sound experience.

We ended our Spanish roadtrip at Malaga airport and were also returning our rental car at the airport, very convenient indeed.

Next time we will go to Costa del Sol, it’s very possible we will go to any of the fantastic golf courses Costa del Sol offer, especially around Marbella, Estepona and Manilva. Very popular holiday choices for golfers.

Lifecruiser ♥ Costa del Sol

The photo above is taken in the spring last year by hubby in El Rocio, Andalusia, Spain, Europe. Slightly experimentally edited by me to get the most out of it.

The most colorful flower photos we’ve been taken, has been on our trips. That’s another reason why I love to travel: I get to take photos I never would have taken here at home.

Why not? It’s the photo moments that’s been offered abroad that I can’t seem to find when at home. I don’t go out exploring as much here at home, that’s true, but even our cold climate don’t offer as much opportunities either.

I’m no fan of pink, but this Hibiscus I found in Tenerife, Spain in January were just irresistible.

That’s another interesting aspect of travel photography: that our best flower photos are the ones with colors that we normally aren’t that fond of.

Take this photo below: I can’t even say which color the background has, it’s a weird one but goes so well to the yellow. A dirty color, but it makes the photo so clean.

No favorite colors, yet we find these photos gorgeous!

It’s like people, we don’t always think their attributes are the most beautiful if looking at them separately, but if looking at the human in whole we may end up loving him/her…

Lifecruiser ♥ Travel Photography
 

Another flower post by Lifecruiser:

Orchid Creatures Exhibitionists
 

Remember last year when we were celebrating Semana Santa in Sanlúcar, the Spanish Easter celebration?

If not, click on the link above and read more – it’s truly fascinating, the way the celebrate it!

Since we didn’t have time to sort the photos properly back then, I just uploaded a few of them taken with my mobile phone camera.

It wasn’t easy to take photos in that crowd in the dark night. Now I’ve finally sorted the rest of them and uploaded them.

Lifecruiser’s Semana Santa in Sanlúcar photo slideshow.

Lifecruiser ♥ Spain
 

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It started as early as in 1845 (!) with informal competitions that were organized by the owners of the horses carrying the fish and shellfish in the Bajo de Guía beach to local markets and nearby towns.

This race has carried on ever since in this spectacular place – along the Bajo de Guía beach every August. We heard about it last year when we were staying just a couple of minutes from Bajo de Guía in our friends casa.

The Jockeys looks like the ones in the Derby in England and the distances are 1500 and 1800 meters. Many big names within the racing world participate, so if you’re into racing, this would be an event to check out.

This year the Sanlúcar horse race is planned to the 1-3 August for the first stage and 17-19 Aug for the second stage. It all depends on the tides.

We will not be able to go there ourselves this year either, because we have another great trip to Southern France planned.

There has even been talk about starting a similar race in the neighboring Moroccan city of Tangiers, since tanger Bay is ideal for this type of event, but I have no idea what’s the status of it.

The Sanlúcar horse race association also has an own webpage worth to keep an eye on.

Nearest airports to get there are Jerez de la Frontera or Seville. If you have the opportunity, just go there, Sanlúcar town is really nice – great seafood and Manzanilla Bodegas.

Just be careful with the Manzanilla. It can give you a headache…

Lifecruiser ♥ Sanlúcar
 

Feeling thirsty? Stop at the kiosk as this rider did in Sanlucar de Barrameda, Spain, last year when we were there.

Come back here for the rest of the amigos – not only drinks – in a day or two.

Lifecruiser ♥ Spanish horses
 

I call it the Mad’s pathway! Tell me how many seconds you can stand to watch this without going: SH*T! Totally MAD!

Information about the video: “The construction of this walkway lasted 4 years and was finished in 1905. The walkway has now gone many years without maintenance, and is in a highly deteriorated and dangerous state. After a four people died in 2000 (and several prior) the local government closed the entrances. Adventurous tourists still find their way into the walkway”.

Also called the Desfiladero de los Gaintanes walkway and is suspended over a sheer drop of some 100 meters.

I was covered in sweat already after the first look down… as I always are when experiencing heights, one of my biggest fears.

According to the euro weekly news, the government is planning a restoration, but has estimated that it may be as long as 5 years before it’s finished, due to “difficulties with the terrain.”

Can you imagine what a work to restore this (and of those who built it from the beginning!) – or the cost of doing it…? *whistles*

Lifecruiser ♥ Mountains
 

Tired of the winter here in Sweden I have sand on my mind. Lots of sand. Beaches. *sigh*

Lifecruiser ♥ Beaches
 

The Manzanilla barrels are labeled Aurora, from the old distinguished Bodega Pedro Romero founded already in 1860 and run by the same family all this time.

Manzanilla is a rather delicate, dry sherry which is made and matured in Sanlucar de Barrameda in the South of Spain where we were a year ago.

When drinking Manzanilla, you better put up some bounds on your rounds with drinks, because it’s quite easy to get headaches from it… I say no more…. *giggles*

I’m glad I got tagged to show my 6th photo in my 6th folder on my computer, because it reminded me that I still have a lot to tell you about that 4620 km roadtrip to Spain!

Read more of this photo meme rules at Sanni and also check out which bloggers that got her generous Bl-Oscars.

Lifecruiser ♥ Manzanilla Rounds