We took a two-day break in the Málaga area last week. We visited one beach resort/village we hadn’t known previously and several others which we had previously regarded as tacky and un-cool.
Well, we were wrong about that, weren’t we? They aren’t! What a delightful time we had everywhere we went.
We headed first for Fuengirola, to Cafetería Granier on the seafront for a late breakfast. Quite expensive, but scrummy! We’d been there a few times before, so knew how it would be.
I had booked a reasonably-priced hostal in El Palo, on the eastern edge of the provincial capital, so that’s where we headed next, in order to check in. It was clean and tidy and for 43 euros, an absolute bargain.
“Let’s go and check out the beach,” said Rita so off we went to Pedregalejo. What a delightful spot - lots of little inlets backed by a promenade full of bars, restaurants and chiringuitos. We sat at one in the sun. It was so hot and sunny, 22C, that Rita downed her several cervezas sin quicker than I my cervezas con!
Back to the Hostal Moscatel for a rest before getting washed and dressed ready for our posh dinner that evening. The international Costa Press Club, of which I am a member, were holding their monthly dinner at Verum, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Cerrado de Calderón, a barrio in the east of Málaga .
We decided to use Ub
ers there and back, which were a very cheap 5 euros each way including a generous tip.
The tasting menu was excellent. We chose the carnivore option, but the veggies were also very happy. The wine just kept coming too. We were so full that we didn’t have room for desserts. A great night, meeting new colleagues and chewing the fat.
The following morning at about 7 am I went in search of an early café, as is my wont, for my early-morning coffee.
On my return, Rita was finishing getting ready, so we checked out and headed to Los Álamos in Torremolinos for breakfast on the beach. The chiringuito, Playa de Los Álamos, has a significance for us. It’s where Rita and I went after I collected her from the airport in May 2021 after three months away in Germany recovering from a severe bout of Covid. The breakfast was lovely, sitting by the beach next to a stand of palm trees with the sun blazing down.
Then it was back to Fuengirola to collect pan alemán which we had ordered the previous day from Granier. (By the way, we used to have a Cafetería Granier in Ronda. It closed last year, inexplicably. There are four in Fuengirola alone!)
We took the coast road, and passed through Benalmádena, another Costa del Sol resort I’d never really been keen on. But it looked great in the sun and is probably worth re-visiting some time.
After a beer or several on the prom in Los Boliches, we headed to Restaurante Vegetalia , also in Los Boliches, for our free lunch. Free? Yep! At the 25 anniversary of the Costa Press Club, back in September 2022, I had won a voucher for 40€ for lunch at this restaurant in the raffle.
Well, apart from the fact that our lunch was free, we were treated to some lovely grub. A buffet, you could just help yourself to a choice of salads and hot dishes. All high quality and tasty. Once again, we didn’t have room for desserts.
Neither did we get anywhere near the 40€ we had available to spend, so we left the “change” for the bote. Delicious and not expensive. Owner Katja Gilan, from Finland, is the wife of CPC treasurer Peter Leonard, a journalist from Australia.
Then it was time to head home to Ronda. What a great couple of days we had spent. From now on I won’t hear a bad word said about places like Benalmádena, Fuengirola, Los Boliches and Torremolinos. And, as for Pedregalejo? Wow!
Check them out!
© Pablo de Ronda