The Spanish Fly - Travels in Spain

"Forget the Hotspots"

Yzabelle Bostyn, a journalist working for The Olive Press, has recently written about five less well-known places away from the popular big cities, like Barcelona, Granada, Madrid, Málaga, Sevilla, and Valencia.

Her choices are good ‘uns. I’ve been to all five. Here’s what I think:

[Image courtesy of Google]    

Reus (Catalunya)

Close to Salou, this is Gaudí territory.

I spent a week there with my first wife Jeryl and our two young kids, Amy and Tom, some 37 years ago. We stayed in an apartment in Salou, famously gay, even back then.

It was wet, I remember, but during dry spells we enjoyed the beach, and had fun exploring the rocky coastline and the restaurants which offered a huge variety of fresh fish

We liked it, although we never returned – Spain has so many other delights.

    Salou beach [Catalunya Turisme]

Jaén (Andalucía)

After my divorce from Jeryl, I was with a new lady, Maude. She had fallen in love with Spain after I took her there, to such an extent that she bought a little house in Ronda (Malaga) on her second day in the town.

But, I digress .....

After some time together living in North Wales we embarked on a little parador trip through southern Spain. We started at the emblematic parador in the grounds of the Alhambra in Granada - Wow!

After that we were at the paradores in Cordoba and Cazorla, before fetching up in Jaén . The parador here is an old castle, Santa Catalina, crowning the city and offering visitors a spectacular view of the mountains of the Sierra Morena and Sierra Mágina.

The Parador de Jaén stands out for its façade of huge stone walls and impressive interior vaults. We certainly enjoyed our stay there.

    Jaen parador with town in behind [20 Minutos]

Down in the town centre, Jaén was less impressive, just a busy, working city.  A few years later I was to discover two nearby cities, Baeza and ubeda, which are much more impressive.

Oviedo (Asturias)

I was here for a European Study Visit (Socrates) while the UK was still a member of the European Union.

The topic was to be “Teaching a modern foreign language from early ages”. By law in Spain, children have to study a foreign language (English) from age three.

As the Senior Adviser for MFL in Sefton (Merseyside) this was of great interest to me.

    Oviedo [Spain.info]

I was joined on the course by educators from across the European Union.

It was a fantastic week, during which we visited schools, sat in on lessons, had de-briefing meetings, went on trips into the countryside, drank lots of cider and were right royally entertained by our hosts. I even enjoyed a brief “liaison” with Paula, a German headteacher.

I liked Oviedo and also Gijón, on the coast.

La Gomera (Canary Islands)

Back in the early 2000s, Jeryl and I were on holiday in Tenerife (where were the kids?) and on one day we caught the ferry from Playa de Los Ingleses to La Gomera, a tiny island in the Canary Islands archipelago.

Back then, the island had no airport, no nothing really. But we had a great day, exploring on foot and swimming off the beach near the ferry port.

Now La Gomera has an airport, so I suspect it’s more touristy.

    Town beach on La Gomera [Expedia.es]

Jerez (Andalucía)

I’ve been to Jerez de la Frontera, home of sherry, a few times.

We used to use the airport at Jerez until Ryanair pulled out and there were no more flights suitable for us.

However, the first time I went to Jerez was with Jeryl during our 2000 silver wedding anniversary tour of Andalucía.

We did a guided visit of the González Byass bodega, which was incredibly interesting. It gave me a love for fino, a dry sherry.

    Jerez de la Frontera [rumbo]

On subsequent visits with second wife Rita, we nearly always managed to not find our way out of the city by car. The road signs are non-existent, and Google Maps doesn’t have a clue.

I’ve been with Bianca, Rita’s niece; with Julia, Laura and Jakob, relatives from Germany (we visited the Jerez Riding School); with my daughter Amy, husband Carlo (now ex-husband) and their son Felix; and with a group of friends on a coach trip from Montejaque.

Jerez old town is very atmospheric with loads of great bars and restaurants. The sights are also fascinating and the Riding School was amazing.

I like Jerez; Rita does not!

Conclusion

Yzabelle's five choices are fine, although I could offer some others which would be strong contenders for inclusion.

These would include Baeza (Andalucia), Cádiz (Andalucia), Cuenca (Castilla-La Mancha), Girona (Catalunya), Salamanca (Castilla-León), Santander (Cantabria), Toledo (Castilla-La Mancha), Ubeda (Andalucia) and Hondarribia (Basque country). 

Hondarribia [A un Clic de la Aventura]

I suggest Yzabelle Bostyn has not visited all the places she mentions.

For example, Oviedo has no beaches, as it is inland in the mountains!

Jaén is not the best "non-hotspot" in Jaén province; nearby Baeza and Úbeda are far superior in every respect.

She doesn't do Jerez justice either - the town is about sherry and horses, not flamenco.

Q.E.D.

© The Spanish Fly

Links:

MY SPECIAL PLACES IN SPAIN - Help me, Ronda – features Oviedo

My Top 25 Places To Visit In Andalucía – mentions Nerja

Nerja - a little gem

Photos:

A un clic de la Aventura, Catalunya Turisme, Expedia.es, Google, rumbo, Spain.info, 

Acknowledgements:

The Olive Press, Wikipedia, www.help-me-ronda.com, Yzabelle Bostyn

Tags:

2000 silver wedding anniversary tour of Andalucía, Amy, Andalucía, Asturias, A un clic de la Aventura, Barcelona, Bianca, bodega, Canary Islands, Canary Islands archipelago, Catalunya, Catalunya Turisme, Cider, coach trip, dry sherry, English, European Study Visit, European Union, Expedia.es, Felix, ferry, fino, Forget the Hotspots, Gaudí, German headteacher, Germany, Gijón, Gonzalez Byass, Google, Google Maps, Granada, group of friends, home of sherry, husband Carlo, Jakob, Julia, Jerez, Jerez de la Frontera, Jerez old town, Jerez Riding School, Jeryl, La Gomera, “liaison”, Madrid, Málaga, Merseyside, Montejaque, my daughter Amy, no airport, on holiday in Tenerife, Oviedo, Paula, Playa de Los Ingleses, Reus, Rita, Rita’s niece, road signs are non-existent, rumbo, Ryanair, Salou, Sefton, Senior Adviser for MFL, Sevilla, Socrates, Spain.info, study a foreign language from age three, “Teaching a modern foreign language from early ages”, The Olive Press, The Spanish Fly, Tom, UK, Valencia, Yzabelle Bostyn

Some fifteen towns and villages in Málaga province were represented at Fitur 2025 in Madrid last month. I know them all. They range "from the sublime to the ridiculous".

FITUR is an important trade fair held annually in Madrid.

Tourism bodies from around the world attend and set up “stands” to promote their “wares”.

Fitur 2025 [Photo: Diario de Sevilla]    

Málaga province has a major presence. In January 2025 15 places were represented under the umbrella heading of "Andalusian Crush".  

This is Part II of "Promoting Málaga". Click here for Part I.

Málaga City

Málaga was ignored for years as tourists landed at Málaga Airport and headed west to the tourist resorts of the Costa del Sol.

Yet, in the last ten years or so, the sixth largest city in Spain has had a "makeover".

Málaga by night [Spain.info]

A revitalised port with shops and restaurants, more than a dozen museums and art galleries, fantastic Casco Antiguo (old part), a restored Roman amphitheatre, great restaurants and promotion of its splendid beaches and other attractions.

We love it and go whenever we can and stay over for at least one night.

Aerial view of the Port of Málaga [Wikipedia]   

Links:

MALAGA CITY - Help me, Ronda

Magnificent, under-rated Málaga - Eye on Spain

Mini-break in Malaga - Help me, Ronda

Museums in Málaga City - Help me, Ronda

Coín

This busy town is close to Málaga airport, so has a significant number of foreign residents. It’s the sort of place you end up in when you get lost in that area. Not my "cup of tea" at all.

Marbella

I had never liked Marbella – too big, too busy, too dirty, too loud and too full of “guiris”.

Then when the local “fuzz” fined me incorrectly for a parking offence, I vowed never to set foot in Marbella again!

But, for health reasons, we have had to go a couple of times a week recently.

Rita has had two eye operations on our private health care plan and where is their hospital? In Marbella!

Hospital Ochoa overlooks the Mediterranean [FVV Ochoa]

While these ops were taking place I had time to kill, so I did some exploring on foot, and I have to confess I’ve grown to like the place. 

Especially the Casco Antiguo – the Old Town. 

It’s small but traffic-free with good shops, bars, cafes and restaurants.

Marbella Old Town [Marbella Living]    

Link:

The Spanish Police are beginning to get on my nerves! - Help me, Ronda

Mijas

Like Casares, there are two settlements: Mijas Pueblo in the mountains and La Cala de Mijas on the coast. We like both for different reasons.

    Mijas Pueblo [Photo: Spain.info]                                                  La Cala de Mijas [Photo: MalagaCar.com]

Mijas Pueblo is very “foreign” but delightful with superb views, and great hospitality venues and shops.

La Cala is situated on a long and wide sandy beach. Although it’s busy and touristy and there’s nowhere to park, the chiringuitos that form a backdrop to the beach are varied and relatively affordable.

In the little “centro”, there are all kinds of shops, ranging from pricey to “cheap and nasty”.

La Cala is our “go-to” place if we are nearby. We’ve  even spent the odd night there in Airbnbs or booking.com rentals.

Ronda

What can I write about the Ciudad Soñada, the City of Dreams? 

It’s where both Rita, from Germany, and I, from the UK, chose to live independently of one another (we met in Ronda, in fact).

As a Spanish-speaker, who fell in love with Spain aged 20, it was always my dream to live here someday.

It took nearly 40 years to achieve that goal, but in that time I travelled to every region, bar one (Galicia), and Ronda was the best place I found.

Aerial view of Ronda [Photo: Andalucia.org]   

As somewhere to live, Cádiz (Cádiz), Cuenca (Castilla-La Mancha), Frigiliana (Málaga), Fuenterrabía/Hondarribia (Guipúzkoa), Guadalupe (Extremadura), Nerja (Málaga), Salamanca (Castilla-León), San Sebastián (Guipúzkoa) and Santander (Cantabria) also "tickled my fancy", but Ronda always had the edge.

    Cádiz City [Photo: Hertz]                          Cuenca [Photo: Wikipedia]                Frigiliana [Photo: Malaga Hoy]

    Hondarribia [Photo: Wikipedia]               Guadalupe [Photo: Spain.info]                       Nerja [Photo: La sexta]

    Salamanca [El Confidencial]         San Sebastian [Wikipedia]                                            Santander [DTI]

Links:

My Top 10 places in Ronda - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Ronda Romántica: Falling in love in the 'city of dreams' - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Top 10 places to visit around the Serranía de Ronda and beyond

Ronda - City of Dreams - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Torre del Mar

Torre del Mar is the coastal town paired with Vélez-Málaga (qv).

I don't know it well but the beaches are spotless and so are the public toilets, of which there are many. The huge car park behind the beach is free.

Torre has a lot going for it. Good shops, normal ones as well as tourist traps.

The superb beach in Torre del Mar [Wikipedia]  

Torremolinos

The very name Torremolinos is enough to give you the shivers.

Eric Idle's classic monologue about Torremolinos for Monty Python's Flying Circus did nothing to enhance its reputation as a tacky and cheap holiday resort for lower-class Brits.

Torremolinos [Wikipedia]    

Yet, nowadays Torremolinos is a very different "kettle of fish". The eastern end was always undeveloped, yet the beach there is amazing - deep and sandy, and loads of chiringuitos.

Even the centre of town and the Casco Antiguo have shifted up-market. Out with the lager-louts and jerry-built hotels and in with the more discerning tourist.

We discovered its charms, together with next-door Guadalmar, when we were looking for a hotel near the airport if we had an early morning flight.

Hotel Royal Costa in Torremolinos is 20 minutes from the airport and costs around 50€ for a double room with breakfast or a packed breakfast if you have a really early flight out of Malaga.

5€ for a taxi to the airport. Amazing!

Hotel Royal Costa [Photo: Trip Advisor]    

Nowadays, if I'm picking someone up who is arriving late afternoon/early evening, I go early.

I do a bit of shopping in stores not available in Ronda (eg Bauhaus, Carrefour, Conforama, IKEA, Leroy Merlin) and then have a couple of hours on the beach, either in Guadalmar or Torremolinos, including a snack, some sunbathing and a swim.

The beach at Guadalmar [Wikipedia]    

© The Spanish Fly

Further Links:

Mini-break in Malaga - Help me, Ronda

The best and worst of the Western Costa del Sol - Eye on Spain

Photos:

DTI, El Confidencial, Facebook, Hertz, MalagaCar.com, Malaga Hoy, Spain.info, Trip Advisor, Wikipedia

Tags:

"Andalusian Crush", Bauhaus, Cádiz, Cádiz City, Cantabria, Carrefour, Casco Antiguo, chiringuito, City of Dreams, Ciudad Soñada, Conforama, Cuenca, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla-León, DTI, El Confidencial, Eye on Spain, Facebook, Frigiliana, Fuenterrabía, Guadalmar, Guadalupe, Guipúzkoa, guiri, Hertz, Hondarribia, IKEA, La Cala, La sexta, Leroy Merlin, Málaga, MalagaCar.com, Málaga Hoy, Marbella, Mijas Pueblo, Nerja, "Promoting Málaga", Ronda, Salamanca, San Sebastian, Santander, Spain.info, The Spanish Fly, Torre del Mar, Torremolinos, Trip Advisor, Wikipedia

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Some fifteen towns and villages in Málaga province were represented at Fitur 2025 in Madrid last month. I know them all. They range from the sublime to the ridiculous.

FITUR is an important trade fair held annually in Madrid. Tourism bodies from around the world attend and set up “stands” to promote their “wares”.

    Fitur 2025 [Photo: Diputacion de Malaga]

Málaga province had a major presence. In January 2025 15 towns and villages were represented under the umbrella heading "Andalusian Crush".

Fitur 2025 [Photo: Diario de Sevilla]    

Malaga presented some 15 towns and villages at Fitur 2025.

Part I takes a look at the first tranche (below), while Part II, coming soon, will "run a slide-rule" over the remainder.

Click here for Part II.

"Promoting Malaga" - Part I

Málaga’s top spots

I wouldn’t really quibble with any of the places promoted, although one or two are conspicuous by their absence, eg Cómpeta, Frigiliana, Torrox and Málaga City itself, although the first three come under the Axarquia (qv).

Frigiliana, Malaga [Photo: Malaga Hoy]    

Antequera

This important Roman settlement sits at the crossroads of southern Málaga. Sort of in the middle of nowhere, it rises majestically above the surrounding area.

The Alcázar atop the Casco Antiguo is a delight. A working town Antequera is popular with tourists but not over-run. It is home to important archaeological remains, and boasts a delightful modern parador within walking distance of the town.

Roman Antequera [Photo: 20Minutos]    

Axarquía

This is a largely rural area to the north-east of Málaga City. It includes the following towns which all featured at FITUR 2025:

Nerja

Cards on the table! I love Nerja. I shouldn’t, as it’s full of foreigners, both residents  and tourists, but I can overlook them.

I’ve been to Nerja many times and with many different people: two wives, a girlfriend, family and friends – not together, I must stress.

I love the coast, the caves of Nerja, the old town and the ambiente.

Nerja, Malaga [Photo: La Sexta]    

Link:

NERJA - A LITTLE GEM - Help me, Ronda

Rincón de la Victoria

This is a surprisingly large coastal town and very Spanish. I don’t know it particularly well as it’s somewhat shabby and neglected. But as in all Spanish towns the vibe is good.

Vélez-Málaga

I’ve been to Vélez two or three times.

My English colleague, John, who became my buddy, bought a house here after he left teaching (sound familiar?).

I visited a few times. Vélez is not particularly attractive, yet I understood why John and his wife Maggie chose it. Really down-to-earth, and right up John’s street.

Vélez-Málaga [Photo: KAYAK]    

A brilliant luso-hispanist (Portuguese and Spanish) John left teaching and set up his own translation agency in the aftermath of  a cycling accident, which left him physically disabled.

John sadly died of cancer aged just 59 in 2010.

Link:

OUR DAY OUT - on the Costa del Sol - Help me, Ronda

Benalmádena

The first time I went to Benalmádena, to attend my Welsh cousin’s birthday booze-up (Dai was touring there with his male voice choir from Neath, South Wales), we couldn’t find the Welsh bar where the event was being held. I asked several passers-by but none of them were Spanish. We eventually found the bar and had a nice time.

We were not impressed with this large British-infested tourist resort.

Welsh pub, Benalmadena [Facebook]    

I’ve since passed through, and occasionally stopped, and it seems to be "on the up”. The council is spending some money to upgrade and move the town up-market.

Costa del Sol Occidental

The western Costa del Sol, ie to the west of San Pedro de Alcántara, is much less built up than the eastern bit,

This stretch includes Casares and Estepona. After that we’re in Cádiz province, so beyond the scope of this article:

Casares

There are two settlements: Casares up in the mountains, some 30 minutes from the coast, and Casares Playa.

I’ve been to Casares Pueblo several times. It’s a beautiful, if hilly, place. Again, two wives and a girlfriend, have accompanied me there and it’s always good.

Casares Playa only came onto my radar when friends Nick and Julia – he English, she Hungarian – bought a holiday home there.

It’s front-line and on a peaceful and private urbanizacion (gated community).

Casares Pueblo [Photo: Spain.info]    

We’ve visited Nick and Julia a few times and even got to stay for a few nights free of charge as “payment” for a service rendered.

Link:

Away Days on the Costa del Sol - Help me, Ronda

Estepona

This is a bit of a jewel in the crown. An older established resort it has a fabulous main beach, a delightful fishing harbour and other smaller coves. Its Old Part is to die for and it has a classier feel than, say, Benalmadena, Fuengirola or Torremolinos.

Only my two wives have been here with me. Jeryl, the kids and I first came here on a day trip from Ronda, after we had bought an apartment in the City of Dreams in 2001. We loved it!

Estepona main beach [Andalucia Rustica]

Many years later, I have been a couple of times with Rita and she doesn’t like it at all! I still do, however, and can happily while away time there on my own.

Link:

ESTEPONA - Help me, Ronda

© The Spanish Fly

Links:

Bars and Restaurants at or near railway stations in the Serrania de Ronda - Help me, Ronda

GAUCIN - El Balcon de la Serrania - Help me, Ronda

GENALGUACIL - El Pueblo Museo - Help me, Ronda

MALAGA CITY - Help me, Ronda

My Top 10 places to Visit around the Serranía de Ronda and Beyond - Help me, Ronda

SERRANIA DE RONDA - Help me, Ronda

Photos:

Andalucia Rustica, Diario de Sevilla, Diputacion de Malaga, Facebook, KAYAK, La Sexta, Malaga Hoy, Spain.info, Wikipedia

Tags:

"Andalusian Crush", Andalucia Rustica, Axarquia, Benalmadena, Casares, Casares Playa, Casares Pueblo, City of Dreams, Costa del Sol, Diario de Sevilla, Diputacion de Malaga, English, Estepona, Eye on Spain, Facebook, Fitur 2025, Fuengirola, Help me Ronda, Hungarian, Jeryl, KAYAK, La Sexta, Malaga Hoy, Nick and Julia, "Promoting Malaga", Rita, Ronda, San Pedro de Alcántara, Secret Serrania, Spain.info, The Spanish Fly, Torremolinos, Wikipedia

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