Exploring Andalucia in Spain
We arrived into Malaga City with a direct flight from Dublin where we spent our first two nights. It is such a beautiful city, perfect for a city break or short trip as there is so much to see and do. We met our group and were transferred to our first hotel which was the Soho Boutique hotel in Malaga City. It is a lovely hotel and perfectly situated in the heart of the city so you are walking distance to all the historic sites, shopping, bars and restaurants and also the Port of Malaga which you can see from certain rooms within the hotel.
We were treated to a very tasty lunch at the "La Fabrica" restaurant in Malaga which is only a few minutes walk from the hotel. This urban eatery serves innovative cuisine, fabulous slow food and they also brew their own Cruzcampo craft beers. They offer over 30 different varieties a year inspired by the local urban culture and the artistic district of the city. They also have live music every day with local or new and upcoming artists. It is well worth a visit on your next trip to Malaga.
After lunch we met our very knowledgeable local guide that took us on a walking tour of Malaga City showing us the beautiful Cathedral and Roman ruins of the Roman Theatre and learned about the famous Picasso. Our walking tour finished at the very unique "El Pimpi" restaurant where we had a beautiful dinner and tasted the local wines. This restaurant was founded in 1971 and is a very popular wine cellar where you can enjoy the local food and wine but most importantly the tradition and culture of Spain and it is also a popular meeting point for the famous. It is split into different halls where they host many different events all with a unique theme.
The next day we had a lovely relaxing boat trip with City Sightseeing tours where we got to see the neighbouring areas of Torremolinos, Benalmadena and Almeria in the distance. Our group were then treated to a gorgeous lunch at the "Only You" five star hotel which is situated next door to the Soho Boutique. It is a beautiful hotel with a lovely rooftop terrace with beautiful views of Malaga city. After a very tasty lunch, we had some free time to relax and enjoy. We then went on a walking tour towards the "Los Patio de Beatas" restaurant where we enjoyed a wine tasting and dinner for our last night in Malaga. The restaurant is in the heart of the city and only 50 meters from the Picasso Museum.
The next morning we left Malaga and were transferred to the beautiful old town of Marbella. This was one of my favourite parts of the trip, it is such a beautiful town full of colour with blooming flowers and hanging baskets on the shops and restaurants with small quirky streets and lots of lovely shops and restaurants to explore. We had a very knowledgeable local guide to take us on a walking tour of the old town and learn about the history of Marbella. We had a special treat for lunch where we visited the gorgeous "Punte Romana Beach Resort" which is one of the Nobu Hotels, a stunning luxury resort situated right on the beach. We had lunch in the Sea grill restaurant listening to the waves of the ocean with Mediterranean style cuisine. The food and service was amazing.
We left beautiful Marbella and it took an hour to transfer to the town of Jerez De La Frontera (Cadiz) where we spent the next two nights. Jerez is a gorgeous town famous for its local flamenco culture and Andalusian Horses. We stayed in the "Sherry Park Hotel" which is in a great location and only a few minutes walk to the town of Jerez. Our group enjoyed a Cocktail dinner and sherry tasting at the Bodega Gonzalez Bypass in Jerez. It is a family run business in a beautiful setting where they produce high quality sherry's which are aged following the traditional Solera system where the wines are blended in a 600 litre Oak Cask to bring unique tastes.
On our last day in Jerez we visited the Museos de la Atalaya which is the only antique clock and watch museum in Spain. It has ten rooms with the most valuable collections of clocks in Europe. The next part of my trip was without doubt my absolute favourite. We had the pleasure of seeing a Royal Andalusian Horse dancing show at the Royal Andalusian School Of Equestrian Art Foundation in Jerez. It is an authentic equestrian ballet where the horses dance to the pure Spanish music. The school is a specialized training centre in relation to horse breeding and keeping their Andualisan horse tradition alive where they host many different shows. We got to experience a show sitting in the Royal box which was such a treat with the best view to take it all in. It was so beautiful to watch and afterwards we were invited to visit the stables and meet the horses, which were so lovable and gentle and beautiful horses and we also got to meet the lovely riders and see the grounds. If you ever visit the town of Jerez it is a definite highlight and gives a real insight to their culture.
After an amazing day we spent our final farewell in a local Spanish tavern where we got to see a local Flamenco show. This was also a highlight to the trip to immerse ourselves in the local Spanish culture and see where the locals come to enjoy a night out and some flamenco dancing.
If you are looking to explore a new part of Spain I highly recommend Andalucia. It has so much to offer with so much history and such a beautiful culture . I would be delighted to help you plan your next Spanish holiday to give you a unique experience and to explore new areas of Spain.