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Here is some more information about places you can visit in the area around Puerto de la Duquesa, Costa del Sol. Golf courses are covered on a separate page. There are many other fascinating destinations in this part of Spain so a guidebook is recommended to get the most out of your trip. We hope you find this page useful for your holiday when you rent our vacation apartment. Note that not all attractions are open in the low season.
If you have any suggestions of other trips to add to our site or any questions, please email us.
Places to Visit
Estepona
The well known resort of Estepona is only 10 minutes away from our holiday flat. It is a pleasant seaside town with many shops and restaurants with a Spanish atmosphere. There is a lovely promenade and a huge Carrefour supermarket if you are self catering.There is a market on a Wednesday with a good choice of local produce. You can get a taxi from the rank outside the Duquesa supermarket to Estepona for around 16 Euros, recommended if you are taking in some of the nightlife.
In the hills behind Estepona is a safari park called Selwo that comes highly recommended. Allow at least half a day. The official website is in Spanish. This site at idealspain.com is more useful.
Other family attractions include a combined water and theme park called Prado World with ater slides, mini golf, rollerskating and other kids activities. Tel +34 952 791174.
Benalmadena
Benalmadena is further east along the coast and is a good place for family attractions. There is a pleasure park called Tivoli which is entertaining rather than adrenalin fueled with a variety of rides and shows. Open afternoons only until late. Mijas Aqua Park is an outdoor waterpark Parque Acuatico Mijas with slides, rapid etc. Tel +34 952 460404. Sea Life centre in Puerto Deportivo has lots of exotic Mediterranean underwater life including sharks, octopuses and eels. Tel +34 952 560150.Close by in Torremolinos there is another larger Aquapark with slides, rapids, twisters and a golf area. Tel +34 952 388888.
Marbella
Marbella is arguably the Costa del Sol's most up market resort. It certainly still attracts the rich and famous and is a very chic beachside retreat for the wealthy international crowd. If you want to join them on the promenade, it is around 30 minutes from La Duquesa.Puerto Banus
Puerto Banus is highly recommended for people watching at the yacht in the harbour and shopping in the El Corte Ingles department store or at some of the many other shops in the centre. The town buzzes at night with glitzy bars, restaurants and discos.Malaga
Malaga is back on the map thanks to a new museum dedicated to Picasso. To the west of the historic centre is the Rio Guadalmedina, to the north, the Calles Carreteria and Mariblanca and to the east is the Moorish Alcazaba and Castillo de Gibralfaro. To the south, of course is the beach and the Mediterranean. Everything is within walking distance.
Seville
Seville is about 2 hours drive, mostly along new roads. It is the home of the flamenco.Worth visiting are the 15th century cathedral, the Giralda tower, a 12th century minaret from the Moorish era and the Reales Alcazares palace. Italica, one of the best preserved Roman cities in Spain can be visited on the same trip.
See the official Spanish Tourist Board website.
Granada
Granada is a picturesque 2 1/2 hour drive along motorways through the mountains. Ensure you have an up to date map. You can stop off at any of the many 'white villages' famous in Andalucia on the way over. The city itself is vibrant and well worth a visit for itself but the pearl of the destination is the Alhambra.The Sierra Nevada ski area of Andalucia is half an hour from Granada so you can ski in the morning and sleep on the beach in the afternoon.
Tarifa
Tarifa is along the coast beyond Gibraltar.The wind is funnelled in from the Atlantic to the Straits of Gibraltar so the conditions are always windy. It is famous for surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing.
It is also a great place to go on whale and dolphin watching tours.
A useful website for Tarifa is tarifainfo.com.
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is about 25 minutes southwest along the coastal motorway. There aren't many road signs from Spain so keep your eyes open. Access is from Algeciras. Remember to bring your passport!
In high season, the queues to leave can be long. It can be quicker to park your car on the Spanish side and walk across.
The rock is very impressive to see and there are sights of historical note as well as duty free shopping. As well as the apes, you can see dolphins on a boat trip into the bay or visit the botanical gardens.
The Gibraltar tourism web site is here.
Ceuta and Tangier
You will see many places along the road to buy ferry tickets to Ceuta and Tangier. Ceuta is a part of Spain in Africa (much like Gibraltar in Spain) and Tangier is in Morocco.
There are cheap and regular car- and passenger-ferry links. The routes are from Algeciras to Ceuta (Sebta) (car ferry); Algeciras to Tangier (hydrofoil and car ferry); Tarifa to Tangier (hydrofoil only); Gibraltar to Tangier (hydrofoil and car ferry); Almería to Melilla (car ferry); Málaga to Melilla (car ferry) and Almería to Nador (car ferry). Ferries include: FerriMaroc and Trasmediterranea.
First time visitors are recommended to take a tour from Spain as there can be a lot of 'guides' vying for your trade. There is a newsagents in La Duquesa that can help.
Useful Links
What's the weather like? Check with the BBC weather.
Spain is part of the Euro. Currency Converter.
Fiestas on the Costa del Sol are listed here on spainalive.com.
Andalucia.com - Good site with links to local info and golf courses
Phone numbers for Puerto de la Duquesa.
Good Costa del Sol listings site from Cityjet
K Dempsey
www.angelfire.com/hi5/sunholiday/areae.html
