Viva Espana with Vitality Spain and Vacation Marbella
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It is a long time since I visited the beautiful coast of Costa del
Sol when we sang Viva Espana and danced the Agadoo, but I do wish I had not
waited so long to revisit this beautiful coast.
The British love affair with Spain has stood the test of time and
my recent visit to Costa del Sol helped me understand the fascination that
southern Spain has to offer. Winter Sun,' just what the doctor ordered',
well, sunshine in moderation is such a boost to a Silver Traveller. The
attraction of wearing a t-shirt and being outdoors with the thermometer showing
20 degrees when it is only 2 degrees back in the UK is very hard to beat. And
there are so many other reasons to visit including the lovely countryside and
the food - Spanish olives, tapas and sea food, delicious!
The name Travel Planner is apt because they organise not only
accommodation in desirable locations around Marbella and Puerto Banus, but
also many other services. Vacation Marbella have over 58 properties that
range from standard to luxury apartments. Some overlook the beach, others
are in the centre of Puerto Banus and some with a view of the 18th tee!
Whether you are travelling as a couple, with friends, family or a group of
golfers away for a weekend, Vacation Marbella can help you design the perfect
holiday.
The services they offer range from car-hire to golf green fees,
yacht & fishing charters and babysitting - yes, they can arrange for a
babysitter to give mum and dad an evening off. Beauty and Spa facilities
can also be arranged along with luxury airport transfers. Another service
is shopping for you to make sure you have a supply of food which is delivered
to your apartment before you get there.
With the onus on luxury, Vacation Marbella wants
to give the customer an experience of luxury living with an Andalusian feel and
most of the properties have the extra touches to make you feel special. The wow factor is something the owners love to hear when clients visit their
properties. Many people book year after year in the same property and
some have long stays. Vacation Marbella offer discounts for Silver
Travellers which range from 10-15% depending on
the season and the length of stay. For anyone with a
disability this area is excellent. Most properties have lifts and access
to the beach or pool areas.
We stayed at the Playa del Rocio Complex in a two bedroom
apartment that overlooked the beach. The apartment had one bathroom with
an over bath shower. The kitchen was a good size with a combi microwave
and hob and was well equipped for self-catering. The balcony was small
but could seat four people comfortably and the view looking over Puerto Banus
bay was superb. Sadly the swimming pool was closed for the winter but sunbeds
were available on the grassed area. The beach and beach bars were close
at hand and the pathway that leads from Puerto Banus to Marbella passed by the
gate, so no excuses for not keeping fit. Walking, cycling and jogging or
just strolling to meet friends at a local bar for an early morning coffee - all
in the sun. The flat walk along the sea front is ideal for wheelchairs or
anyone with sticks.
There are more than 70 golf courses to choose from along the Costa
del Sol coast, and Vacation Marbella can advise and help you to organise your
golfing experience. You don't even have to take your own clubs, Vacation
Marbella can organise them for you if you wish. So the choice is yours to relax
or be more active, it is up to you.
Keeping fit in the sun is much easier and just watching the Silver
Travellers striding out or cycling is very infectious. The Great Malaga
Path that encircles the province or the Coastal path which takes in 14 towns
and more than 200 km of coastline is waiting. But if that sounds a little
too much then take the easy walk to the harbour of Puerto Banus and catch the
ferry to Marbella which goes on the hour and cost 15 euros return. It
returns on the half hour and is a very pleasant way to see some of this
beautiful coastline. However, you can catch the bus to Marbella, the No 1
goes from behind the Corte de Ingles Supermarket in the square at a very low cost
of 1 euro 18 cents.
Eating out is a pleasure on holiday and staying in Puerto Banus
was a delight. The restaurants and ambiance are excellent, from fine
dining at the Los Bandidos to a beautiful pizza at the Piccolo Amore and the
Rioja wine goes down a treat. Sitting by the harbour is an ideal place to
'people watch' or 'celebrity watch' as Puerto Banus is the more exclusive area
just outside Marbella with the beautiful yachts and large boats displayed in
the harbour. Be prepared for hawkers around the harbour area selling
bags, scarves, watches and sunglasses. They are very persistent but the
police do have a presence there and the men disappear very quickly when the
police appear.
Self-catering is very popular and most of the properties are near
to a supermarket or a restaurant. The biggest and most popular super
store in Puerto Banus is the Corte de Ingles. It is a store with
everything. The food hall is fabulous with every kind of dish you wish to
create or they do have a ready meal section too. The wines and spirits
department is huge and so is the cake counter! Wander around the store
and see the beautiful clothes and accessories but don't forget your credit
cards, as things are not as inexpensive as you might think in Spain and the
weak pound versus the strong euro hasn't helped.
If you wish to be 'local' then the area does have very good
markets throughout the week on different days. Check the tourist
information office which is in the main square for up to date information on
the markets. We visited the San Pedro market which was on a
Thursday. We went by bus from the stop above the Hard Rock Cafe, a No 4
bus takes you to the centre and it is a decent walk to the Fairground site, but
it is a good market with clothes, bags and market produce for sale. The
British contingent meet there and you can hear lots of English voices passing
the time of day whilst having a drink after doing their shopping.
Marbella and Puerto Banus are on the Costa del Sol where you will
find the pretty Moorish villages of Mijas and Frigilana with narrow cobbled
streets and pretty white washed houses. Head further south-west to
Ronda the birth place of modern bullfighting, all these trips can be organised
by the services of Vacation Marbella. There is more to this area than you
think and whether you just want to relax in the sun or see the culture of the
surrounding areas, the choice is yours. Our visit to Marbella was
surprising as we thought it would be very British but the Spanish have embraced
the culture and as we walked through the main square looking at Salvador Dali
statues and fountains and wandered through the Orange Square in the Old Town. The
mixture of old and modern sits very well.
Viva Espana and Agadoo may still be heard in some of the
bars or clubs in the area and memories will come flooding back but just go and
see for yourself how Costa del Sol has moved with the times in Puerto Banus and
Marbella and has embraced the British, whether as a tourist or a resident along
this amazing and surprising coastline. What are you waiting for?
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This article is just the inspiration we need to maybe spend extended periods of our life away in the sunshine again x