Marbella is a small beachside city that has a rich history lending to a dichotomy of a lovely historical center and a modern puerto (beach walkway) filled with trendy shops and cafes.
We enjoyed touring around Marbella's Old Quarter which exuded a sense of romance with the narrow winding cobblestone streets. Boutique shops were plenty and although too expensive to purchase much, they were perfect for browsing in.
The famous Plaza de los Naranjos (Orange Plaza) created a lot of fodder for
jokes when while we were caught in a vicious rainstorm Josh (in his enthusiastic wisdom) thought my parents would enjoy to see the Plaza when instead they thought they were being lead to the dry harbour of the car. I think the phrase, "Are you crazy?!" was jokingly exclaimed when the confusion cleared. We all had a good laugh!
Returning the next day (still laughing about said miscommunication) we were waylaid by construction blocking our view and it wasn't until we were joined by Sharilyn and Alan did we finally enjoy the Plaza and sit down for their first tapas in Spain. Having been to many Spanish plazas recently I did not find this particular one to be extraordinary but I always love seeing the geometric symmetry of the cobblestones with the calming presence of the orange trees. Our tapas were nice with croquetas being the clear favourite although we could have found cheaper options away from the plaza.
A really neat street in Marbella is Avenida del Mar which is a walkway tribute to Salvador Dali full of his statues leading down to the ocean. Starting at the serene Plaza de la Alameda you can take your time strolling towards the sparkling water while enjoying spectacular art. Regardless of your preference for art, seeing anything created by Dali is guaranteed to stimulate your mind and create much fodder for conversation. This was definitely the most unique attraction in Marbella reminding us that there is more depth to the coast than just sunshine and beaches.
Another day we traveled to Estapona to experience another sleepy beachside city. We had wanted to visit a newer attraction featuring gardens (Orquidario de Estapona) with an orchid farm however we hadn't planned for a siesta and the times did not work with our schedule.
Estapona also has a walking tour with murals placed all around the city, allowing for areas outside of the old quarter to garner some attention. Although we saw a couple and they were neat to see, we did not seek them out and preferred to wander the winding streets of the historical center.
We were lucky to stumble across a children's play area in a restaurant which allowed Thalia time to crawl and release some energy. Here we learned that her favourite colour must be orange as she was obsessed with picking out this particular colour!
Plaza de las Flores was a highlight and we were all delighted by each little street and how each section coordinated with a specific coloured pots lending to an quaint and charming aesthetic.
On the way to Estepona is a huge El Corte Ingles department store that we explored on a particularly rainy day. Although no one purchased much we all enjoyed looking at the outrageous designer labels and eating menu del Dia at the restaurant. Definitely worth a visit for the shopping lovers!
A definite highlight of our time was our day trip to Ronda. Our day was so spectacular that we wished we had more time or that we could have stayed overnight. My parents had already been and opted to take a day trip to the Alhambra instead so it was just the five of us making our way up the mountain with its intense landscape of cliffs and a stark winding road that had a couple of us feeling motion sick.
Ronda was declared a city by Julius Caesar in the 4th century and with its Roman history, it is one of the most beautiful cities to visit in Spain. Steeped in history sitting on top of a deep valley, to say it is simply breathtaking is a colloquialism that does not do it justice.
The most spectacular attraction is the Peunte Neuvo, the "new bridge" and we all could not get enough of the spectacular and dizzying view. Sharilyn kept laughing at how it was called the "new bridge" as it was completed in 1793 after 42 years of construction and we were transported in time imaging the feat of man to construct this and theorizing about Napoleon casting his enemies off the bridge.
The views of the El Tajo Gorge were so spectacular we could have stayed for hours looking at the view from different angles and we did have lunch at a nearby hotel to continue soaking it all in. It would be well worth the trek to see the bridge from a trail below but we did not have the time.
Plaza de Toros is one of the oldest and most spectacular bull rings in Spain. Created in 1785 by the same architect of the Peunte Neuvo (Jose Martin Aldehuela) it was one of the most interesting things we had seen in Spain and we thoroughly enjoyed the audio guide explaining the origins of bull fighting and the modernization of the spectacle.
Whatever your views on this controversial "sport", the history was fascinating and just laying eyes on one of the oldest bullrings in Spain was a sight not to be missed.
Seeing where the bulls were kept before entering the ring and hearing what was done prior to engaging them was difficult but fascinating nonetheless.
Palacio de Mondragon is a Moorish palace built in 1314 and later the primary residence of Isabella and Fernidand.
After reading reviews I thought this would be a great taste of Moorish style for Sharilyn to see however we were fairly disappointed and left shortly after entering. It actually houses a municipal museum which to be fair, we had no interest in seeing. The gardens were purported as being serene and lovely however we found them to be small and not noteworthy in the least. Of course the views were awe inspiring but no more special than the free views afforded by the many lookout points like Alameda del Tajo which is a pretty park not to be missed.
Leaving Ronda was bittersweet as it also brought to a close our week with our parents. Sharilyn and I laughed at our antics while driving home as we were so desperate to occupy Thalia we gave her a pill bottle (with pills in it) and an charging cord to play with but it worked well and gave us some peace! Overall, we had so much fun enjoying tapas, exploring old quarters, dancing to Elvis (who would have thought?) and seeing the beautiful beaches.
Thalia revelled in the attention of her doting grandparents and it was so heartwarming to see her smile and enjoy their company.
She enjoyed being fed by Grandpa Wes and being worn in the Ergo by Grandpa Alan while both Grandmas would get giggles and smiles out of her by being goofy and funny all the time.
We were so glad we included the Costa del Sol in our itinerary and we were pleasantly surprised to find it more dynamic and exciting than just beaches and tourist traps! The Spanish culture is a bit watered down catering to the flood of British tourists they receive every year and we would prefer not to see and hear English everywhere we go. Visiting this region with realistic expectations of what you are going for will allow for a more rich and rewarding experience and the plethora of day trip worthy attractions nearby really adds to the appeal. With that in mind we were ready to explore Malaga, a bit of a fly under the radar city we had read a lot about and we left the sleepy, touristy city behind.
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