The ‘coast of the sun’ or the Costa del Sol (en Español), is probably one of the most popular tourist destinations in whole of España. Situated in the province of Andalucía it essentially stretches from Gibraltar in the west across to Nerja in the east (remembering the south coast of Spain runs from west to east).
“Málaga, a martini of the sea.” – Rafael Pérez Estrada
Our last week in the country was spent in and around Málaga on the southern coast of España and smack in the middle of the Costa del Sol. Málaga is one of the oldest cities in the world with close to three thousand years of history. The Phoenicians originally founded a commercial center here in early 770 BC, which they named Malaka. The name is most probably derived from the word Malac – to salt. The Greeks and Carthaginians were briefly present and further established Malaca as a trading post. In 218 BC the Romans conquered the city and a created a colony that was federated to Rome until AD81, whereupon it attained the status of a Roman municipality. The city quickly grew in importance, with the port used to export oil, raisins, wine and salted fish and meat. Málaga’s port and the Roman amphitheater were constructed during this time of prosperity. The years that followed included rule by the Moors and the Christians and the archaeological remains and monuments from the Phoenician, Roman, Arabic and Christian eras make the historic center of the city an “open museum”, displaying its history of nearly 3,000 years.
In the 1960’s upscale tourism discovered the area’s combination of natural beauty and near perfect climate, turning fishing ports into glittering resorts and a hub luxury real estate and properties. Now Costa del Sol is one of the most popular travel destinations in all Europe. And this is not surprising: the many miles of sandy beaches, a wonderful climate with around 300 sunny days per year, the mild Mediterranean sea, extensive sports and leisure facilities, relaxed atmosphere and excellent food are reasons many Europeans spend their vacation here.
But it wasn’t for the beaches that we spent a week in Málaga. The simple truth was that I have a timeshare and was able to get a condo for a week with a kitchen just west of the city and it looked like a good central location from which to ditch the packed beaches and boring resorts and discover a new side to the Costa del Sol and Southern España.
From our base we headed north driving up a steep mountain range, our destination the incredible village of Ronda. As we climbed it was only a few miles from the coast that the landscapes changed and we began to see villages that could not be more original. Throughout the Andalusian hills are a spattering of white-washed villages (the Pueblos Blancos) amongst the sun-drenched scenery, a must-see if you are already in this area.
“Avistamos Ronda. Estaba enriscada en la Sierra, como una prolongacíon natural del paisajae y, a la luz del sol, me pareció la ciudad más hermosa del mundo”
(“We sighted Ronda. It was raised up in the mountains, like a natural extension of the landscape, and in the sunlight it seemed to me to be the most beautiful city in the world.”)
– J. Agustín Goytisolo
Ronda is one of the oldest towns in Europe, people have lived in the district for more than 30,000 years, and Ronda has been occupied for 9,000 years.
The New Bridge (Puente Nuevo), the largest of Ronda’s several bridges that cross the impressive Tajo gorge that separates the city in two. The bridge is 98 meters tall with a tall central arch, and a room under the road that has been a hotel, a bar, a prison, and is now a small museum.
Carved in the cliffs of the ‘El Tajo’ gorge in Ronda is an interesting mine and fortress that dates back to the Moorish era when constant wars in Al-Andalus required the city governors to protect water supplies for the people and defenders.
The Water Mine was built during the reign of Ronda’s King Abomelic at the beginning of the 14th century, when Ronda was an independent Islamic kingdom on the frontline between the Christian north, and the newly developing Islamic Nazari Kingdom in Granada. To reach the water mine it is necessary to first enter the gardens of the House of the Moorish King.
The mine is rumored to be the secret hiding place of Abomelic’s gold, and many people in Ronda still believe that underground chambers and palaces are still to be discovered. This is unlikely however as many of these rumors could have been started by slaves freed after the city fell to the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella in 1485.
Treasure or no treasure, the fortress is a marvel of medieval Islamic engineering, and unique in all of Spain. The chambers were built using a complex latticework of stacked vaults that made it possible to defend the lowest chamber and the entrance from chambers higher up the fortress.
Within the mine there are 231 steps carved into the rock that lead to the river below, a total distance of 60 meters, and the bottom 30 meters contain an impregnable fortress from which the city defense could protect essential water supplies. It is well worth walking down the rock steps as each turn presents the viewer with a different perspective of the mine walls as they tower above and below you.
The Bullring in Ronda (Plaza de Toros) is considered to be the most historically important bullring in Spain, and home to the Ronda style bullfights with a matador on foot instead of horseback. Many tourist guides will tell you the Ronda bullring is the oldest and largest in España, in fact the story is confusing. With seating for only 5,000 spectators it is hardly the largest in the world, but the rueda, which is the large round circle of sand, is the largest in the world at 66m, making it 6m larger than Spain’s biggest bullring, the Plaza Toros Las Ventas in Madrid.
“Every country gets the circus it deserves. Spain gets bullfights. Italy the Church. America Hollywood.” – Erica Jong
As for the claim of being the oldest in España, the bullring in Sevilla is considered older having commenced construction in 1761, and completed in 1785, compared to Ronda’s commencement in 1779 and completion in 1784, though purists agree Ronda’s bullring should be entitled to the crown since it was first to stage a corrida (bullfight). However, in May of 1784 during the first inaugural corrida to be held in Ronda’s Plaza de Toros, part of the stand collapsed forcing its closure until repairs could be made.
The structure was built entirely from locally quarried stone, then plastered and whitewashed giving it a very regal look. Entrance to the Plaza de Toros gives the visitor an opportunity to see not only the beautiful bullring itself but also a behind the scenes look at it’s operation and the training facilities for the Riding School of the Real Maestranza de Caballería, one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious riding schools. Its origins date back to the founding days of the Institution, two years after the founding of the famous Vienna Spanish Riding School in 1571.
Situated at the far east end of the Costa del Sol just a short drive east of Málaga is the village of Nerja where we headed to find the oldest paintings in the world in the Cuevas de Nerja (Nerja Caves). The six paintings of seals are the only known artistic images created by Neanderthal man. Their age has been put between 42,300 and 43,500 years old making them by far the oldest works of art in the world and a good 10,000 years older than the previous record holder, the 32,000-year-old images in the Chauvet Cave in southern France. Neanderthal man, until very recently, was considered as ape-like and incapable of symbolism and creating artistic works. The cave paintings have dispelled this myth. Visitors to the caves can only see photographs of the paintings as the original works are closely guarded in a secured area of the caverns.
New archaeological discoveries point to more recent civilizations having some form of association with the caves. Pieces of Roman pottery and a Moorish/Arab coin have generated a lot of archeological speculation and blind scorpions and scarab beetles, until recently believed to be extinct, have also been documented.
In the part of the caves open to the public you can view the world’s largest column (formed by the merging of a stalagmite and a stalactite) at 32m in height and 13x7m at its base that has had a place in the Guinness book of world records since 1989. While only a quarter of the known cave’s surface area is open to the public the cave formations are beautiful and worth the tour.
From Nerja it was an easy jaunt up to the village of Frigiliana just six-kilometers north of Nerja. Villages on the Costa del Sol don’t come much more picturesque than Frigiliana. This exceptionally beautiful whitewashed village spilling down the hills bordering the Medeterrian is truly one of a kind. The village is a tangle of narrow cobbled streets lined by whitewashed houses, their wrought-iron balconies filled with planters of brilliant red geraniums.
Another day trip from Malaga is to Granada to visit the world-renowned Alhambra. Tip: be sure to book your tickets for the Alhambra in advance of your trip as they do fill up fast.
“Perhaps there never was a monument more characteristic of an age and people than the Alhambra; a rugged fortress without, a voluptuous palace within; war frowning from its battlements; poetry breathing throughout the fairy architecture of its halls.” ―Washington Irving, Tales of the Alhambra
The Alhambra is an ancient palace, fortress and citadel located in Granada, Spain. The eighth-century-old site was named for the reddish walls and towers that surrounded the citadel: al-qal’a al-hamra in Arabic means red fort or castle. It’s the only surviving palatine city (a royal territorial center) of the Islamic Golden Age and a remnant of the Nasrid Dynasty, the last Islamic kingdom in Western Europe.
Much of the Alhambra retains its early Moorish character. It is España’s most important surviving remnant of the period of Islamic rule in the Iberian Peninsula (711–1492). It was added to the World Heritage list in 1984 due to its universal beauty and exceptional expression of Moorish and Andalusian culture as well as for its ability to convey the history of the changes to the region over time through its architecture and decorations. The complex is irregular in shape and surrounded by defensive walls spanning nearly 26 acres, with more than a mile of walls, 30 towers and numerous smaller structures as well as the adjacent gardens that are wonderful for a leisurely stroll. If you are like us you will spend the majority of the day exploring this complex and it is only after you leave the place and reflect on the architecture and history that you truly appreciate the visit.
“Such were our minor preparations for the journey, but above all we laid in an ample stock of good-humour, and a genuine disposition to be pleased; determining to travel in true contrabandista style; taking things as we found them, rough or smooth, and mingling with all classes and conditions in a kind of vagabond companionship. It is the true way to travel in Spain.”―Washington Irving, Tales of the Alhambra
Special shout out to my traveling companion and Camino Amiga Debora. After our nearly three weeks walking the Camino we spent another two visiting Sevilla (blog post here), and the sights around Málaga. I couldn’t have asked for a better traveling companion and awesome friend for this journey, looking forward to our next adventure.
“If you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far go together.” – African Proverb
Our last day trip around Málaga would be to an entirely different country – but that is for the next blog post…….
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