The Costa del Sol includes about 300km of the Spanish
Mediterranean Coast belonging to the Provinces of
Malaga, Granada and Cadiz. Recently, the Granada Province
coastline was redesignated as the "Costa Tropical".
It is protected from the northern winds by a mountain
which sometimes reaches down to the edge of the sea.
This privileged coast consists of a series of large
beaches, fishing grounds, coves half-hidden among
cliffs & sports harbours. The mild climate, scant
rainfall and the sea breeze produce a semitropical
vegetation with frequent oleander, palm-trees, cypresses,
hibiscus and Pinsapo (only grows in Malaga and Cadiz,
find it on the white village Itinerary). The proximity
of very different countryside - mountains, valleys
full of orchards and the sea - is undoubtedly one
of the main attractions of this coast, which has all
the attractive features of the Mediterranean scenery
and culture.
As it was easily accessible from
the most important places of the ancient Mediterranean
world, at an early stage the Costa del Sol was visited
by Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians. The Roman
empire also moved its tentacles towards it and left
considerable traces which the traveller can admire
in the provincial and municipal museums. But it is
the period under Islamic rule which left the deepest
mark, not only as regards the oriental atmosphere
of many of the villages, but also as regards the most
traditional means of earning a living: the orchard
crops, an unquestionable legacy of the wise lesson
taught by their original Arab owners, and the crafts
where the Islamic roots of the techniques and designs
are always evident. The popular music and the magnificent
Muslim buildings, which the traveller must include
on his visit at all costs, occupy a place of prime
importance among the characteristics of Andalusian
culture and consequently of the Costa del Sol.
Christianity in these lands coincides
with the Modern Age. Between the 16C and 18C the cities
and towns were endowed with churches and palaces by
then totally Westernised, although occasionally it
is possible to discern Arab traces in the Baroque
forms of the less official art and architecture. There
the traveller finds a long series of modest rural
parish churches. Visiting them in the course of wandering
through the small whitewashed streets in every village
on the Costa del Sol is almost as obligatory as getting
to know the halls, rooms and gardens of La Alhambra.
Apart from the villages with a rural
air, today there are housing developments, yacht harbours,
golf courses, centres of entertainment, night clubs,
museums & monuments, and many other tourist attractions.
Fortunately, all of them blend perfectly with the
traditional, peaceful atmosphere enveloping towns
and villages, miraculously and faithfully preserved
in their original mould. However, holiday on the beach
with all the attractions it may have in this part
of the Mediterranean Sea is not the only thing the
Costa del Sol has to offer: by making short trips
the traveller has the opportunity of getting to know
the most genuine aspects of Andalusian culture.
In addition to the folklore provided
in the tourist centres, it is also possible to reach
the heart and soul of the popular celebrations. The
fiestas, Holy Week, flamenco competitions and bullfights
are probably the best recommendations for the travellers
who are not satisfied with the first thing they come
across. Tasting the wines of the region in charming
wineries from other times and trying the pescadito
(deep fried fish) prepared in accordance with the
demanding rules of popular cooking to the ever present
"international cuisine".
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