Archive for Holiday Tips
Our Checklist of 9 Things to Do at this Year’s Fuengirola Fair
Posted by: | Comments
Our neighbours in Fuengirola are celebrating their local “Feria” this week (starts on the 6th October and ends on the 12th). Referred to as the “Feria del Rosario” – in honour of the town’s patron saint – it is famous for its’ horse exhibitions and processions.
We thought it would be interesting (and fun!) to give you a checklist of things you should do during this year’s Fuengirola Fair… so here goes:
1) Go and watch the official “switching on” of the Fair Lights. Takes place on the 6th October at 10:30pm at the Palacio dela Paz.
2) Watch the “Misa Flamenca” (Flamenco Mass) in honour of the Patron Saint, La Virgendel Rosario Coronada. There will also be a procession which leaves from the Plaza de la Constituciónin the town centre. 7th October at 10:30am.
3) Horse Show and Exhibition in the Fuengirola Bull Ring. 12:00pm on the 8th October – Entrance is Free Read More→
Aventura Amazonia: A New Adventure Park Concept in Marbella
Posted by: | Comments
Aventura Amazonia, a new adventure park built amongst the trees, has just opened inMarbella. This new and innovative concept – apart from being great fun – is totally respectful of nature and the natural surroundings where it is located.
Visitors can enjoy 73 different challenges and 20 impressive zip lines including the longest in Andalucía (240 metresof exhilarating descent!). You get to decide which adventure circuit you want to attempt; all games and circuits are grouped according to their difficulty level, very much like ski slopes! Read More→
Did You Know You Can Visit the Fuengirola Zoo (Bioparc) at Night?
Posted by: | Comments
Bioparc at night...
Fuengirola Zoo, or Bioparc, as it is now called is a favourite amongst holiday makers who visit theCosta del Sol. If you haven’t been, you need to make sure you a visit in to your busy holiday plans; the kids will love you for it and you’ll have a blast of a time! Until the end of August, they’re even open at night!
Divided into different themes, Bioparc Fuengirola offers visitors a unique experience as you are taken on a fascinating tour that includes visiting Africa’sCongoValleywith its lush vegetation and a group of gorillas, including an enormous silverback! Read More→
Jamie Cullum Concert at the Sohail Castle in Fuengirola
Posted by: | Comments
We’re in for a real treat this Thursday evening (4th August) as contemporary Jazz artist, Jamie Cullum, takes to the stage in the amazing setting of Sohail Castle in Fuengirola.
Known for his passionate and energetic live performances, the 31 year old visits the Costa del Sol for what will be his only show in Andalucia (even more of a reason to go!). The foundations of Sohail Castle will be literally shacking as he performs songs from his own albums as well as hits from other famous artists.
Although his music is rooted in Jazz, he delves into a vibrant mix of pop, rock ‘n roll and jazz. He’ll be pounding away at his piano, but if we are lucky, we’ll also be able to sample his talents on the guitar and drums too! An interesting fact: Jamie never works to a set list in his live performances, it’s all improvised! Should make for a very entertaining evening…
The doors of Sohail Castle will open to the public at 8:30pm and the show starts at 10pm. If you’re looking for tickets, you can buy them online at www.ticketmaster.es or at any El Corte Inglés department store. Prices start at €35 if you buy before the event and go up to €45 on the night.
Note: If you’re heading to the Costa del Solspecially to see the concert and you are looking for somewhere to stay, you can check our availability on www.sunsetbeachclub.com
Jellyfish Stings: What To Do and How to Avoid Them
Posted by: | Comments
The dreaded “J” word! Although our beaches here on theCosta del Solare generally safe for swimming, we sometimes receive visits from unwelcome visitors: Jellyfish.
Under certain conditions, usually after heavy easterly winds and when the sea temperature is warmer than average, these slippery creatures head towards the shoreline and cause havoc amongst swimmers. They aren’t particularly dangerous; however, their sting can be painful and causes discomfort for their unfortunate victim. They are usually difficult to spot in the water and bathers get stung by coming into contact with the jellyfish’s tentacles. Read More→
The Virgen del Carmen Processions: Don’t Miss this Breathtaking Cultural Event
Posted by: | Comments
For those of you who enjoy taking in a little Spanish culture during your holidays, I highly recommend you take a couple of hours this Saturday (16th July) to go and see one of the many “Virgen del Carmen” processions taking place along the Coast.
Last year I went along to the Virgen del Carmen procession in Los Boliches – just a 15 minute drive from the hotel – and thoroughly enjoyed the experience (follow the link to the blog post I wrote).
I won’t provide a long winded explanation of what this day represents – you can see this post about the Virgen del Carmen celebrations for that – but I will quickly explain a little about the reason for this colourful and emotional event.
The Virgen del Carmen, or Stella Maris, as she is often referred to is the patron saint of fishermen and of the Spanish Navy! If you visit one of the processions which take place in most of the “traditional” fishing villages along the Coast – Los Boliches, Benalmádena,La Carrihuelain Torremolinos, Marbella and Estepona, to name but a few – you will witness the pure devotion the local villagers towards their patron saint.
The processions usually start off in the afternoon as the fishermen carry their “Virgen” – which is usually handcrafted in wood and porcelain Read More→
Have You Experienced the “Night of San Juan”?
Posted by: | Comments
Traditional Bonfire for San Juan
Next Thursday the 23rd June, the beaches of Benalmádena – and many other Spanish towns and cities – will come alive to celebrate the Night of San Juan.
This not-to-be-missed date on the local festivities calendar coincides (nearly…) with the summer solstice; the perfect way to celebrate the arrival of the summer!
Fire is the protagonist of this magical night as hoards of people head to the beach to build bonfires and watch the impressive firework displays up and down the coastline. If you’re staying at Sunset Beach Club and you’re lucky enough to have an east facing view (towards the Marina), don’t miss the firework display programmed for 1am (night of the 23rd to 24th June) at the Bil-Bil Castle.
If you don’t have a room facing east, you can always take a stroll to the end of the promenade in front of the hotel; from there you will have panoramic views of the firework display.
Don’t be alarmed by all the people you see on the beaches, the Night of San Juan is extremely popular amongst locals and parties go on until early hours of the morning. Read More→
The Malaga Village of Júzcar gets Painted Blue for Movie Premiere
Posted by: | Comments
Júzcar, a traditional white village situated near the famous town of Ronda, has been chosen by Sony Pictures as the setting for the premiere of their new film “The Smurfs 3D” this Thursday 16th June.
This wont be your run-of-the-mill premiere, Sony’s PR experts have come up with an innovative idea to gain publicity for the launch: Paint the whole town blue! No kidding, they have managed to convince the town’s inhabitants to paint their houses “smurf” blue…
A team of 20 painters – 11 of which are villagers who were unemployed – has been hard at work painting every single building in the village (See photo).
So why did Sony choose this small – previously – white village in the hills near Ronda for their world premiere? Apart from the incredible climate, it seems that Júzcar is also popular for its promotion of sustainable tourism; they have special walking routes and also organise mycological events and, as we all know, mushrooms are the Smurfs favourite food 
All the media exposure has had a very positive effect on the village’s coffers as tourists flock to take pictures of the famous Smurf Village. Business is booming, so much so, that they are considering keeping their new colour indefinitely!
For the moment, they have voted to remain “Smurf” Blue until September, at which point they will review the situation and decide on whether to paint all buildings white again – incidentally, the cost of painting the village white will be taken care of by Sony as part of the agreement.
So if you’re planning on visiting Ronda this summer, make sure you pop into Júzcar. Apparently, the village will be organising a special “Smurf Tour” which will include a free hat and t-shirt… think about it, you’ll be able to tell all your friends that you visited the original Smurf Village and you’ll have the t-shirt to prove it!
Scuba Diving Season has Started! (Video)
Posted by: | CommentsHere’s a short video I took as I spotted some clients taking scuba diving lessons in the main pool here at Sunset Beach Club; it was a little overcast so they had the pool to themselves!
Scuba diving season has officially started and we are lucky enough here at Sunset Beach Club to have our very own dive centre on site! Run by Scuba Tours, one of the longest running dive organisations on the Costa del Sol, the team of qualifies instructors are available to answer guest queries about their fantastic selection of excursions and PADI courses.
Apart from initial lessons in our pool, guests who sign up for an excursion can experience an entry level dive at a site that is within a few steps of the hotel. Those who are looking for a little more adventure can choose from 15 different dive sites situated along the Coast, including reefs, wrecks and caverns!
There’s something for everyone. Guests can choose from the following:
- Day Excursions (Beginners and advanced)
- PADI Courses (From beginner to professional level)
- Special Kids Programmes (from 8 years of age)
For more information about Scuba diving lessons and excursions, pop into the “dive shack” located by the pool at Sunset Beach Club or visit the Scuba Tours website on www.divinginspain.com . Alternatively, just ask at our Leisure Desk.
La Noche en Blanco de Malaga 2011: A Unique Cultural Event
Posted by: | Comments
Next Saturday the 14th May, the city of Malaga will organise the fourth edition of “La Noche en Blanco” (literally translated as The White Night), a unique cultural event in which citizens and visitors can enjoy art exhibitions, stage shows, live music and audiovisuals in more than 100 points around the city. The great news is that all these events will have FREE admission!
This year, social networks (Facebook, Twitter and Youtube) take center stage as many of the projects being developed for “La Noche en Blanco” this year are the result of the numerous ideas and proposals made by the the citizens of Málaga through these Social Media channels. In addition, following the event via Twitter and Facebook will allow you to know which places have the longest queues – so that they can be avoided – and which ones have less affluence.
This fourth edition of The White Night promises to be the most spectacular to date.This year there will be 130 free activities – compared to 111 last year – which will take place in 100 locations. More than 60 institutions and organizations (public and private) supported the event last year, attracting 153.546 people; this year the authorities expect to surpass this figure. Read More→
