Mijas Andalucian Magic

You will stay in the 4 star Hotel Mijas which is located in Mijas. Built in traditional Andalucian style, it offers breathtaking views of the sea. Hotel facilities include a restaurant, bar and swimming pool. The hotel also has a health and beauty club equipped with a gym, sauna and massage treatments. All bedrooms are well appointed and feature private facilities, air-conditioning, TV, telephone, hairdryer and safety deposit box.

Days 1 - 7: Mijas Andalucian Magic

The typically Andalucian village of Mijas is a true pueblos blancos, or ‘white village’, whitewashed houses line the charming, narrow cobbled streets, many of which are traffic-free, and offer spectacular views of the coast below. There are quaint shops selling local arts and crafts – make sure you take a look at the beautiful traditional Spanish ceramics, perhaps purchasing a pot or two – and there’s also a good selection of bars and restaurants. Mijas has managed to retain its ‘old Spain’ atmosphere as well as many of its typical customs, including the traditional donkeytaxis which line the central plaza.

Meals: Breakfast

Mijas & Fuengirola (included)

A half day introductory tour featuring a visit to the delightful Andalucian town of Mijas with its whitewashed houses and lovely views of the coast below. We continue to the popular resort of Fuengirola, overlooked by a medieval Moorish fortress. Fuengirola is a popular tourist destination, but it still manages to combine modern with traditional, as the old port is still used by Spanish fishermen. Impressive beaches span the length of the resort, and you will be able to enjoy a stroll down the promenade, which is lined with cafés and restaurants.

Granada’s Alhambra Palace (optional)

A full day tour featuring a visit to this worldfamous palace, an impressive reminder of Granada’s history. The awe-inspiring Alhambra Palace was built by the Moors in the 13th and 14th centuries on a hill overlooking Granada and has been added to over the centuries to become a magnificent complex of pink stone courtyards, pools, fountains, grand halls and cool patios, alongside the beautiful Generalife gardens. This was the ruling caliphs’ idea of paradise on earth and no photographs can do it justice – you really need to visit the Alhambra Palace to understand its power. There will also be free time for you to explore Granada independently, perhaps sampling some tapas or wandering around the narrow whitewashed streets of the Albaicin, the Moorish quarter (pre-bookable only).

Ronda (optional)

Enjoy a three-quarter day scenic tour visiting the picturesque clifftop town of Ronda, travelling through the spectacular scenery of the Andalucian mountains. Ronda, stood on a towering plateau and divided by a precipitous gorge over 600 feet deep, is a town steeped in history. El Tajo, as the gorge is known, is spanned by an 18th-century stone bridge, the Puente Nuevo, from where you can peer down into the gorge to the waters of the River Guadalevin far below. El Mercadillo, the newer 18th-century part of town, is home to one of the most beautiful bull rings in Spain; while the older southern side is a typical pueblo blanco – enjoy a stroll through cobbled alleys lined with traditional whitewashed houses.

Gibraltar (optional)

A full day excursion to ‘The Rock’ including a fascinating tour by minicoach. This promontory, which measures just 2.6 square miles and is home to around 25,000 people, really is a little slice of Britain in Spain. Whilst in Gibraltar, you can’t leave without seeing the famous Barbary macaques. The only wild monkeys in Europe, there is a superstition surrounding the macaques that says if the monkeys ever leave, so will the British. And why not take the cable car to the top of the Rock for spectacular views of the Andalucian coastline?

Nerja & Frigiliana (optional)

A three-quarter day tour visiting the beautiful hilltop village of Frigiliana situated at the foothills of the Almijara Mountains, and the coastal resort of Nerja with its delightful old town. Frigiliana is said to be one of the prettiest villages in Andalucia, and is a delight to explore on foot. In Nerja, which sits on the eastern tip of the Costa del Sol, head to the Balcón de Europa, the impressive clifftop promenade, for spectacular views across the sea and down to pretty beaches and coves below you.