Europe is an amazing continent; full of ancient history, beautiful cities, magnificent artwork and surprises around every corner. So for my first blog about European travels, I want to take you off the beaten track….just a little bit, to one of the most beautiful places you will ever find. Malaga, Spain and the beaches and mountains along the Costa del Sol (Coast of the Sun). Now when most people think about the city’s of Europe they think about Paris, London, Rome or Barcelona and they all are spectacular. However, Malaga with its rich history, marble streets, warm climate, clean air, sun-soaked beaches and unlimited outdoor activities represents a snapshot of everything you will come to love about Europe…..with far less crowds and at a much lower cost.

We have made five trips to Malaga. Three were one day cruise stops, the most recent being March 10, 2020 just three days before all of Spain was shut down because of the Covid-19 Virus. In 2017 and 2019, we traveled to Malaga to spend time in the Region before heading elsewhere. It is a fantastic entry point for Southern Spain. Also, if you haven’t been to Europe before or often, its a wonderful place to begin or continue your exploration. Hotel costs are easily under $100 per night, food is inexpensive and the $3 Spanish wine is the best value for your money about anywhere in the world. The Spanish coast is an amazing mixture of Moorish, Ancient, Resonance and Modern Culture. Since this is the “Florida” of England, English is widely spoken and you will even find several radio stations broadcasting in English.

Getting there: Its a short flight from Portugal or London to Malaga. Europe airfare is very inexpensive and since Malaga is a major vacation destination and a city of over 500,000; flights are frequent. Our favorite airline servicing Malaga and most of Europe is TAP, Air Portugal. Not only are they relatively cheap, often under $200 one-way to Europe from New York, Chicago or Miami; they allow stay-overs in Portugal for up to five days for free. (Like two vacations for the price of one.) Rental cars can easily be booked for under $150/week and driving in the region is not terrible. Public transportation is quite good, but not like Barcelona or Madrid where renting a car would not be recommended. You can get by utilizing trains and buses, but you will waste a good deal of time without a car.

Malaga is an interesting mix of culture. It is the birthplace of Picaso and an ancient Roman Port. It was conquered by the moors who constructed fortifications along the sea to protect from Christian Invaders. So in one short day, you can visit roman theaters, walk through Moorish forts, visit art museums and tour churches hundreds of years old.

So Malaga is a great central point to reach out and explore the region. The cities of Granada, Seville, Rhoda, Gibraltar, are all easy drives and the entire region will surprise you around every curve. Now to be fair, each of these locations deserves its own post but this is to just to tempt you to come….you will find your own reasons to come back.

Caminito Del Rey:

Years ago Reva found an article describing the most dangerous hike in the world and it became a goal for us to venture to at least see what it was. The King’s Pathway was a walkway through the gorge that was used by workers during the construction of the powerplant and dam in El Chorro, Spain about an hour North of Malaga. The walkway was constructed between 1901 and 1905. When the dam was complete in 1921, the King visited the site and to everone’s surprise chose to walk the cliff hanging walkway through the mountains. That is how the walkway obtained its current name. Over time, the concrete began to give away and fall into the canyon, hundreds of feet below. So for years, the area was only accessed by rock climbers and other not super smart people who would use a cable and the remnants of the pathway to work through the canyon. Several hikers died attempting to transverse the gorge but it remained an big attraction until the State closed the area in 2000. Even after it was closed, it was big draw for adventure seekers who would sneak into the area, several of which fell to their deaths. However, in 2015, repairs were completed to the walkway and it opened as a permit required tourist attraction. For years, it was difficult to get the 10 euro permit but it has become much easier recently. Tickets are available on the web at http://www.caminodelrey.es/the-booking-portal-for-the-caminito-del-rey-how-to-buy-an-entrance-ticket/

Our first trips to Malaga were on a cruise ship which didn’t allow us enough time to get to El Chorro and complete the hike. But in 2017 and again in 2019 we went to do the hike and spend time in this beautiful region.

El Chorro lies in the mountains and has a population of approximately 250. It is a rock climbing mecca with thousands of routes available to the climbers. Additionally it lies along the E4, Long Distance Hiking and Biking Path, which crosses most of Europe which like our Appalachia Trail, brings thousands of pilgrims during the summer season.The hike through the gorge is allowed only in one direction and the bus from El Chorro only takes about 30 minutes and costs about 2 euro. There are several hotels and Bed and Breakfasts in El Chorro with the average cost around $80/night. The most popular and centrally (and coolest hotel in my opinion) is La Garganta which is a converted flour mill and walking distance to the Caminito Del Rey bus stop and the town’s train station. So if you stay here, you can walk to the bus, complete the hike and walk right back to your room. The scenery is stunning and this is the best restaurant in town…even though we prefer the snack bar in front of the train station across the street for a burger and a beer.

My recommendations for a spectacular trip:

Itinerary: Fly to Malaga – two nights; Drive to Grenada via Nerja (visit tour Alhambra) spend night in Grenada; Drive to El Chorro (hike the Caminito Del Rey) spend two nights in El Chorro; drive to Seville stopping in Ronda on the way, spend the night in Seville; Drive to Gibraltar, Spend the night in Gibraltar or in La Lina de la Conception, Spain (just across the border – nice Marriott AC Hotel for $60); Drive up the Costa del Sol back to Malaga, spend night in Malaga; Fly back to US…possibly spending two nights in Lisbon if flying TAP. (Portugal is even cheaper than Spain!)

Projected Cost for two:

Airfare from US – $1,200; Eight nights in Hotels – $700; Rental Car – $150; Entry Fees – $150; Food $400 ; Incidentals – $150: I would project this trip would cost you about $2,750 per couple. Of course, if you watch your budget closely, I believe you could do this for as little as $2,000. Now, if you use frequent flier miles and hotel points earned from credit cards and other items…this could be done for $500 complete. This would just be a taste of the area but you would get memories of a lifetime.

If this itinerary interests you, its not difficult to create on your. But if you would like help putting it together, just contact me.