Bezienswaardigheden
The White Spanish Village of Casares
Adres: Casares, Spain .Casares
Just 15 km from La Piña Verde, Casares is one of our favourite half-day trips. Unlike some of Andalusia’s more frequently visited White Villages, Casares still feels wonderfully unspoilt and genuinely lived-in.
Wander through the narrow streets to the tiny village square, where you can still find old Spanish gentlemen putting the world to rights over a morning coffee, brandy and cigarette. Then make your way uphill towards the church, castle ruins and beautiful old cemetery.
The views from the top are breathtaking, stretching across the surrounding countryside towards the coast. Remember to look up as well — birds of prey regularly circle on the thermals around the dramatic cliff edge.
We think Casares is best enjoyed in the morning. Take your time, stop for a coffee and explore on foot. It is close enough to La Piña Verde to be back with plenty of the afternoon left to relax by the pool.
Estepona Old Town
Adres: Plaza de las Flores, Estepona, Spain .Estepona Old Town
Estepona’s Old Town is one of our favourite places to send guests and is only a short drive from La Piña Verde. Start around Plaza de las Flores and explore on foot — colourful flower-filled streets, small squares, independent shops, cafés, tapas bars and restaurants make it particularly enjoyable without needing a fixed itinerary.
We especially like it in the late afternoon and evening, when the streets become livelier and it is easy to combine a wander through the Old Town with drinks and dinner.
Allow a couple of hours if you simply want to explore, or make an evening of it. It’s close enough to La Piña Verde to enjoy several times during your stay rather than treating it as a one-off sightseeing trip.
Marbella Old Town
Adres: Plaza los Naranjos, Plaza de los Naranjos, Marbella, Spain .Marbella Old Town
For us, the best way to discover Marbella is to start in Plaza de los Naranjos, right in the heart of the Old Town. Surrounded by historic buildings, including the old Town Hall and a beautiful little church nearby, it feels a world away from the Marbella of beach clubs and designer shops.
In one corner of the square you’ll find the famous little churros café — stopping for a coffee, freshly made churros and a cup of thick hot chocolate for dipping is always an indulgence, but definitely good for the soul.
From the square, forget the map for a while and wander through the narrow, twisting side streets and little alleyways. They are filled with small independent shops, cafés and restaurants, and getting slightly lost is part of the pleasure.
When you have finished exploring, Marbella’s seafront is only around 800 metres away, with a huge choice of places to eat and drink. From the marina you can also take the catamaran across to Puerto Banús and back, making it easy to combine Marbella Old Town, the coast and Puerto Banús in one relaxed day out.
If you only know Marbella for its glamorous reputation, the Old Town may surprise you — it is the part of Marbella we particularly enjoy and recommend.
Ronda
Adres: Puente viejo de Ronda, Calle Real, Ronda, Spain .Ronda
Ronda is one of those places that really does live up to the photographs and makes a wonderful full-day trip from La Piña Verde. The drive inland is part of the experience, taking you away from the coast and into a very different Andalusian landscape.
The famous Puente Nuevo spanning the El Tajo gorge is every bit as dramatic in person, but there is much more to Ronda than arriving, photographing the bridge and leaving.
One of our favourite discoveries is the nearby working olive oil mill and museum. Take a tour, learn all there is to know about olive oil and step inside the extraordinary pressing room designed by Philippe Starck, before settling down for a spot of lunch on the veranda. And where better to learn about olive oil than in the world capital of olive oil… Spain.
Back in Ronda Old Town, there is another little experience that many visitors miss. Inside the church, look for the rather well-hidden route that takes you up onto the roof. From the highest building in the Old Town you are rewarded with spectacular 360-degree views across Ronda, the gorge and surrounding countryside. Look back down over the twisting streets and you might conclude that all roads really do lead to God — or at least to the church.
Ronda also has a deep connection with Spanish bullfighting and one of Spain’s most historic bullrings, which is worth seeing even if bullfighting itself isn’t your thing.
We would give Ronda most of the day. Explore the Old Town, find the church roof, visit the olive oil mill and enjoy lunch without rushing. It turns what could simply be a sightseeing trip to the famous bridge into a proper day experiencing inland Andalusia.
Tarifa and Barbate
Adres: Tarifa Centro de Salud, Calle Antonio Maura, Tarifa, Spain .Tarifa & Barbate
Tarifa over Gibraltar every day of the week and twice on Sunday. It has a feel unlike anywhere else on the Costa del Sol — cool, slightly bohemian and wonderfully laid-back.
Much of that vibe comes from the kite surfers and windsurfers who love the almost year-round power generated naturally where the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean meet. Add to that the fact that Tarifa is the gateway to Morocco, just a short ferry ride across the Strait, and the whole place has an amazing vibe… man!
The Old Town is small, arty and made for wandering. There are loads of little owner-operated shops where people actually make what they sell. One of our favourites is a guy who makes things from driftwood — his creations fill the storefront and you can see his workshop at the back where everything is made.
You can also walk out to the point where the Atlantic and Mediterranean meet, complete with a sign marking the two waters. Perfect for romantic gestures and Instagram photos alike.
Once you're done with Tarifa — and that might not happen — Barbate is just 15 km further up the coast.
Barbate is the centre of the area's famous red tuna tradition. We're told something close to 90% of the best tuna caught here is sushi grade and heads off to Japan. But here you can simply grab a table at one of the seafront restaurants, eat extraordinary tuna for a fraction of what you might pay elsewhere and watch the fishermen at work while you do it.
And for those with deep enough pockets — and the stomach for it — there's even Michelin-starred dining and a 13-course tuna tasting menu. Viktoria and I know because we've done it. It was fabulous, but trust us: it was nearly a year before either of us could face tuna again.
Tarifa and Barbate together make one of our favourite full days out from La Piña Verde — completely different from the Costa del Sol, full of character, great food and plenty of stories to bring home.
Gibraltar and Sotogrande
Adres: Gibraltar .Gibraltar & Sotogrande
To borrow a phrase from our King, Gibraltar is something of a “monstrous carbuncle” — but you're this close, so you're probably going to want to see it at least once.
Our advice? Go, do the dirty, get the obligatory photographs of the Rock, the views and the monkeys, and definitely make the trip up to St Michael's Cave. Whatever our feelings about Gibraltar itself, the cave is awesome and genuinely worth seeing.
Driving and parking can be tight, so don't expect this to be the most relaxing part of your holiday. And when lunchtime arrives, we'd resist the temptation to celebrate being temporarily back on British soil with pie and peas at Mrs Miggins.
Instead, once you've got your photographs and explored the Rock, head back across the border and make for Sotogrande.
Sotogrande is a very different side of the Costa del Sol. If Puerto Banús is where the new money likes to be seen, Sotogrande is where the old money quietly gets on with enjoying itself. It's understated, beautifully kept and has some seriously good restaurants around the marina, beach and surrounding area.
So that's our Gibraltar itinerary: see the Rock, take the pictures, visit the cave, say hello to the monkeys — and then retreat to Sotogrande for a very good lunch.
You can always tell everyone you spent the day in Gibraltar. We won't tell them where you ate.
Costa Del Golf
Adres: El Paraíso Golf, Estepona, Spain .The Costa del Golf
They don't call it the Costa del Golf for nothing.
The Costa del Sol has one of the greatest concentrations of golf courses anywhere in Europe, and from La Piña Verde you are surrounded by them. From relaxed local courses where you can enjoy an easy morning round to some of the most famous championship courses in Spain, there is something for pretty much every handicap and ambition.
And unlike much of northern Europe, golf here really is a year-round sport. Blue skies and a polo shirt in the middle of winter certainly beat waterproof trousers and wondering whether your ball has disappeared into the mud.
For the serious golfer, names such as Valderrama and Finca Cortesin need little introduction. But you certainly don't need to be playing championship golf to enjoy yourself here — there are dozens of courses around Estepona, Marbella, Benahavís and Sotogrande at every level.
Our advice is not to automatically book the most famous course you can find. Tell us how well you play, what sort of course you enjoy and how seriously you're taking the whole thing, and we'll happily point you in the right direction.
Play 18 holes in the morning and you can still be back at La Piña Verde in time for an afternoon by the pool.
There are considerably worse ways to spend a Tuesday in February.
Padel on the Costa del Sol
Adres: Nueva Alcántara Club, Avenida de Barcelona, San Pedro de Alcántara, Spain .Padel
If you own a padel racket, there is one place around here you really have to experience.
NAC — Nueva Alcántara Club — is around 15 minutes from La Piña Verde and has been voted the Best Padel Club in the World three years running. And whether you're a complete beginner or a seriously good player, it's worth going simply to experience it.
Padel is more than a sport on the Costa del Sol — it's part of the social scene — and NAC is one of the places to be seen if you own a racket. Sixteen outdoor panoramic courts, great instructors, top-level players, a seriously good gym and plenty going on around the actual padel mean there's an atmosphere here that you simply don't get at an ordinary sports club.
Don't worry if you've never played. There are instructors for beginners and it's a brilliant place to have your first lesson. If you already play, whatever your level, there is no shortage of people looking for a game and the club can help match you with suitable playing companions.
And that's just one club. Padel courts are everywhere around Estepona, San Pedro and Marbella, and our climate means you can play outdoors virtually all year round.
But if you're only going to play once while you're here, go to NAC.
It's the world number one for a reason — and frankly, you'll want to be able to say you've played there.
