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· Europe · spain · Andalusia

The best way to enjoy the southern region of Spain, Andalusia, is to withdraw some 10 km away from the Mediterranean coastline. There, typical white villages and cities replace packed by tourists' beaches and a sense of never ending siesta embraces you. Spanish people are loud, they love to talk much, but it's easy to get used to it...the same way as to marvelous scent of orange tree blossoms, embracing you almost everywhere.

Suites Hotel Duquesa Golf

While located almost at the very coast of the Mediterranean Sea, a four star Suites Hotel Duquesa Golf is not a beach hotel. It is a golf hotel and it's superb! Lounges of almost all the 94 suites are spacious enough to comfortably lodge all your golf gear. This hotel can be proud of an outstanding golf-course, located right next to it, and deserving to be mentioned among the best ones in Spain. At the same time a free shuttle offers an opportunity to visit other nearby villages, like San Roque, Valderrama, Sotogrande and Almenara.
Suites Hotel Duquesa Golf is within an easy reach too. Driving along the old N340 highway from Malaga in the direction of Gibraltar, just do not forget to pull up some 15 km from Estepona. This up-to-date hotel does not surprise with an elevated design but is freshly decorated, clean and tidy. It's an ideal spot for golf-devotees. A cozy lounge and a bedroom, a bathroom and a spacious terrace with its lovely view at the nearby golf-course or the sea instantly make you feel at home. For additional physical activities here is available a fitness centre and an excellent swimming pool too.
Contrary to somewhat expected sluggishness, the hotel's personnel gladly suggest also some other good places where to stay or have a meal. Pleasant surprise is their English language skills too. Furthermore, care for the guests reaches far beyond the walls of Suites Hotel Duquesa Golf, as they would call the suggested place to find out whether the guests have successfully reached it.
Daily rate of a double suite starting from 75 Euro (depending on season)

Address: Ctra. Nacional 340, Km. 143, 29691 Manilva (Málaga)
Phone: 952 89 12 11
Fax: 952 89 31 45
Email: recepcion@laduquesahotel.com
www.golfladuquesa.com

Meson del Castillo

Three fantastic fish restaurants are located in the nearby village Castillo de la Duquesa. And it's just a few minutes walking distance away from Suites Hotel Duquesa Golf, on the other side of the old N340 highway. Those gourmets who expect lofty style might be disappointed, but it's perfect for true fish lovers! The ones who visit Meson del Castillo as well as Hachomar or Delfines know and appreciate traditional Spanish cuisine. The best restaurants here, as elsewhere in Spain, are easy to recognize - whole Spanish families are gathering around the loaded tables and a lively chit-chat does not cease almost until the small hours.
Apart from golf players and local Englishmen, who are frequent guests there, Meson del Castillo is a typical small size Spanish restaurant. A middle-aged married couple, bustling among a few tables in the compact family enterprise, is the owners themselves.
The walls of the lovely little restaurant are decorated with calendars with pictures and names of fish, alongside with some ancient fishing gear. The nearby ruins of some ancient castle intensify an already existing sense of bygone days.
The most distinguished feature of this restaurant is fresh and simply prepared fish. You just have to ask pescados frescos (fresh fish in Spanish) and you will be able to choose your favorite seafood, be it dorada, lubina (grouper), lenguada (sole), cigalas (lobsters) or carabineros (big shrimps). That is not all yet! Almost each fish can be prepared in three different ways - a la sal (with salt), a la espalda (opened up and prepared with garlic and olive oil), al horno (roasted in the oven), plancha or parillo (grilled) or meunier (in oil). And each of them just excellently matches with dry sherry that in the southern region of Spain has almost outrivaled white and red wines. Without excessive daintiness but fitting well with the food and surroundings, Meson del Castillo best wines cost about 20 euros.
In the end of the meal do not forget to ask for postres de la casa (home-made deserts in Spanish), and in stead of ready made stuff, you will be treated with sweet masterpieces, prepared in the very same kitchen.

Meson del Castillo
Address: Plza. Mayor, S/N, Castillo de la Duquesa, 29692 - Manilva (Málaga)
Phone.: 952 89 07 66
www.hosteleriamalaga.com/mesondelcastillo

Hachomar Restaurante
Address: C/ San José 4, Castillo de la Duquesa 29691, Málaga
Phone.: +34 952 890 124
Fax: +34 952 892 736
www.hachomar-restaurante.com

Delfines
Address: Calle Pescadores, 3 Estepona (Málaga)
Phone.: 952 891 767

Castellar de la Frontera

It's one of the most amazing historic heritages of the province of Cádiz. Castellar de la Frontera is an ancient town with its roots dating back to the Bronze Age. Driving along the winding mountain road, one may easily come across another place with the same name. However, inexpressive new houses and wide streets and avenues betray that this is just a very usual town. Much further and higher in the mountains on the right hand side unfolds a fantastic view of Guadarranque Lake. Castellar itself is enclosed by a lifeless fortress, resembling ancient and well conserved historical monument. Only in the opposite side of the central gate some signs of life can be noticed there. A tiny town can be easily explored walking on foot. Very narrow streets with white houses and balconies, scattered with flowerpots are typical there. And the lemon and orange trees there, in spite of the laws of the nature, have buds and blossoms and green and ripe fruit, all at the same time. And what a marvelous scent all around! In stead of hippies, once inhabiting this town, now mostly elderly people live there. And what a comfort is modern water supply for them! Entire Castellar seems almost abandoned and sort of surreal feeling captures there.
Characteristic to mountainous areas, there are almost no horizontal surfaces. It is highly advisable to choose comfortable footwear with no heals for walking there.

Hotel Montelirio

A small town of Ronda is one of the oldest in Spain. Being situated on the steep El Tajo canyon, it fascinates with its location alone. Breathtaking would be the very getting there, on condition that you will drop the idea of renting a car. It is accessible also by rail from Algeciras to Granada. However, it takes about two hours while the funny looking train drags itself up to Ronda. This time will not be wasted though, as fantastic scenery with mountains, a river and valleys unfold there. Going by car you lack this opportunity.
The same way as in Castellar de la Frontera, walking along the uneven streets of Ronda requires good footwear. Another important site is the oldest bullfighting ring in Spain, located here in Ronda.
Hotel Montelirio can be found hiding in the oldest part of the city. Not very big in size, the three storey historic building is decorated in a lavish Spanish style - with marble stairs and crystal chandeliers. From 14, not very spacious accommodations the most popular ones are looking out at the canyon and the valley. Stepping out on the tiny balcony makes every fiber of your body stiffen by the feeling of standing on the very brink of a gorge! Even more incredible feeling possesses when swimming in the outdoor swimming pool on the terrace of the hotel or savoring wine or sangria in the bar next to it.
Four special suites, each carrying a different name - Marrakech, Marbella, Ronda and Granada - present a living history and ambience of these cities. But the huge windows of the hotel's restaurant overlook the magnificent slopes of the canyon. The best time to enjoy it is around sunset when the sky of Andalusia, like in a wonderful painting, is tinting in orange and yellow. Paco López is one of the owners of the hotel and a chef of the restaurant too. He is the very same man, thrilling with his culinary art also visitors of the restaurant La Menorah, located just 8 km from Suites Hotel Duquesa Golf.
Price for a single room from 100 EUR

Address: Ronda. C/Tenorio 8. 29400 Málaga
Phone.: +34 952 87 38 55
Fax: + 34 952 16 11 85
E-mail: reservas@hotelmontelirio.com
www.hotelmontelirio.com

Almocabar

This small and quite unique restaurant can be found in the square of St. Francisco in the old part of Ronda. Its owner and chef, Manuel Arias Jiménez, treats his guests not only with excellent duck and lamb, but also with thin slices of beef. They are fried on a special kind of small stow, placed right on the gourmand's table. Take and eat as soon as it's ready! Moreover, Almocabar guests do not need to worry if they can afford more expensive wines. For a reasonable price smaller size bottles are available there. And be sure not to leave this place without tasting mango ice-cream - it's a real dainty!

Address: C/ Ruedo Alameda, 5. Ronda
Phone.: 952 875977
www.rutasdevino.com/enoturismo/almocabar.htm

El Tipico Andaluz

A name of this place is self-explanatory. It's a typical chaotic tapa bar, swarming with greasy fingers, loud laughter and spicy chats. The pride of this establishment seems to be a pork leg hanging there, and only the owner of the bar himself is allowed to cut it. He demonstrates a pure artistry indeed - with a long carver cutting the traditional meat into thin, almost transparent slices. He has even received a special award for his very special talent from the King of Spain himself - a golden knife. Now this famous knife is adorning the wall of the bar El Tipico Andaluz.
Visiting of this place can turn out into a real feast - the famous Spanish style black pudding; white bread, sprinkled with olive oil; tomatoes, cut into thin slices, and what a surprise, sprinkled with olive oil too...and a very good choice of wines. El Tipico Andaluz is opened only in evenings.
Not far from there can be found a very good seafood restaurant Los Rosales.

El Tipico Andaluz
Address: Calle Caridad 57, Estepona

Los Rosales
Address: Calle Damas, 12, 29680 - Estepona (Málaga)
Tel.: 952 79 29 45
E-mail: losrosales@infhosteleria.com
www.infhos.com/losrosales

Ruta de los Pueblos Blancos

The best way of savoring the most typical Andalusia is The Route of White Villages. In any of the small villages, with narrow streets and white houses, you will find its typical small restaurants, tapa bars, cozy hotels and its central square with blooming orange trees. Casares, Ubrique, Jimena de la Frontera, Tarifa (Mecca of windsurfers), Cadiz, Jerez, Vejer de la Frontera and many others - each with its own authentic architecture and natural charm, intact by the mass tourism.

www.andalusia-web.com/route_1.htm
www.andalusia-web.com/route_8.htm

Useful Websites

www.sanroqueclub.com/en/golf.html
www.valderrama.com
www.golfsotogrande.com/index_en.php
www.golfcortesin.es
www.turismoderonda.es

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