Andalucia

The best of both worlds

Andalucia has been a favourite destination for sun-seeking holidaymakers for decades, which is no surprise when you learn that it gets over 320 days of sunshine a year.

However, there is much more to do in Andalucia than just sitting on the beach…

It’s a land that has inspired great writers, poets, actors and painters. It’s the setting for the most performed and famous opera of all time, Bizet’s Carmen, and it’s a unique place where east meets west in an exotic melting pot of Jewish, Gypsy, Moorish and Christian cultures.

After the Moors invaded Spain in the eighth century the region became the mighty kingdom of El Andalus and the capital of Cordoba was transformed into a centre of unimaginable wealth, sophistication, culture and learning, unrivalled anywhere in either the Western or Islamic Eastern worlds.

According to Islamic legend, the people of El Andalus asked Allah for five favours – clear blue skies, seas full of fish, trees laden with every kind of fruit, beautiful women and a fair system of government. Allah granted them everything except the last favour, on the basis that if all five gifts were bestowed, the kingdom would become an unearthly paradise.

And Andalucia is just about as close to paradise as it could possibly get. It is a region blessed with beautiful countryside, majestic mountains and a 900km coastline, which has made it one of the world’s favourite holiday destinations.

Our home for the next few days was The H10 Andalucia Plaza Hotel in Marbella, just 250m from Puerto Banus.

As you arrive, you walk into the newly refurbished lobby, which is a large open space of brilliant white marble and contemporary furniture. It was 90 degrees outside, so the coolness of the interior was a welcome feature.

The hotel has 400 bedrooms, all of which are furnished to a high standard. We booked into our rooms that had been refurbished to give a ‘boutique hotel’ feel.

The Cordoba Restaurant is the hotel’s main restaurant and has an à la carte menu and also buffet-style meals with show cooking. We had an extra special treat in store for us: a private dining party by candlelight, under the stars in the hotel garden. This is something the hotel is starting to offer guests.

There are two outdoor swimming pools and an indoor heated pool. The Wellness Andalucia Plaza is open daily, offering a variety of health and beauty treatments.

Unfortunately, our hectic schedule didn’t allow any time to take advantage of the fabulous treatments on offer, but we did get chance to chill in The Privilege Lounge, which offers bar service, TV and an internet service.

H10 Hotels have another hotel just a few miles south of Marbella, in Estepona. The H10 Estepona Palace is a four-star hotel, located on the seafront with direct access to the beach, and is just 800 metres from the Estepona marina. It is smaller, with only 234 rooms, but is just as beautiful as the H10 Andalucia Plaza.

Our hotel was a short walk from Puerto Banus, so we decided to go and see for ourselves if it really was the ‘playground of the rich and famous’.

Puerto Banus was the vision of a young, intuitive businessman called Jose Banus, who had a dream idea of providing Marbella’s international elite with a glamorous marina. He was introduced to a couple of architects who drew up some spectacular designs that he eventually approved, and his dream became reality.

The port facilities and part of the apartments were officially opened in May 1970, giving Marbella the jewel in the crown. It soon became a tourist destination for politicians, business people, stars of show business, and the jet set. The lavish opening was attended by Roman Polanski, Hugh Heffner and Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco, among others. Julio Inglesias sang for the guests, and 300 waiters from Seville served 50lbs of Beluga caviar to 17,000 guests.

So Puerto Jose Banus, more commonly known as Puerto Banus, was now well and truly on the map; nearly forty years on, the marina is still filled with multimillion-pound yachts and plenty of designer names on the high street.

The nightlife is as good as it gets, but if you wander down one of the many side streets you will come across the popular Linekar’s Bar, which attracts many a stag or hen party!

Along The Golden Mile you will find the luxurious Marbella Club Hotel with 84 rooms and 37 elegant suites nestled among lush gardens. In addition, there are 14 Andalucían-style villas with their own gardens and pools in the setting of an authentic, whitewashed Andalucían village.

This is luxury at its best. I would definitely go back if only to have lunch by the swimming pool and listen to Rudy von Schonburg tell me about when he came to Marbella in 1956 to assist his cousin Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe in creating this lovely dream Club House.

North of Marbella is Malaga, once considered to be the poor cousin of Andalucia’s capital city, Seville. Since the opening of the Picasso Museum, cultural tourists have been flocking to see its extensive collection of work. The building, which opened in 2003, houses the most important private collection in the world. Just a short stroll from the museum is the birthplace of the world-famous artist and where he spent most of his childhood.

There is no shortage of places to eat in Malaga, as tapas bars are plentiful, but if you are looking for something extra special, there is no better way to see Malaga than from The Parador Gibralfaro Hotel. Built on a hilltop, next to the Alcazaba fortress and overlooking the city, the port and the bullring, this small, luxurious four-star hotel is a lovely place for an overnight stay or a great place to stop for lunch. You can eat tapas and sip cocktails on the roof terrace, chat with friends in the lounge, or sample Andalucian specialities in the elegant Gibralfaro Restaurant.

If you are a lover of golf, Andalucia is the perfect destination for you to improve your handicap. It hardly rains and there is little wind. We visited Los Naranjos, one of Spain’s best golf courses, which was named Golf Club of the Year in 2008.

Measuring 6,500 metres from the professional tees, it features wide fairways, strategically placed hazards, and large undulating greens, and is suitable for all levels of players.

Personally, I was more interested in the 19th hole and the fact that you could bask in the sun on the terrace all year round.

So we sampled the best that Andalucia has to offer: the best hotels, the best restaurants and a wealth of culture.
I say ‘sampled’ because time was short and we didn’t have time to stay in any one place for too long. But if I were to go back, I would spend more time in Marbella Old Town, which is partially surrounded by the ruins of an old Arab wall with narrow whitewashed streets, old churches and squares, as well as lots of fascinating shops and boutiques.

And I now know what I will do when I win the lottery - I will host my cocktail parties at the Marbella Club’s lavish Villa del Mar, which is located by the sea, right above the Beach Club in a private and exquisite spot, while residing in one of their Andalucian villas – well I can dream!

Beverley visited Malaga and Marbella courtesy of bmibaby, H10 Hotels, the Tourist Department of the Marbella Town Hall and the Tourist Promotion Department of Malaga City Hall.

For further information on Malaga and its attractions, visit www.malagaturismo.com For further information on Marbella and Puerto Banus, visit www.marbella.es and www.puertojosebanus.es

Low-cost airline bmibaby operates a network of 16 exciting destinations from Manchester Airport. Fares start from £18.99 one way, including all taxes and charges. bmibaby offers many passenger benefits, including allocated seating, online check in and the opportunity to join bmi diamond club - the UK's most generous frequent flyer programme. For lowest fares and to book a flight, visit www.bmibaby.com

H10 Hotels has 40 hotels in 14 destinations and is currently expanding across Europe and the Caribbean. The H10 Andalucía Plaza hotel (located in Marbella, opposite the Puerto Banus Marina) and the H10 Estepona Palace (on the beach and just 800 metres from Estepona Marina) are two superior hotels completely renovated to offer a range of high-quality services. They include rooms with private terrace, swimming pools, free wi-fi connection, spa centre, meeting rooms with the capacity for 600 people, Privilege Service, golf courses in the vicinity and much more. Prices start from 80 euros, including buffet breakfast. For more information call (34) 902 100 906 or visit www.h10hotels.com