BEACH GUIDE: Best Beaches on the Costa del Sol
MALAGA’S golden coastline stretches 150 km from the border with Cadiz in the west to the coves beyond Nerja in the east, with Torremolinos and the city of Malaga roughly in the
HI DE HI! The rise of Spain’s resort campsites – ‘hotel-like’ facilities without the lows of mounting your own tent
THESE DAYS, camping isn’t about just ‘a tent’, where the trip can be spoiled by rain, wind, or too many baked beans by torchlight. With more than a passing nod to hotel
LORCA’S LEGACY: On the trail of the famous poet in Spain’s Granada
JUNE 2023 marks the 125th anniversary of the birth of Frederico García Lorca. One of Spain’s most celebrated literary figures, the influential poet and playwright was born on June 5, 1898, at
IT’S SUMMER! The 10 Best Public Swimming Pools in Andalucia
Summer holidays are looming which means one thing: finally it’s time to open the gates of the municipal swimming pools and let us in. Municipal pool is a term sure to upset
IN PICTURES: Corpus Christi in Spain’s Granada – revellers making the most of the last weekend
THE Olive Press visited the bustling Corpus fiesta in the ‘recinta ferial’ at Almanjáyar, Granada. The event started on the night of Saturday 3 June and finishes on Sunday 11th, after a
INTO THE WILD? Why it’s generally illegal to pitch your tent away from Spain’s dedicated campsites
THE idea of sleeping off-grid in Spain’s beautiful countryside appeals to nomadic souls and and nature-lovers. We feel the call of a shaded woodland, mountain valley, or sandy beach. However, wild camping
CORPUS: Fairground, flowers, flamenco, and flamboyance in Spain’s Granada
THE NIGHT of Saturday 3 June marked the start of one of Granada’s most famous and historical events. Attracting thousands of visitors annually, the fiesta of Corpus Christi is an important part
EXPLORING SPAIN: The search for Lorca’s grave in Andalucia
By Carlos Pranger WHEN the Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936, Gerald Brenan was living with his wife Gamel Woolsey in Churriana, a village west of Málaga. At first they decided
FREE TAPAS HUNTING: History, rules and how to find top tapas in Spain’s Granada
A GIFT traditionally offered by bars in Granada Province, the ‘tapa’ has a long history. Exactly how it was invented depends on the source you believe. One legend says that, in the
IN TRIBUTE: Late author Guy Hunter-Watts took Olive Press readers on a walk through the wilds of Andalucia’s Cazorla
FIRST PUBLISHED JULY 22, 2018 Guy Hunter-Watts, author of several walking guides to Andalucía, heads off piste for a jaw-dropping gorge adventure in the wilds of Cazorla. Cazorla Natural Park lies at
Exploring Gerald Brenan Country: a trip to Yegen in the Alpujarra of Spain’s Granada
LONG before La Alpujarra became popular with northern Europeans, a few pioneering Brits discovered the area. An early advocate was Gerald Brenan, a British writer, intellectual, and Hispanist, who later published his
Spain’s main workers union asked to reduce the number of tourists in Malaga
WORKERS union CCOO has asked for ‘urgent measures’ to reduce the impact of tourism on the Costa del Sol. The group believes the current number of visitors is not compatible with the
DON’T MISS The Best of What’s on in Spain
Top events in Spain for the week and month ahead from Benidorm to Barcelona via Valencia, Malaga, and Marbella. THIS WEEK Madrid Fiestas de San Isidro (May 15). Time to lie
Four Seasons finally comes to Costa del Sol
THE construction of a brand new Four Seasons hotel on the Costa del Sol is edging closer. The start of the project in Marbella is understood to begin this summer after a
DON’T MISS: The Best of What’s On in Spain
Top events in Spain for the week and month ahead from Malaga to Madrid via Barcelona and Cordoba. THE WEEK AHEAD Ronda Romantica (May 11-13). Ronda (Malaga) wholeheartedly returns to the heady
From Ibex to insects: meet the famous fauna of the Alpujarra of Spain’s Granada
A MOUNTAINOUS region rich with forests and pastures, the Alpujarra supports a wealth of wildlife – from birds to mammals and bees to butterflies. Although tourism has replaced agriculture as the main
BEACHES: The secrets of Mijas on Spain’s Costa del Sol
THEY turn up in their droves. On tour buses, or in cars, and stretch their legs for about 400 metres. Out come the cameras and the ticklists and, wait… there is the
The spa town of Lanjarón in Spain’s Granada celebrates the Crosses of May
THE Cruces de Mayo (May crosses festival) is celebrated annually throughout Spain on 3 May. It is popular in Andalucia, with the most famous event – of floral, decorated patios – taking
Why the city of Cordoba should be top of your travel list right now
SPAIN is not short of beautiful cities oozing history from between the cracks of their ancient iconic buildings, such as Granada’s Alhambra and Sevilla’s Alcazar. But one comes above the rest, according
FOOD: The 10 cities in Spain with the best free tapas
The tradition of free tapas are not only a long-standing tradition in Granada—find out where else with the Olive Press’ Tapas guide
In with the new: Marbella’s most successful restaurant La Sala has seen a substantial upgrade
It’s 15 years since La Sala launched in Marbella. With a new restaurant, bowling alley, sports bar and estate agency soon to be added, Jon Clarke discovers why the restaurant and lifestyle
UNDERGROUND COOL: As Spain’s temperatures rise, opt for a cave house
EXTREME athlete, Beatriz Flamini, recently caught Spain’s attention by spending 500 days in a cave in Los Gauchos, near Motril. Her idea was to write about the troglodyte lifestyle and attempt a
Hotel stays in Andalucia increase by almost 25% compared to last year’s first quarter
Hotels in Andalucia welcomed a total of 3,508,896 travellers during this year’s first quarter, according to the Junta. This is a 23,9% increase compared to the 2022 first quarter. These tourists stayed
Marvellous Marbella: Taking a look at the Costa del Sol city synonymous with style and glamour
SWIRLING a glass of flinty French rose, he looked every bit the suave English gentleman you’d expect of Hugh Grant. Holding court with a group of friends on a warm early summer
PLAN AHEAD: THE 2023 FERIAS IN SPAIN’S ANDALUCIA
STARTING as cattle markets (or occasionally, religious ceremonies), ferias have evolved into the cultural highlights of the year. They tend to be week-long events in the larger cities, and run from midweek
FLOWER POWER: How to get around Cordoba’s spectacular Festival of Patios this May
A PRESIDENT of the Amigos de los Patios association once said, ‘the Festival of the Patios is to Cordoba what San Fermin is to Pamplona’. Cordoba’s annual festival sees property owners and