Flamenco Costa del Sol

One of the most common things associated with Spain is flamenco and Andalucia is famous for it, with both Seville and Jerez claiming that they are the birthplace of the style of dance. Wherever you go in Andalucia, flamenco plays an important part in their local fiestas with all the girls dressed in their flamenco dresses and all ages dancing together.

The origins of this dance are very interesting. It is thought that Gypsies in Southern Spain created flamenco music and dance in the 15th century, by blending their traditional dance and music from Sind, a northern region of India (now Pakistan) with the musical and cultural influences of Spain. If you want to learn more about the origins of flamenco, Ann Lee has written a very interesting article on Eye on Spain, you can also visit the Museum of Flamenco Arts in Malaga and learn all about it.

Not many people know that you can also watch authentic flamenco on the Costa del Sol. In Marbella the Ana Maria Tablao Flamenco is in the Old Town next to a beautiful church in Plaza Santa Cristo. This is supposed to be the most authentic show in town, but be warned it starts late with the doors not opening until midnight!

Another famous flamenco show on the Costa del Sol is at the hotel Torrequebrada in Benalmadena. This is a 3 hour extravaganza which takes place from Tuesday to Saturday at 10.30pm and lasts 3 hours. It costs 35€ per person including a drink on arrival.

There are flamenco routes all around the region and you can download the guide to flamenco in the area from the Costa del Sol tourist board website. This comprehensive guide tells you about all the styles the local artists and musicians and where you can go to experience flamenco in the area. They mention the Western Costa del Sol route with the Torremolinos Flamenco Festival in August, in October in Fuengirola there is a festival to celebrate the Virgin of the Rosary with flamenco in the streets and lots of special events to see. Mijas and Estepona both have singing competitions for flamenco singers and they recommend a number of good places to see flamenco all year round. Click here to download the guide.  

There are fantastic self-catering accommodation options throughout the area. To book your holiday accommodation on the Costa del Sol visit our website and search through the options or email info@holidayrentalontheweb.com

Spanish help for holiday makers – Useful food & drink verbs

Comer – to eat

e.g Mi gusta comer en restuarantes – I like to eat in restaurants

Como mucho comida española – I eat a lot of Spanish food

¿Que comes en casa? – What do you eat at home? (in the house)

Comida = food

 

Beber – to drink

e.g. ¿Que quieres beber? – What do you want to drink?

Bebo mucha agua porque tengo sed – I drink a lot of water because I’m thirsty

¿Que bebes en la mañana? – What do you drink in the mornings?

Mi gusta beber café – I like to drink coffee

Una bebida = a drink

 

Querer – to want (it is not rude to say I want in Spanish)

¿Que quieres? – What do you want?

Quiero una cerveza y una paella por favor – I want a beer and a paella please

 

Tener – to have

¿Tienes albondigas? Do you have meatballs?

Si tenemos albondigas muy buenas – Yes we have very good meatballs

Tengo una cerveza pero mi novia no tiene una bebida– I have a beer but my girlfriend doesn’t have a drink

Benahavis Area Guide

With thanks to Andalucia Travel Guide for image

Benahavis is one of the traditional Pueblos Blancos or white villages, less than 10km inland from the Costa del Sol. Apart from its picturesque setting and stunning views of both mountains and seas, Benahavis has two major claims to fame – food and golf.

Known locally as the “dining room of the Costa del Sol” Benahavis is a foodie’s paradise with restaurants everywhere! Despite its small size, Benahavis is packed with restaurants and bars all competing for trade from locals, tourists and residents of nearby towns who visit specifically for the food. There’s so much to choose from! Click here for a great overview of some of the best Benahavis Restaurants 

As well as spectacular mountain scenery, Benahavis boasts a fantastic selection of golf courses in a relatively small area. There are 12 golf courses in this area alone, so it’s a great place to base yourself if you want to play several different courses in one holiday. Some of the best include Los Flamingos, Los Arqueros, Atalaya Golf, Montemayor, La Quinta and the exclusive La Zagaleta. Many Costa del Sol golf courses are offering discount green-fees which you can book online at the our website. Here you can also check out our fantastic range of Costa del Sol golf accommodation

Benahavis makes a great place for a holiday as there’s so much on offer. You can walk through the beautiful countryside, play a round of golf, enjoy stunning food, take a trip to the beach and the nearby towns of Marbella or San Pedro. We have a great selection of Benahavis holiday accommodation with short breaks starting from just 500€. Please visit our website to search for your perfect self-catering accommodation Spain or contact us for more information info@holidayrentalontheweb.com

Fantastic snow conditions in the Sierra Nevada

Picture courtesy of British Ski Centre

Just 2 hours from Spain’s Costa del Sol are the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada, Europe’s Southern-most ski resort.

December saw the heaviest rain for 50 years fall on the Costa del Sol, officially ending five years of drought in the region and filling the reservoirs to capacity. Although it meant a wet Christmas for Costa del Sol residents, it has led to wonderful conditions in the nearby mountains with the resort management, Cetursa SA, announcing an impressive 3 metres of snow cover over the ski terrain. They are working hard to piste the new snow and hope to have all the runs open soon. To find out the latest information on the state of the pistes visit the British Ski Centre website.

If you want to enjoy both the skiing and the warmth of the seaside, you should consider basing yourself on the Costa del Sol and taking a day trip up to the mountains. Alternatively, you could do a two centre holiday and stay in the mountains for one night (be warned the accommodation is expensive) and then move down to the Costa del Sol to relax before heading home.

HolidayRentalontheWeb has a great selection of self-catering accommodation on the Costa del Sol and we can recommend the most convenient location if you want to enjoy the skiing as well. To see our full list of Costa del Sol holiday rentals visit our website or email us on info@holidayrentalontheweb.com

Visiting Spain in February

Picture courtesy of Spanish Fiestas

The traditional time to visit Spain is over the summer months, where hordes of tourists flock to the coast for summer sunshine, blue skies, sandy beaches and sangria. However, Spain is a fantastic place to visit all year-round! 

If the January blues are gripping you and you need an escape from the cold, why not book a trip to Spain in February? The flights and accommodation are cheaper and best of all you don’t have to share your holiday experience with loads of other tourists!

February is the month of Valentines Day, so you could surprise your partner with a romantic break to visit the culture and beaches of Andalusia. If you tell us that you’re on a romantic getaway we can give you a welcome basket full of goodies to get you in the mood for love! Email us at info@holidayrentalontheweb.com and let us know how we can make your romantic break special.

If you want to explore the area, the Costa del Sol is a great base, with plentiful rental accommodation and excellent links to the rest of Andalusia. In February you can take a day trip to the beautiful city of Seville, to visit their famous Tapas Fair and sample the best the region has to offer in the birthplace of tapas. Visit Spanish Fiestas website to find out more about the Seville Tapas Fair 

The end of February is also Carnival, where Spain parties hard to celebrate the end of lent. Throughout the Costa del Sol there are vibrant parades and the bars and restaurants are busy with revellers enjoying the fun, crazy atmosphere. This is a great time to see the Spanish really let their hair down and join in the fun!

To see our list of Costa del Sol holiday rentals visit our website and check out the great off-peak discounts available!

Spanish help for holiday makers – At the restaurant

Here’s a simple dialogue to use at the restaurant and a short menu to choose from. What would you choose? Spanish pronunciation is very simple, just make sure you pronounce all the letters in the words. Practice this out loud to build your confidence…

Puerto Banus Guide

Probably the best known location along the Costa del Sol is Puerto Banus. It’s renowned for its marina full of super-yachts, the designer boutiques, fantastic nightlife and its rich and famous visitors.

Puerto Banus is a great place to visit day and night if you are on holiday on the Costa del Sol. Don’t worry, a holiday in this area isn’t only for the rich and famous, there is Puerto Banus self-catering accommodation to suit all budgets. To find out more, we’d suggest this excellent guide to Puerto Banus written by the Tourist office. Click here to read it.

If Puerto Banus is your perfect holiday destination we’ve got a fantastic selection of Puerto Banus villas and apartments for rent both short and long-term. Please visit our website to find out more.

Eating and Drinking on the Costa del Sol

One of the many pleasures of a holiday on the Costa del Sol is the amazing selection of bars and restaurants to choose from. 

Of course y0u can enjoy the traditional Spanish fare of tapas, paella and wonderful fresh fish, but did you know that the area also offers a wide range of International cuisine? There are options to suit all taste-buds and ages; from American to Japanese, British to Indian, German to French and much more. All restaurants are also really family friendly so this is a great place to bring the kids. 

Andalucia is also gaining a great reputation for fine dining and there are a number of local restaurants with Michelin stars for the discerning diner.   The tiny Skina in Marbella Old Town is the proud owner of a Michelin star for their Mediterranean Cuisine and has only 12 covers, for an unforgettable dining experience.

If you want to sound like a local, we’d recommend this great article from Kyero.com with restaurant Spanish that you will never learn in the classroom.  Click here to read the article and impress the waiters next time you come to Spain.

We hope this will whet your appetite for a trip to Spain! It’s a great place for the foodie and within easy reach of the UK. There are also some excellent markets selling the best local produce at affordable prices. The best way to combine a love of restaurants with a love for cooking is to book Costa del Sol self-catering accommodation.  HolidayRentalontheWeb has a great selection of rental properties all along the Costa del Sol, to search for your perfect holiday rental please visit our website

Merry Christmas from HolidayRentalontheWeb!

The Christmas lights are twinkling and the festive season is in full swing, so we wanted to take the opportunity to wish all our readers a very Merry Christmas!

The Costa del Sol is most well-known for the summer season, but it’s a great place to spend Christmas and the New Year as well. The weather here is still beautiful and people are lying on the beach, but the narrow streets of Marbella Old Town are packed with Christmas charm.

The first snow has fallen on the nearby Sierra Nevada and people are flocking to ski just an hour from the Costa del Sol. If you’d like to learn more about the delights of Christmas on the Costa del Sol, we have produced an excellent guide. Please email info@holidayrentalontheweb.com to request your free copy.

If you are looking for an unusual place to spend New Year’s Eve, how about renting a villa on the Costa del Sol? There are lots of events to look forward to, special Christmas markets and the unusual custom of eating a grape for every chime of the clock at midnight to try – I warn you, it’s not easy!

Alternatively, come and join the fun on January 6th – the day of the Three Kings. This is bigger than Christmas itself and is the day when the children receive their presents from the Three Kings or Tres Reyes. There are huge processions all over Spain where sweets are thrown to the waiting crowd and there’s a real carnival atmosphere. This is a great way to see the real Spain and there are some excellent last minute holiday deals to be had.

Self-catering accommodation is the best choice at this time of year, as the Spanish eat with their families therefore restaurants can be quiet. It’s lovely to visit the local market, stroll along the beach and eat at home and then join the locals out on the streets into the early hours of the morning.  We have an excellent selection of Christmas and New Year holiday accommodation still available, take a look at our website for the latest availability.

Take part in El Gordo

If you are in Spain over the Christmas period and you want to take part in the national Spanish craze then you must play the lottery.

It’s called El Gordo or the fat one due to the huge prize fund. Last year an estimated 98% of Spanish adults played and the jackpot was over 2 Billion Euros!

As a non-Spanish speaker it can be a bit daunting to play, but you shouldn’t miss out. To find out all the information you need to know and be prepared, there’s an excellent article on Spanish Fiestas all about El Gordo . There are also a few places offering online tickets, but it’s best to go into the national lottery shops which are all around the country as you know they are legitimate. The draw takes place this year on 22 December, so don’t delay if you want to get involved. Good luck!

If you are still looking for Christmas Holiday Rental Accommodation we’ve got some wonderful properties in Spain still available. Please visit our website to search for properties and view the live availability calendar.