MALAGA, MUCH MORE THAN GOLF

The province offers a wide range of opportunities for playing golf Half of Andalucía’s golf courses are located in Málaga province, along whose coastline stretches the famous Costa del Sol. The main attractions of this coastal area, which welcomes more than nine million tourists a year, are – apart from golf – quite varied: gastronomy, beaches, marine ports, nightlife, shopping, typical villages, historical buildings… Marbella (the Costa del Sol’s most international municipality), Estepona, Mijas and Benahavís are home to most of the courses in the province, though the sport can also be enjoyed in many other Málaga areas.

MÁLAGA

The capital city of Málaga, birthplace of Pablo Picasso and site of the magnificent museum dedicated to Guernica’s creator, offers beaches, a bustling night-time atmosphere, and an outstanding selection of historical buildings and monuments, including the Cathedral and La Alcazaba. Located in Málaga municipality are the El Candado, Gua dal horce and Real Club de Campo de Málaga (known as the Parador) golf courses. The Costa del Sol’s pioneer course, and one of the oldest in Spain, having been founded in 1925, Real Club de Málaga extends along the beach and is close to Málaga’s airport. Málaga capital’s tourist attractions are numerous, and are by no means limited to the city’s historical facet – which incidentally features a varied and valuable heritage in this respect, highlighted by the aforementioned buildings. The La Concepción botanical gardens, on the city outskirts, are a delight to the senses and feature a collection of unique species in Europe. Founded by the Phoenicians as “Malaka”, the city retains the vestiges of the different cultures that populated it over the centuries. Also settling in this Mediterranean enclave were Romans and Arabs before the Catholic Monarchs took control.

MARBELLA

The Costa del Sol’s most cosmopolitan city, Marbella is a tourist must, especially for golfers. In fact, it has the most golf courses of any municipality in Spain: sixteen. In bustling Puerto Banús, home to ostentatious yachts worth millions of euros, or in any of the fashionable restaurants or terraces, you could find yourself rubbing shoulders with famous people from the glossy magazines and TV gossip programmes.

The “Golf Valley”, a superb area situated behind Puerto Banús in the Nueva Andalucía macro-urbanisation, includes Las Brisas, Los Naranjos, La Quinta, Aloha and La Dama de Noche, where you can play in the evening thanks to its artificial lighting system. Close by is the Guadalmina club, which has two 18-hole courses. Within one kilometre of the centre of Marbella is Monte Paraíso, and just past the city, in the direction of Málaga, is Río Real, whose picturesque course winds down to the sea. A little further along, near the Costa del Sol Hospital, is Santa Clara Golf and Marbella Golf. Greenlife Golf, Santa María Golf, El Soto and Capopino Golf are situated at the eastern of the municipality.

EMarbella has become renowned throughout the world as a high-class tourist destination. Apart from its hotel infrastructure – an unrivalled concentration of four and five-star establishments – the municipality is also blessed with a privileged natural environment and, above all else, an unsurpassed micro-climate. Thanks to the Sierra Blanca backdrop, the city enjoys incredible sunshine and temperatures throughout most of the year. This microclimate tempers winters and softens summers, thus favouring the development of a rich and attractive vegetation – splendidly on show in thousands of private gardens that add so much colour to the Marbella landscape.

Marbella’s 27 kilometres of coastline are dotted with three marine ports (Cabo pino, Marbella and Banús) and a charming fishing port, which is also home to recreational vessels.

MIJAS

After Marbella, Mijas has the second highest number of golf courses in Málaga province, with twelve. Standing out as a popular destination for tourists is Mijas Golf. This expansive complex has two 18-hole golf courses. The same is the case for La Cala, which has 54 holes and a six-hole par-three layout. One of the latest additions to Mijas’s golf amenities is Santana Golf, a magnificent 18-hole course set in a former avocado farm. Also newly opened are the 18- hole El Chaparral and Calanova. There gasare three 9-hole golf courses: La Noria, La Siesta and Miraflores.

Mijas is known for its large colony of foreign residents, immaculately maintained town centre, typically Andalucian architecture, spectacular views over the Mediterranean, and a whole variety of other attractions, including the emblematic donkey-taxis – an unusual mode of transport which enables visitors to enjoy a very special ride around the town.

BENAHAVÍS

Benahavís is a picturesque mountain municipality much admired, among other reasons, for its gastronomy, which can be savoured at one of the many restaurants. Not surprisingly, the village is popularly known as “The Coast’s Restaurant”. Obviously, it is charming in many ways, from the typical Andalucian “pueblo” houses and streets to the natural landscape stretching out to the municipal limits, which border Marbella and Estepona.

Benahavís\'s golfing credentials are outstanding. In spite of being a small village, as far as number of residents is concerned (a little over 5,000), the municilike pality spreads out expansively, with ten golf courses. The hilly terrain forms an integral part of each of these courses.

ESTEPONA

Estepona is another municipality with impressive golf facilities: Atalaya (two 18- hole courses); El Paraíso, designed by Gary Player; Estepona Golf; Coto de la Serena, La Resina and El Campanario. Tradition and modernity blend together perfectly in this small city, with an “old town” that retains its Andalucian charm - narrow streets, whitewashed houses and flower-bedecked balconies.

One of the main centres of activity in the municipality is the marine port, located at the western end of the town. It comprises 400 mooring berths and a lively day and nightlife thanks to the presence of numerous establishments.

Gastronomy is another of Estepona’s “main dishes”. It would be difficult not to find a restaurant to satisfy your tastes, as there are no less than 200 in the municipality. The bars, cafeterias, pubs and discotheques also offer a wide variety of environments - 400 in total – for everyone.