The backcountry is full of dreamlike mountain regions and villages that are not well-known outside of Spain. These are ideal for tourism-sensitive people! The Costa del Sol to the east of Malaga is especially nice. The countryside surrounded by mountains is called La Axarquia in the backcountry of Nerja. The area to the south of Estepona, direction of Gibralter (our small holiday settlement Princesa Kristina near Manilva) is also highly recommendable.
Eastern region of the Costa del Sol (Axarquia): Enjoy your vacation villa at the Costa del Sol (e.g. the climate and the beaches) without being stuck in all the turbulence. Vacation villas somewhat away from the coast: an authentic Andalusia with beautiful villages and very varied, natural countryside; no negative influences from tourism, but still in comfortable distance of the coast, to Malaga and even to Granada; a year-round mild, sunny climate, superb natural products (oil, wine, seafood, fruit) and a gastronomy that makes good use of these products. Our vacation villas with pool in Axarquia are located on open ground at the edge of villages or in the villages! Western region of the Costa del Sol: the high-density areas that reach from Malaga past Marbella stop to the south of Estepona.
The climate is the mildest in all of Europe, which is reflected in the cultivation of avocados, mangos and sugar cane. Olives, almonds and wine growing (the famous Malaga wine is from this region) dominate the mountain regions. The winters are very mild, and most of the yearly precipitation falls in heavy showers in winter and spring.
The villages on the coast with beaches are popular holiday destinations, e.g. Nerja with its stalactite caves. Many villages are still contemplative and have kept the traditional ways of village life. Nearly every village has its specialities (raisins, wine, oil, honey) and the festivities are famous. The mountain ranges around Axarquia rise up to 2,000 m and offer hiking at all altitudes.
The whitewashed villages with abundant flowers are among the nicest in all of Spain with very well-kept, steep, flower-decorated alleys and squares and cosy restaurants.
The beaches around Nerja are very nice, but small. This prevented the tourist development from getting out of hand (as happened to the west of Malaga). Nevertheless Nerja offers all infrastructures for a pleasant holiday: a wide-variety of sports possibilities, riding, diving, wind surfing Flamenco stages, bicycle rental, stalactite caves and of course great pubs At any rate it is well worth while exploring the backcountry of Axarquia on different routes (e.g. the wine or the oil route).
The leisure time possibilities are vast; besides all of the holiday attractions along the coast (i.e. nearly all types of water sports), amusement and water parks, riding, dolphin safaris near Gibraltar, discotheques, there are also endless hiking and excursion possibilities: the route of the white villages, Ronda, Gibralter, Antequera to name a few. Seville, Cordoba and Granada are also easily reached.