Interesting rock formations…read moreof limestone with a height of 878 meters: the pena de los Enamorados or the Lover's Rock, which is also called El Indio, because the profile resembles of a sky-looking Indio. There are several legends about this mountain. The most well known is, that this mountain is the hiding place of two lovers (she Moorish princess and he a Christian), fleeing from the soldiers of her father and then jointly decide to plunge into the depths, to be united in death.

Wonderful natural rock in Antequera believed to take the formation of a native indians head looking…read moreup at the sky. The scenery around antequera is great, and the town itself is very beautiful and typical of a spanish town, a very good and peaceful place to visit.

More than a beach city in the south of Spain…read more Yes, it does have 16 beaches, one in the city center. But does offer way more than lazy sunny days relaxing on the beach. It is the birthplace of Pablo Picasso. And full of various cultural sites. I suggest an early morning hike up to Gibralfaro Castle, as the path is not fully shaded and the line for entry can get long. It is one of the largest Arab fortresses in the area. From here you can look out to the Mediterranean, the historic old city and Plaza de Toro de la Malagueta bull ring. On the back side back down in the city is a fabulously preserved Roman theater, the city museum, and the Cathedral de la Encarnation. The entire day can be spent wandering this great old area, with a few stops at small cafes for a snack and occasional coffee or sangria. Food and drink here are affordable and delicious. For unique and incredible fresh grilled seafood, head back down to the beach and enjoy the grilled sardines on skewers.

A good statue. In the center of the historic district…read more Lots of people. Many tourists.

Oh Malaga... the port city of Costa del sol. You enchant those who come a far and with beautiful…read moreartistic scenery and local charming shopping. The first place I went to when I had visited Spain years ago. The plaza del constitution. located- Plaza de la Constitución, 1 29005 Málaga This plaza is one of Spain's amazing features. The color, vibrancy, upbeat music and Iberian Mediterranean atmosphere has so much to offer. From fresh market vendors to street performers, cute cafe shoppes and delicious seafood this place has it all. The center of the main shopping street is Calle Latinos which you can stroll through many local and brand name shops. See the artistic murals that give Malaga that beach type colorful Mediterranean part of Spain. After all, it is only right to admire and pay tribute to one of the worlds most famous artists of all time Pablo Picasso. Get a feel of the vibrant artistic culture of Europe."s most southern city at plaza del Constitución. Not only is it cultural but a great place to stroll and relax. Go shouts places like Victoria Secret, Desigual, Stradivarius, United colors of Benetton, El Ganzo and much more. At night it's beautiful as the string lights light up the outdoor shopping center. A urban, artistic, vibrant and beach atmosphere...Malaga!

The Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) is the most emblematic monument of the Malaga city of Ronda…read more Built between 1751 and 1793, until 1839 it was the highest bridge in the world with a height of 98 meters (about 300 feet). It unites the historic and modern areas of the city by crossing the Ronda tajo, a gorge excavated by the Guadalevín River. The Puente Nuevo constitutes, together with the Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda, the symbol and soul of the city. That is why it has been declared a Natural Monument of Andalusia in April 2019. We walked across it and also down the gorge to take some of the most iconic pictures of the bridge. The trek is tough with a steep uphill, but worth every minute.

This place is a definite must see if you're in the southern coast of Spain. The view from and…read morearound the bridge is just stunning. There are no admission fees, but if you want to visit the lower levels of the bridge, there is a small fee. Be aware to get here, the road can be steep, winding, and narrow. It can be a bit challenging, especially traveling at night. Located in the town of Ronda, there are plenty of restaurants in the town to try out. Numerous gift shops are also present for your wants.

Conjunto Arqueológico Dólmenes de Antequera is three dolmens…read moreat two sites, and they are part of Antequera's natural UNESCO World Heritage sites (including El Torcal and Peña de los Enamorados). All sites are free to visit, with free parking. You do need a ticket from the ticket office before you can enter the dolmens sites, and there are two locations so make sure you visit the ticket office first. At the main site, with Viera and Menga dolmens, there is a museum covering all. You must drive to a separate location for El Romeral dolmen. We parked free at Viera (Megalithic) and Menga (Neolithic) dolmens, got tickets inside the museum, and only had time to visit those two dolmens. (El Romeral dolmen is slightly less-prehistoric, from the Chalcolithic era.) The Viera dolmen is an amazing feat of prehistoric architecture, with giant stone slabs erected to shelter as a tomb under an earth-covered mound. The Menga dolmen is similar except it has a wider corridor with post-and-lintel division, and a deep well in the chamber. The Menga dolmen (again of the Neolithic era) is deliberately built facing Peña de los Enamorados. On Peña de los Enamorados, the Abrigo de Matacabras, on the northern side of this rock formation, has Neolithic cave paintings (the paintings cannot be visited). Note that in travel videos I saw people touching the walls all over but don't so much as brush a stone with your clothing by losing balance as you walk because the one guide was a b!ch! Holy sh!t she was up our rears. Not sure if this is xenophobia, some issue with kids, or this girl was a nutcase, but all you need to do is politely tell people not to touch the stones. You might want to check out YouTube videos taken when you guides aren't looking because these cavities have had a good feel-up by many gropers far worse than my innocent child who brushed it simply trying to navigate a tight space next to others. Guide needs a major attitude adjustment! Really uptight when people are trying to relax and enjoy a World Heritage Site.

Very interesting!…read more Watch the information movie first. And visit the museum. Very nice display. Then do the walk. You will get more of the experience after seeing what these people went through to live and to build these structures.

For those who can navigate a city that is not overrun by tourists (cruise ship styled ex-pats keep…read moreout), and appreciate nature and culture, Antequera offers super-high bang for your tourist time and money! It satisfies so many highlights anyone could ask for in a vacation spot. I cannot wait to return! UNESCO feels as thrilled with Antequera as I do! They have cited numerous spots in and around the city as World Heritage Sites! El Torcal is a 25min drive from the city proper, although, as we drove out of El Torcal, my time-stamped photos show the last shot of El Torcal just 15min before the panorama of Antequera, so it's very very close. No excuses to miss El Torcal! UNESCO also includes Lovers' Rock and the three Antequera Dolmen sites as part of the UNESCO features in this area. Honestly, the architecture and history in town are way worthy of UNESCO's recognition as well, but maybe that is to come? There is so much to see and do, we had to pick and choose, and I was bummed we didn't get to do it all! There is free entry to a number of their attractions on Tuesdays from 2-6pm. This includes being able to walk inside the fortress walls of the Alcazar like a real soldier. It also allows free entry into the adjacent Real Colegiata de Santa Maria la Mayor, which has outdoor ruins of Roman baths beside it. There is an additional Roman site at Carnicería de los Moros. The dolmens and El Torcal are always free to explore, although for the dolmens, you do need a ticket from the ticket office before you can enter the site, and there are two locations so make sure you visit the ticket office first. There are also several spectacular churches in Antequera, built prolifically after a very long conquest for Christians over the Moors, thus the "need" (desire) to establish exactly who was in charge of the territory. Iglesia Nuestra Señora de los Remedios (1628-1711) is dedicated to the patron saint of Antequera. This church is a remarkable example of Baroque architecture. But do look at the many others for a beautiful variety. Antequera has a number of (always free) miradors (lookouts) to appreciate the perspectives of the town and adjacent natural sites. The most popular is probably Mirador de las Almenillas. There are many highly-rated restaurants in town, including one that sets up tables in the old bullring. We had a hard time choosing where to eat but many were closed the day of our visit so it narrowed things down some. Make sure to try Bienmesabe and other local cuisine! There is so much history and heart in this very special place!

Puente Viejo is a bridge as you'd have guessed, the oldest one built in Ronda in 1616. Easy to…read moreremember. It's very easy to find, like everything else in Ronda, just grab a map - a self guided walking tour and follow the main drag. Everything is close by, within walking distance. The bridge is old, beautiful, take a break for a while to take all the details in and the amazing views all around! Roman bridge with some Moorish influences, a great example of Andalusian architecture. Pedestrian only, a wonderful sight!

The Puente Viejo (old bridge) in Ronda, was built on remains of an older bridge. According to…read moreSpanish touring sites, this version of the bridge was built in the 16thC, however, Wikipedia claims it was built in 1616 (the year of Shakespeare's death). I would tend to go with the Spanish info, dating it to the 1500s. The more famous Puente Nuevo (new bridge) is a "young" 200+ years old. While Puente Nuevo allows vehicular traffic, Puente Viejo is a pedestrian-only bridge. It is accessible from lower points in town, down the hill from the Palacio del Rey Moro, on the old side of the city, and near Iglesia de Padre Jesús on the new side. This bridge has great views, but, IMO, not as dramatic as those from Puente Nuevo. Puente Viejo is in Carlos Saura's film version of Carmen (1983). Los Caños bar, nearby, shows photo stills from the movie. * * * TIP * * * Near the old bridge, there is an entrance to walk the INTERIOR of the city walls, to see these old ramparts from the inside. Ask for more info from your hotel, because this is not of widespread tourist knowledge.

Last weekend I was in Malaga and, while I was having breakfast on the terrasse of a café, a woman…read moredistributed flyers. I usually don't take flyers. But here I was in Spain so maybe flyers were interesting. And it was ! After wandering through the beautiful city, we found the place. hidden in the patio of an old building. Away from the sun, we felt some fresh air and walk in the craft market. I just love so much how it feels to walk from table to table and admire craft ! It feels so personal. Someone made something and you are about to acquire a unique piece of Art ! We sat for a while, drank a coke. Loved it I highly recommend the place and the market :)

Seriously cool place to have a beer!…read more We walked past this place one day while walking off the beaten path. we made a mental note to come back for for a few beers. So we came back for a few beers. And cheap mind you. You won't break the bank here. Doesn't feel very touristy, felt more like a place where locals hang. And had a arty farty vibe. I saw a bloke sitting at a table on his own reading a book and drinking a beer. I love feel of this place. It's set back off the road into a giant garden patio. I think they hold lots of events here. I saw a list of events, but didn't really pay much attention. I think I may wind up a regular here!

Quality/Quantity - A must visit. A highlight for Malaga, Spain. See all my pictures, well I think I…read moream missing like 100 pictures... Also, see my Yelp review for Castillo de Gibralfaro for more pictures. Bring your walking shoes. A fun historic visit. Ambiance - Decent size location. Historic and some beautiful views. Street vendors as you walk up to the location. Street performers, he was actually pretty good, we tipped. Clean restrooms, but possible long lines. We decided to walk, but you can take public transportation, ride share, etc. Cafe & bar available. We got her early, so there were almost no customers. Kid, school tour friendly. Seasonal hours. 9am to 10pm daily during the summer. Winter 9am to 6pm daily. Open year round. Expect to spend 1.5 hours here. Service - Self service, a self service kiosk to pay. Price - 7 Euros, $8 US per person. Discounted when you buy the ticket for both places.10 Euros, $11.50 US. And more importantly, you get to cut the line!! But not well signed. Glad we asked. Guided tours available for $$; see their website. Owner Comment - Congrats on all your success since the 15th century.

This is a nice fort to visit! If you have visited others across Andalusia, it is not nearly as…read moreintricate as the Alhambra, but is still beautiful and grand. The location also offers gorgeous views of the harbor, Mediterranean sea, and the bull ring. There is an accessible entrance for anyone visiting with kids in strollers or a relative in a wheelchair. Free on Sundays after 2p!

All of the other-worldliness of Cappadocia with the amazingness of Antequera under 15min away!…read more El Torcal can honestly be seen by anyone as the mountain roads get you very close to some amazing geological formations. Of course the trails allow you to see more, but if you have mobility issues, young kids, poor weather, or are pressed for time to hike, it is still worth the drive through the mountains to see this unforgettable UNESCO World Heritage Site! There is parking at the Visitor Center and several options for trails, clearly marked by color and rated for difficulty. Lengths of each hike are also provided with any map. The Visitor Center has bathrooms, info desk, gift shop, and cafe. Apparently there is an observatory there too but I didn't see it. The Mirador de las Ventanillas is just off the Visitor Center, and is a short walk on an accessible path. You can easily fill a long weekend with hiking here, or, as mentioned, a quick drive-through, and everything in between. We saw a lot of camper vans, but many day trippers as well. These crazy karst rocks are the remains of the Tethys Ocean from 150 million years ago. As with similar rock formations around the world, wind and rain carved at them to form the shapes and patterns we see today. We did not see any wildlife on our trip but the Spanish ibex goats are supposed to inhabit the area (the Iberian Lynx is not in this area but in parts of the Jaen province). Though we were up 1200-1300m, we did not experience altitude sickness. I will add a word of caution, while our visit was a popular tourist time (Semana Santa), do take caution with other hikers. A pair of visitors were sizing us up at the trailhead when we returned to our car. Keep your valuables and children close and protected at all times. Otherwise, enjoy the majesty of these spectacular natural formations.

Awesome! Like you are truly on another planet…read more Easy access by road. Park at visitor center and cafe. Trails are signed very well. Enjoy the trek and be sure to stop and LOOK!!