The previous day, we had arrived from the Pyrenees Mountains to the coastal town of La Rรกpita, and a peaceful breakfast with a sea view was undeniably a pleasant change after the mountains. It was nice to continue our journey from here.
We had a relatively brisk pace towards the Costa del Sol and Malaga, where we were to return the car. However, we had a few days for this journey, so we didn’t need to rush. We had time to make stops along the way, explore places, and take scenic routes.
Soon after setting off, we spotted a lovely beach where we decided to take a break. We grabbed some snacks from a store and leisurely enjoyed them while soaking in the sea breeze.
Valencia – The City of Arts and Sciences
Our next stop was Valencia, on the Costa Blanca. We skipped the city center this time but definitely wanted to explore The City of Arts and Sciences area. This is a large park area with beautiful modern buildings, turquoise pools, and gardens. It’s a museum and science area, but just admiring it from the outside is impressive, and there’s plenty to see. If you wish, you can even rent a rowboat and paddle in the pool. It’s worth allocating some time here, as you can easily spend hours wandering around and marveling at the sights. Be sure to check out the Interior of L’Umbracle, a beautiful indoor garden on the edge of the area.
Calp
From Valencia, we headed towards the coastal town of Calp, just over 70 kilometers away. Calp is a popular beach destination known for its long and beautiful sandy beaches.
In Calpe, we stayed at Hotel Port Europa. The hotel had recently been renovated, was very clean, and our room was spacious. A notable plus was the good breakfast, which also offered gluten-free options. This was especially nice since gluten-free options were scarce in the Pyrenees. Now they were available again ๐
A distinctive feature of Calpe is the imposing and large rock, Penyal dโIfac, located at the tip of the peninsula, which is visible from almost everywhere in the city. Surrounding it is 13 kilometers of coastline with a total of 14 beaches, so there’s no shortage of beaches in Calpe. The town itself was charming, with plenty of restaurant and cafรฉ options. Despite having a coastline and beaches, the town is relatively small, but it’s a very pleasant beach destination.
Through Small Villages
From Calpe, our journey continued through a couple of small villages, driving along the coastline towards the south. For a change of scenery, we decided to venture into slightly more mountainous landscapes and drove through the Sierra de la Muela, Cabo Tiรฑoso y Roldรกn Natural Park, sticking close to the coast, of course. This natural park offered lower mountain ranges but still stunning views. Beautiful views from high above the sea and delightful winding mountain roads.
A notable stop along the way was the Calas de Bolnuevo beach area, which is worth a visit.
Our next night was spent at Hotel Envรญa Almerรญa Spa & Golf, located just after the city of Almerรญa. This was a luxurious 5-star hotel, evident as soon as we drove in. The lobby was grand and beautiful, with a large crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, luxurious spiral staircases, and gleaming surfaces. The room was clean, tidy, and spacious. The dรฉcor was somewhat old-fashioned, but it seemed to be the hotel’s style. The breakfast was also top-notch 5-star quality. The hotel had beautiful outdoor areas with a swimming pool and a terrace with sofas, offering stunning mountain views. We were traveling in the off-season, so it’s often possible to find such luxurious accommodations at very reasonable prices.
From here, our journey continued, and our first stop was Guardias Viejas Castle on the outskirts of the coastal town of the same name. We stopped briefly since the castle was closed, so we admired it from the outside for a while before continuing our journey. Still, it was a nice stop.
In Salobreรฑa, we stopped to admire the beautiful town and its pleasant beach. The town boasts a beautiful old castle situated on a 73-meter-high hill, with its roots dating back to the 9th century. Salobreรฑa was a lovely town for a brief stop along the way.
Destination Reached
From Salobreรฑa, we drove to the Malaga area. At this point, we debated where to book accommodation: Malaga, Torremolinos, or Fuengirola. We settled on Torremolinos, where we booked several nights so we could relax after a long stretch on the road. However, the next day, we still had to return the car to Malaga, but otherwise, we could simply enjoy and unwind.
Returning the car was quite straightforward. We chose a drop-off point near Malaga train station, where we drove and returned the car. After the return, we hopped on a train back to Torremolinos. Now it was time to enjoy the warmth and beach atmosphere of the Costa del Sol ๐
