Is Ronda a good base to also visit the Costa del Sol on daytrips?
 

I thought driving around the "White Villages" of Spain would be like visiting the hill towns of Italy or France so one week would not be too long to plan a stay. Since we will be there in early April, not swimming weather but we still like to be near water, I would plan to visit the beach along the Costa del Sol as a day trip.

From the comments I've read here there does not seem to be much variety in the white villages in Spain and they become rather repetitive without museums/points of interest, except for Ronda. Should I reverse where we stay and base instead along the coast in a town with museums, etc and do our day trips by car up to the mountain villages?

I'd like to find a central base for 7 days or so to slow down our hotel changes in Andalusia

Thanks for any comments or suggestions. Deborah

Hi again! I have visited Ronda twice and I really love it, but don't think of it as a village--it is actually larger than Cordoba, with a vibrant "new town". Also, it is the kind of place that can be crowded with day trippers during the day but completely different at night and with good restaurants, so I think it would make a good base. There is enough to do there that you don't have to be on the road every day, and there is the opportunity to take a bus/train to a nearby town (Montejaque/Benaojan) and do a lovely hike.
The nicest beach I've seen in southern Spain, albeit from afar, was down below Vejer de la Frontera, which I visited as a day trip from Cadiz (between zahora and zahara). There is a park at Barbate--maybe that was it.
If I ever get back to the region, Zahara (the other one, near Ronda) and Grazalema will be my focus.

In southern Spain April can easily be swimming weather - we had temps in the upper 80s on both our visits.

And staying in a small town and trying to do day trips is really a huge waste of time. Much better to stay in one larger town and then separately on the coast

Yorkshire, thank you again!! Your comments are helpful in trying to define how many days I need so I can book my airfare. I've gathered several travel books plus using this forum trying to loosely structure my travels. As usual, I started with 21 days and I keep adding days here and there ;;) Deborah

nytraveler, was that in early April? Right now my plan is to be there around April 1st. I thought we would find many places shuttered at that time in April on the Costa del Sol and expecting temps closer to (a hopeful) 70 degrees. Thank you for your comments, Deborah

I love being by the sea as well, but unfortunately I have not identified a coastal town that really does it for me. If you consider alternatives for a base, some of the villages may feel too quiet at night--so that is something I'd consider carefully. It's a trade off for quiet and charm versus too quiet!
Neither me not my husband are much for driving, so once you get a list of places you'll day trip to, it would be good to look at the driving times on viamichelin and google maps.

We loved Ronda but only stayed 2 nights; enjoyed Arcos de la Frontera, wished we had visited Cadiz rather than Jerez, but think the perfect spot in which to end our hectic Spain trip were the 3 nights spent at the Townhouse in Marbella. If you do visit there from Ronda, try and grab the ferry over to Puerto Banos, the super luxurious west side from which lovely views of Gibraltar and Morocco can easily be spotted. Can't say enough about the quiet unassuming top service at the pristine and charming (and hard to find) Townhouse. We were in Spain in April 2012 and found northern Spain quite cold with southern Spain wonderfully warm. Pack for both.

We were there in mid April both times. Stayed near Puerto Banus and our hotel pool was open and wading in the sea was fine. (I'm used to the North Atlantic so to me the Med is always kind of warm.)

We stayed in Seville, Granada and Cordoba as well as on the coast - and visited a bunch of other places (Ronda, Ubeda, Gibraltar, Jerez etc) - but we spent 10 days one time and 12 days the other - plus additional time in other parts of Spain or Portugal.

Thanks for the comments. While doing my searches of Andalucia today I'm becoming a little concerned that the Costa del Sol isn't what I might enjoy. I'm reading descriptions less than attractive, like brash, heavy on neon and tower blocks, flocks of "hen" parties and also concrete, pollution, ridiculous prices and traffic jams---I'm guessing that's high season and not April!! ;;)

I was thinking our stay would be along the lines of Cadaques which we enjoyed very much. Is there a town along the Costa del Sol that combines charm and a water view? Nerja, perhaps?

You might want to head to Cadiz, which might be more to your liking.

Nerja could be a very good base for you.

A beautiful, coastal town with nine small and large beaches among the cliffs (pop. about 20.000) that has got all the amenities that makes it popular with tourists, but Nerja has also has kept much of its Andalucian charm, especially up in the old town behind seafront Calle Carabeo. Have been at this time of year many times, and it's relatively peace and quiet but with almost all restaurants etc. open. http://www.nerjatoday.com/

Nice, small villages up into the pretty spectacular Almijara mountain range just behind Nerja, and Nerja is also close to fabulous Andalucian capitals such as genuine Andalucian atmosphere Málaga and Granada with the Alhambra. Buses all the time to Málaga (some 30 miles) and a couple of times a day to Granada (some 60 miles).
Málaga: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalis...pleasures.html
Granada/Alhambra: http://www.andalucia.com/cities/gran...hamhistory.htm

Some of my Nerja favourites:

Marisquería La Marina is about as good as you get a seafood freiduría in all of Andalucía and very popular with locals. Have splurged on fabulous seafood here on many occasions: http://www.guideofnerja.com/pages/gu.../marina_en.htm
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Andalucia.html

Free tapas to choose with every drink of beer, wine or mineral water in most tapas bars and restaurants in Nerja for some 1,50-2€. Dozens of absolutely excellent places. For example delicious free tapas grilled on the spot (conchas finas, mussels, clams, prawns, monkfish, whitebait, baby-squid, sausages, pinchos morunos, mini-burgers etc.) and great atmosphere at El Pulguilla in C/Cristo, just off landmark Balcón de Europa.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Andalucia.html

La Puntilla in the heart of the Old town:
http://www.nerjatoday.com/barsandres...s/la-puntilla/
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaur...Andalucia.html

Close to legendary beach restaurant Ayo's with the famous paella: http://www.ayonerja.com/index.html

Excellent Italian food at Vitaliano, of course run by Italians. Consistently great for the past eleven years: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Andalucia.html

Superb Thai/Laos food at Lan Sang: http://www.lansang.com/

The spectacular Nerja Caves count for much of the tourist boom since the early 1960's: http://www.cuevadenerja.es/index.php?lenguaje=en

Photo of Nerja: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2622/...de6a8146_o.jpg

I recommend to stay in or close to seafront Calle Carabeo, the oldest street in town. Runs along the cliffs on the photo above. Several apartments to rent here, and also some nice hotels (Hotel Carabeo, Parador de Nerja) and a couple of basic hotel standard hostals.

Past 17 years statistics for the first week of April in Nerja:
Average highs at 72F, night lows at 52F (highest measured is 84 and lowest 43, so pretty stable), eight hours sun/day and one day wih reainfall. (wetteronline.de)

Robert, thank you, can you suggest a location close to Cadiz that you would recommend? Since we were be dropping our car in Granada I was hoping for a beach town less than two hours away, Cadiz is about a 4 hour drive looking at the Michelin site.

Thanks Kimhe, Nerja was the town that kept coming up in my research as having retained more of it's historic charm and culture. The information you've provided is very helpful, 70 degrees might not be swimming weather but it sure would be pleasant for touring. I'd like to find accommodations that includes parking, free would be a bonus, for our rental car. I'm hoping in early April that would not be a problem. Thanks again, Deborah

There is a huge open air parking space just inland from Calle Carabeo in Nerja, the Huertos de Carabeo Car Park. It was free until 2011, but now I think it's some 8-10€/day, maybe less in April and probably less if a whole week. Local residents pay 40€/month. http://www.parkingnerja.com/

The close by Parador de Nerja has got free parking. An excellent and tranquile place to stay, on the edge of the old town and seven minutes walk to landmark Balcón de Europa.
http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/para...-nerja.en.html

On street parking is normally very difficult, but should be easier in April.

Here are two sites with fabulous rentals:
http://www.inter-sol.com/calle_carabeo.html
http://www.inter-sol.com/tuhillo.html

And we've been very happy to stay in this small seaside apartment, 10 mins walk away from the other apartments and just as central: http://www.rentinnerja.com/apartments-nerja/RIN11/

kimhe, thanks again for the links. Since I'm starting the research so early I might be able to find enough days for a week in Nerja. The small apartment looks almost perfect for us, except for the bed configuration. Do you think they offer a double bed rather than twins, twin beds don't speak well for wedded bliss ;;) Deborah

You'll have to ask about the beds, but here are some more apartments 50-100 meters away and even closer to the sea: http://www.inter-sol.com/las_palmeras.html

More 1 bedroom apartments in the Carabeo/Balcón de Europa area, in or closer to the Old town;
http://www.rentinnerja.com/search/go...lexiblePeriod=

http://www.rentinnerja.com/search/go...lexiblePeriod=

If you go to Nerja, you should also visit wonderful small oasis Maro (pop 800) some 3 km east of town and just below the Nerja caves. Total peace and quiet in the quaint, little bar/restaurant/café on the small main square (Balcón de Maro) by the church. Here it's easy to let the hours fly away. http://www.absoluteaxarquia.com/areas/maro.html

Actually, there are apartments for rent above this gem of a cáfé/bar. Doble bed available, magnificent sea-view and free parking...
http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/apar...demaro.en.html

The beach in Maro is currently in a clear lead to be voted best beach in Andalucía on the national tv channel Antena 3 competition, and it will probably be in the final to be voted best beach in Spain 2013. And I use to have my daily cold swims at these times of year...
http://www.101tv.es/la-playa-de-maro...ejor-de-espana
http://www.diariosur.es/20130707/loc...307070119.html
Info: http://www.nerjatoday.com/nerjabeachguide/maro/

kimhe, Nerja sounds definitely like that special place where the worries of life just melt away!! Thanks for providing so many recommendations of where to stay and what to do. I know my husband will especially enjoy our time in Nerja. Thanks again, Deborah