Paul O’Mahoney recommends - Spain: Why not try ... Andalucia

Paul O'Mahoney of Property Point Marbella reports on the latest news & events.  For more information, please visit Property Point Marbella's website at www.propertypointmarbella.com.

Reinventing the idea of a region of overdeveloped resorts, unique venues now offer cutting-edge architecture as well as incentives that make the best of Moorish culture and sports.

Andalucía is an autonomous region of Spain and covers most of the southern coastline. Its capital, Seville, has the largest city population with other popular destinations including Malaga, Granada, Cordoba, Jerez and Cadiz. There are also several famous resorts along the coast, including Marbella, Almeria, Torremolinos and Fuengirola – most of which have been very popular with leisure travellers for decades.

This situation produced a divide between the overdeveloped resorts of the region and its great historic cities, but the region is looking to change its populist image.

This reinvention relies on a new wave of innovative properties, such as the Abades Nevada Palace (www.abadesnevadapalace.com/en), a unique hotel in Granada due to its avant-garde architecture. Its 258 rooms enjoy excellent views of the Alhambra and Sierra Nevada ski station thanks to its elliptical construction.

In Seville, the Melia Colon (www.solmelia.com) opened in 2009 after a refurbishment. Sporting Belle Epoch architecture, its 185 rooms include 29 suites with sweeping city views.

Malaga too has a new breed of property on offer. The Vincci Selection Posada del Patio (www.vinccihoteles.com) is a newly built five-star hotel with an avant-garde style characteristic of Vincci Hotels. It is built around a stretch of an excavated section of an ancient Arab wall, and has 109 rooms, and a fine-dining restaurant – Baraka – with a Moorish twist.

Incentive activities, too, are taking off in the region. Fabio Lomena, commercial director of local DMC Exploramas, says: "Our popular activities are the four-wheel-drive tours to explore the region's incredible natural beauty, treasure hunts that immerse the groups in the Moorish culture and customs, Flamenco demonstrations with group participation and then you have the wealth of water-sports activities afforded by the huge stretch of Mediterranean coast."

There are many of the country's best golf courses in the region and a climate to support virtually year-round play. Groups with an interest in corporate social responsibility can take part in reforestation projects, such as those at Sierra de Mijas in Malaga, which was destroyed by fire in early 2000.

Dan Rigby, director at First Protocol, took a group of 50 board director members, together with their partners, and was impressed. "We had to create an intellectually stimulating event," he said. "It was all about fresh experiences for our well-travelled, cultured guests."

In Seville, the bespoke programme included many activities not on offer to the public. The group attended an organ concert in Seville Cathedral, a private performance of Carmen in a Moorish Palace and had tastings with sherry, Serrano ham and olive oil producers.

Directory
Spanish Tourist Office
Contact: Valentina Beteta
Tel: 020 7317 2029
Email: valentina.beteta@tourspain.es
Web: www.spain.info

Source: citmagazine.com

For information about the latest property listings in Marbella, please visit Property Point Marbella's website at www.propertypointmarbella.com.