As featured on the BBC's 'Living in the Sun'

Location

Villa Gordana is just outside Torre del Mar, only 30 minutes east from Malaga airport. It is 2km from the coast, away from the hustle and bustle of the normal Costa del Sol , but close enough to the local beaches, shops, restaurants, and bars. The area has some of the most beautiful beaches and coastline in Southern Spain. The best way to see this part of the coast is by bicycle and you will see a lot of the local people using pedal power. We have 4 mountain bikes for you to use free of charge (deposit required) at the villa, as and when you want to.

The location of the villa makes it an ideal base for a number of outdoor activities (e.g. mountain biking, horse riding, hiking), water sports (e.g. scuba diving, sailing and sea kayaking), and cultural excursions (e.g. Picasso museum, Nerja Caves , Alhambra Palace ). Whether inland, in the Andalucian Mountains , or on the coast, most destinations are less than an hour’s drive away. All activities on the coast are less than half an hour from the Villa, and to get up into the mountains takes no more than an hour depending on the activity and area.

For those budding Michael Schumacher’s, just down the road from the villa there is an open air go-karting track. This is great fun and ideal for a group challenge, and we can arrange a whole night out with prizes and bubbly for the winner. There is also quad biking and paint balling not far from the villa if you want an exhilarating day out.

Another great day out, especially for families, is the aqua park. There are 5 swimming areas suitable for small children to adults, one has a wave machine. Then there are the many water slides, from the mild to the white knuckle, and some are especially for small children in their own pool. The park is well looked after with plenty of grassy areas to relax in or out of the sun. The costs for the aqua park is around 17€ for adults, 12€ for children, and kids under 4 are free.

It is around 20 minutes drive to Nerja with its fantastic caves, and just over an hour to the ski slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains . Historic Malaga , which boasts everything you will need from a cultural and shopping experience, is only half an hour away, and an hour’s drive gets you to the famous Puerto Banus, where you can party in style.

The old fortress town of Velez Malaga with its hill top castle looking out over the Mediterranean Sea over to Africa is only 10 minutes away. This is another town full of history with beautiful churches and typical white washed houses in narrow streets, so well known in these parts of . You can go on a full or half day tour of Velez Malaga, organised by the Andalucian tourist board, and learn all about the history. This is about 15€ per person for a half day, but less if you book a group tour of 6 or more.

For those who like to shop, as well as the main town and local markets, there is the El Ingenio shopping mall. This mall contains various shops from Mango and Z ara to sports shops and a branch of the Irish M & S called Dunnes Store. There is also a 12 screen cinema, bowling alley, a disco terrace, and a selection of restaurants. If you have a little more to spend, you may want a days shopping in Malaga or even the designer haven of Puerto Banus.

A little further into the Andalucian Mountains , about 20 minutes from the villa, is Lake Vi ñuela . This is a very beautiful area and lovely for walks. When you fly into Malaga you may well just spot the lake due to its striking emerald green colour. The mountains each side seem to engulf you as these are the start of the Sierra Nevadas where you can ski in the winter months.

España Escape prides itself on being the best so we will not only transport you to and from the airport, but also to your daily activity. We can also arrange car hire for those guests who wish to have a little more freedom during their holiday. If you just want to go to the town or the beach, we also have some mountain bikes which are free to use for guests (refundable deposit required).