Surrounding Area
Perfectly nestled between the picturesque village of Casares and the beautiful Mediterranean coast, Casares del Sol offers an idyllic location for your holiday.
The
apartment is located very near to the beaches of Sabinillas. Next to Sabinillas
is the Puerto de la Duquesa, a beautiful marina surrounded by bars and
restaurants. At night you can have a meal in one of the many and varied
restaurants overlooking the water, choose from Spanish, Italian, English,
Chinese, Thai, American and Mexican.
Within close proximity are the Ports of Estepona, Sotogrande and Puerto Banus where you will find even more restaurants and nightlife.
The Casares Costa and the surrounding area offer some wonderful places to visit, whether you are looking for history, scenic hill walking, picturesque Andalucian villages, wildlife and birdlife, adventure parks for the family or beach activities. A few of the places to visit are described below and more can be found in the ‘links’ page.
Golfers will be spoilt for choice and the ‘golf’ page describes some of the many golf courses to be found in the area.
Casares
Walking or driving up into the hills you will find the wonderfully quaint hill top village of Casares, typical of the Andalucian architecture. Casares is known as the 'hanging village', built onto the hillside just below the ruined Casares fortress and dating back to the Roman era.
With its narrow winding streets and multi-level houses, leading you up to the Fortress where vultures soar and the views across to Gibraltar and Africa are stunning, Casares is a must-see for the visitor.
Casares Village
Tarifa
Tarifa boasts ten kilometres of white sandy beaches, unspoilt countryside and some excellent windsurfing conditions. The Straits of Gibraltar are only 11km across at the narrowest point and there are spectacular views of the Rif mountains of Africa across the water.
Tarifa Beach
La Duquesa
La Duquesa Port
Puerto de la Duquesa is a beautiful area with a marina and miles of beautiful uncrowded beaches.
The attractive promenades encircling the port offer a variety of restaurants, intimate bars and cafes. The vast choice of eating and drinking options include French, Italian, Chinese, Indian, Thai and of course, Spanish with its fresh, local fish. Two nights a week the port hosts a unique Crafts Market, popular with the local residents as well as visitors.
Estepona
Estepona is one of the few coastal towns that has succeeded in maintaining its pueblo charm and character, despite the tourism.
Estepona old town
There are plenty of street cafes and tapas bars still serving traditional Spanish delicacies. You'll also find unusual shops and bodegas in Estepona, where you'd least expect them, all very inviting, very friendly - and very cheap!
The Estepona Marina is situated at the west end of the seafront promenade. This is a very pleasant place for a stroll and there are some magnificent boats moored here. There are also a wide variety of excellent bars and restaurants, open both midday and in the evening. There is a popular tourist market here on a Sunday morning.
After midnight (especially in the summer season) the port comes alive. Numerous night clubs and discos seem to materialise from nowhere.
Estepona at sunset
Estepona beach front
Manilva
Although Manilva is directly on the coast, there are very few sky-scrapers to be seen, it is a quiet typically Spanish town, often overlooked.
Manilva
is an agricultural area with the main crop being grapes, used for the well-known
locally produced sweet wines which keep badly and are best drunk when new.
The town’s history dates back to Roman times and still today there are some
remarkably well-preserved Roman Sulphur baths and an Aqueduct.
Sunset over Manilva
The White Towns
The white towns or pueblos blancos of Andalucia are famous the world over, and are every visitor’s picture of the traditional Spain.
Pueblos blancos within easy drive are Gaucin, Jimena de la Frontera and the fortified town of Castillar de la Frontera.
Andalucian White Town
Ronda
Nestled in the hillside just 80km from Casares is the wonderful town of Ronda. The town which is steeped in history is dominated by the fact that the town is split in two sections by a 100m deep gorge. This spectacular gorge is bridged by the New Bridge (Puente Nuevo) built in 1751 and taking 42 years to build.
On one side of the bridge is the old Moorish town with many historic buildings including the House of the Moorish King. On the other side is El Mercadillo, a more recent urban development.
To the East of the town are the well preserved Arab Baths which were accidentally discovered when the house above them collapsed. One of the best ways to visit Ronda is by an organised excursion, or by train from San Roque.
Ronda Town
Marbella
What began as a small Andalusian fishing-village is now one of the most exciting holiday destinations along the Mediterranean coast. A world famous haven for the rich and beautiful and a growing destination for residents from around the world, Marbella is a unique mix of traditional Spain and International chic.
One important area not to miss is the Old Town of Marbella, also called "Casco Antiguo". A labyrinth of narrow streets and tiny squares surround the Plaza los Naranjos (Orange Square).
A fabulous range of restaurants serving every style of food from delicious tapas to creative International fare can be found around every corner.
Art lovers should head down to the Paseó Maritimo in Marbella via the magnificent Alamaeda park full of shaded benches and lush greenery that boasts half a dozen statues by the famous Spanish artist Salvador Dali. The amphitheatre at Constitution Park (once the garden of a private residence) is also a popular backdrop for concerts and plays in the summer.
Marbella Waterfront
Marbella Old Town
Puerto Banus
Puerto Banus is located just 20 minutes away and offers beautiful restaurants and bars with spectacular scenery including an impressive mountain backdrop and ocean views.
This is definitely the "place to be" and "to be seen”. The area is lined with designer boutiques and the marina is home to both large expensive yachts and smaller pleasure craft .
Magical Puerto Banus
Puerto
Banus Waterfront
Gibraltar
Just a 25 minute drive from Casares del Sol you can be crossing the border into the Colony of Gibraltar and strolling up Main Street taking advantage of the tax free prices. Take in the views from the Upper Rock, see the famous Rock Apes, visit St Michaels Cave and marvel at the stalactites or visit the nature reserve.
Further Afield
For those looking to travel a little further, there are rich sights too plentiful to mention, but here are a taste of what more you might find.
Sherry Towns
North of Cadiz is the so-called sherry triangle, its corners marked by three towns sprinkled with producers of sherry and brandy whose bodegas (wine cellars) can be visited. Jerez de la Frontera is renowned for its sherry, as well as having a longstanding equestrian tradition and a claim to being the home of flamenco.
A port at the mouth of the Guadalquivir river, Sanlúcar de Barrameda is also famous for its bodegas where you can sample its acclaimed manzanilla, a dry sherry. You can access the Doñana National Park from Sanlúcar via boat. The third town in the triangle is El Puerto de Santa María, which has a smattering of fine mansions as evidence of its wealth in the 18th century and some superb seafood restaurants and bars.
Cadiz
Cadiz
Cadiz, the oldest city in Andalusia (over three thousands years old) has a unique personality. It is located in the southernmost part of Spain, and separated from Africa by the straight of Gibraltar. The province of Cadiz is mountainous. To the north-east, are the mountain ranges of Algodonales, la Mota, Líjar, Grazalema and Santa Margarita. To the south are the sierras of Aljibe and Líbar
Seville (Sevilla)
Seville is a little further away from Casares del Sol, but is a wonderful place to visit if you have the time. Seville lies on the banks of the Guadalquivir and is one of the largest historical centres in Europe, it has the minaret of La Giralda, the cathedral (one of the largest), and the Alcázar Palace. Part of its treasure include Casa de Pilatos, Torre del Oro, the Town Hall, Archive of the Indies (where the historical records of the American continent are kept), the Fine Arts Museum (the second largest picture gallery in Spain), plus convents, parish churches and palaces.
Don’t miss out on the tapas. Seville is credited with their invention and has more than a thousand bars where the choice of food is virtually unlimited.
Seville by night