Day Trips: Gardens, Fortresses and Caves
The Alhambra
Of course, I couldn’t just let my family stay at the beach every day. A visit to the Alhambra, an hour’s drive to the north, was the highlight of our trip. Here we explored the medieval Islamic complex and its preserved palaces, gardens and fortresses.
The gardens of the Generalife, or Summer Palace, are stunning. Surrounded by a series of perfectly manicured cypress hedges, my daughter said, “It’s like The Secret Garden.” The reflecting pools, fountains and flowers made a great backdrop for family photos. My kids have never seen a tower that they didn't want to climb. From the turret of the Alcazaba (fortress), there were wonderful views of the city of Granada below and the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the distance.
The Alhambra is the most visited site in Spain and access is capacity controlled, so it’s essential to buy admission tickets ahead of time. Tickets are timed for either a morning or afternoon visit (€12; about $17). Make reservations and pay for your tickets at www.alhambra-tickets.es. Bring your locator number and credit card to the self-serve ticket kiosk at the Alhambra entrance and the machine will print your tickets.
-
The Alhambra is a 14th-century Moorish palace and fortress complex near Granada.
jamesdale10
Nerja Caves
A day trip to the Nerja Caves promised active fun for my brood. About a 30-minute drive from Málaga, this series of naturally formed limestone caverns are the largest in Europe and date to 5 million years ago. No spelunking experience is required—access is easy by stairs and concrete paths. Although the caves are dark and dank, lighting highlights the stalagmites, stalactites and other fanciful outcroppings.
Málaga Living
Málaga is a charming Spanish city which also has a lively nightlife. The old town area near the cathedral is a pedestrian-only thoroughfare that is perfect for wandering.
If You Go
You can book a parador stay through the official parador Web site (www.parador.es). You can also call the Spanish Parador Central booking office in Madrid (tel. +34-902-54-79-79). Keep in mind that Spain is six hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time.)
Iberia flies direct to Madrid from New York City; Boston; Washington, D.C.; Miami and Chicago. From Iberia’s Madrid hub, it’s an hour flight to Málaga.
Hertz has offices throughout Spain. U.S. families take note: Hertz locations maintain a good inventory of automatic vans with a GPS system, but make sure to reserve in advance, because they’re popular.
Málaga Dining
Tapas are small dishes of appetizers that are a great dinner option for kids that like to graze. At Klick Wine (10 Calle Sanchez Pastor) we ordered 15 different tapas, among them Manchego cheese and Iberian ham, a smoked salmon blini and even fried goat-cheese balls.
The Spanish fishing villages of my youth still exist. Near the parador, a half dozen “Chiringuitos,” or beach restaurants, line the seaside promenade. At Restaurante Playa los Alamos (Paseo Maritimo los Alamos, tel.+34-952-05-11-22) my husband and I had Fritura Malaguena, an assortment of fried fish with bones, tails and eyes—a catch of the day. And for my not-so-adventurous kids? They got orders of fried calamari all around.
Comments
No Comments.