Activities & Area
Arthur’s Vineyard is perched on a hill top overlooking Lake Vinuela in a tranquil and beautiful area, yet we are only 40 minutes drive from Malaga Airport. Surrounded by breathtaking country side we are still only 18 kilometres from the sea. There are numerous white Andalucian villages scattered around the valley and hillsides. Our local village of Los Romanes is more suited to the mules of yesteryear than the four-wheel drives of today. In fact, you’ll see a lot of mules, donkeys and goats around the village. Mules are used to collect grapes from the mountainous terrain. When driving around the village, your only likely traffic jam will be caused by a large herd of goats, as the shepherd and his dogs scour the countryside for suitable grazing between this village and Benamargosa. Los Romanes has a bar a restaurant and a village shop. Nearby, La Vinuela is a slightly larger village, hugging a hillside, with its own spring. There are two bars here, one La Vina dates back to the eighteenth century, a bank and a couple of supermarkets.
Further along the valley is Puente don Manuel, with various bars, restaurants, an excellent butcher and a panaderia - a bakers which curiously also sells local ceramics. Further still are Periana and Alcaucin, both interesting and typically Spanish - definitely worth a visit.
From Arthur’s Vineyard, you have a spectacular view of Comares, which is reputed
to have been the last Moorish stronghold in Spain. It’s a long and winding road
to get there, but well worth the effort. It has tiny, narrow streets and
fantastic views, a couple of bars, a ruined Moorish fort, built on Roman
foundations and an interesting cemetery which feels a bit closer to heaven than
usual! Slightly further a field, along the autovia you will fin Nerja, the
pretty town of Firigiliana.
Torre del Mar is the nearest seaside town to Arthur’s Vineyard. It’s a lively
Spanish town, with a beautiful Paseo running alongside the beach. You can walk
from one end of Torre (near the lighthouse) a couple of kilometres to Caleta de
Velez, the local fishing and leisure port. You’ll find every possible kind of
restaurant and bar en route, and there are two or three good restaurants at
Caleta. Torre del Mar offers you good shopping, especially on market days.
(Thursdays), with plenty of clothes, earthenware, jewellery and ceramics. On the
outskirts of Torre del Mar is a large shopping centre with a bowling alley and
cinema complex.
The oldest capital of the Axarquia region, is Velez Malaga. There are good shops here too, scattered around its myriad of narrow streets and alleyways. The highlight here is Semana Santa (Holy Week) when huge floats are carried through the town, taking several hours to complete its circuitous route. Thousands of people gather to witness this spectacle, wandering from tapas bar to tapas bar to enjoy the unique atmosphere. Highly recommended!
The majority of towns in this area have their own Semana Santa parades and festivals, and each one will bring a tingle to your heart and a tear to your eyes. Malaga itself is approximately 45 minutes away. The easiest and cheapest way to travel is by bus, and you can catch this at the bus station in Torre del Mar. You can alight at the port, and walk through the old town; or go to the terminus and wander through the newer shopping malls. There’s a wonderful cathedral, an ancient castle, busy squares and peaceful gardens all waiting to be explored.
Walking
From Arthur’s Vineyard there are numerous paths and tracks, offering spectacular views and the chance to enjoy the local wildlife. These tracks range from the easy stroll to the more physically demanding.
Bird watching
Make sure you pack your binoculars! The area offers a variety of species from common pied wagtails to honey buzzards and eagles. Our local sparrow hawk patrols the territory close to the house, and in the summer., flocks of bee-eaters line up on the telephone wires. In the autumn, we witness hundreds of buzzards and eagles soaring over the house, to gather at a local rocky outcrop, before making the long flight down to Gibraltar and across to north Africa.
Painting and Photography
There are great opportunities for creating your very own bit of magical Andalucia to take home. Tranquil olive groves, ruins of old fincas, lakeside vistas, picturesque villages or soaring mountains. The choice is yours.
Golf
There are two local courses close by Baviera and Anoreta, and others in the vicinity of Malaga, all with lovely views of the Mediterranean and surrounding mountains and country side. Equipment, trolleys and buggies are available for hire, and we can arrange tee times for you. Prices will vary, depending on the time of year you visit, but are far cheaper than the courses around Marbella. Bring a hat and plenty of sun cream as the sun is very fierce, even in the winter.
Village Festivals
The village festivals, which start in May and continue throughout the summer are unique to Spain and are not for the faint hearted as they always continue well into the early hours of the morning with music and dancing for everyone from babies to grannies and grandpas. During the days there are lunch time festivals where you will often be offered food prepared by the local housewives, and in the afternoons the men like to show off their horse riding skills. All through the summer at Arthur's Vineyard you will hear the festivities going on around you and because of our unique position you will be able to go down to the villages and take part or sit on our hill top and view from afar.
This area is a very good starting point for exploring the other main attractions of Andalucia, Cordoba, Granada, Marbella and many more like the amazing El Torcal Nature Park and Nerja with it wide beaches and fantastic caves.