Page 398 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

nickname this the Costa del Golf The Drive » For the final leg Den, the Great Siege
for nothing!). It’s a snappy 20 consider taking the AP7 toll road Tunnels (h9.30am-6.15pm),
minutes or just 24km to your for the first 20km (12 minutes, the Moorish castle, the
next stop: Estepona. €3.50) as the N340 coastal Military Heritage Centre,
stretch here is very slow, with and the 100-tonne gun.
numerous roundabouts. At The Rock’s most famous
7 Estepona Guadiaro the AP7 merges with inhabitants, however,
This is the Costa del Sol the A7 for the rest of the 34km are the tailless Barbary
journey. Consider a refreshment
resort which is most stop at swanky Sotogrande macaques. Some of the
intrinsically Spanish, harbour; Sotogorande is 200 apes hang around
with a charming historic also home to Spain’s leading the top cable-car station
centre of narrow cobbled golf course, the Real Club while others are found
streets flanked by simple Valderrama. at the Apes’ Den. Most
pueblo houses decorated Gibraltar soujourns start
by well-tended pots of ge- in Grand Casemates Sq, a
raniums. Make a beeline 8 Gibraltar jolly place surrounded by
for the historic Plaza de Red pillar boxes, fish- bars and restaurants, but
las Flores square with and-chips shops, bobbies with a grim history as
its fountain centrepoint, on the beat and creaky the site of public execu-
orange trees and handy seaside hotels. Stuck tions. Learn more about
tourist office, where you strategically at the jaws the Rock’s history at the
can stop for a town map. of Europe and Africa, fine Gibraltar Museum
Highlights here include Gibraltar’s Palladian (www.gibmuseum.gi; 18-20
the fabulous Orchidarium architecture and camera- Bomb House Lane; adult/
(www.orchidariumestepona.es; hogging Barbary apes child £2/1; h10am-6pm
Calle Terraza 86; h11am-2pm create an interesting Mon-Fri, to 2pm Sat); don’t
SPAIN 28 COSTA DEL SOL BEYOND THE BEACHES
& 5-9pm Tue-Thu & Sun, to contrast and finale to miss the well-preserved
11pm Fri & Sat), with the your journey. Highlights Muslim bathhouse and
largest orchid collection on ‘the Rock’ include an intricately painted
in Europe, some 1500 the Upper Rock Nature 7th-century-BC Egyptian
species, plus subtropical Reserve (adult/child incl mummy that washed up
plants, flowers and trees. attractions £10/5, vehicle £2, here in the late 1800s.
A meandering path takes pedestrian excl attractions
you through the exhibi- £0.50; h9am-6.15pm, last
tion space and past a entry 5.45pm), one of the
dramatic 17m-high water- most dramatic landforms
fall. Estepona’s Puerto in southern Europe. En-
Deportivo is excellent for try tickets include admis-
water sports, as well as sion to the extraordinary
bars and restaurants. St Michael’s Cave (St
Michael’s Rd; h9am-5.45pm,
5 p397
to 6.15pm Apr-Oct), the Apes’

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