Where to drive from Malaga to find peace?

[Kristin]

Hello there,

I am traveling by car from Malaga airport towards Manilva in the end of February and I'm wondering if somebody knows where to go.. I am looking for a more hippie/relaxed atmosphere rather than a busy tourist area. I've heard this is rather difficult to find on the Costa del Sol coast/Andalucia area, but I still believe there are more quiet, laid back places?

Anybody recommending a small fishing village or a horse riding village in the mountains by a peaceful river?

I would be so happy to hear from you!

Kristin

[silver]

There are less than 100kl between Malaga airport and Manilva..most of which covers the busiest section of the Costa del Sol with no small fishing village on route...there are more quiet, laid back places...but at a distance...to get to one you would probably double (or more) your mileage.

[Kristin]

Thanks ever so much for reply,

I don't mind travelling for a few hours, not at all. Would you be so kind as to name a few fishing villages/laid back etc places?

Thanks again,
Kristin

[Bandy]

cortes de la frontera would be a good choice for you. we have an old farmhouse there down by the river.
it is very peaceful, plenty of horseriding etc.
send me a pm if you want morr details as there are similar villages along the valley and on the other side of the mountains.

[katy]

You wouldn't find anything remotely like a fishing village on the whole of the costa del sol. Something which may suit you for a hippy laid back atmosphere is the are around Tarifa, about 2 hours away from Manilva (or less). The Hurricane Hotel is great.

[safeashouses]

Sabinillas and Castillo either side of Puerto de la Duquesa next door to Manilva aren't that cosmopolitan.

Kristin I have sent you a PM with a website address with lots of information about Manilva and the surrounding area. Enjoy your visit.

[frank]

You wouldn't find anything remotely like a fishing village on the whole of the costa del sol.

No, about 20-30 years too late!

Something which may suit you for a hippy laid back atmosphere is the are around Tarifa, about 2 hours away from Manilva (or less). The Hurricane Hotel is great.

Never been to the hotel, but it gets good press. Turn the corner at the bottom and go along the coast, Costa de la Luz, and you can chill out there with all the surfers. They have the stuff to help you relax! You can have miles of beach there to yourself. Tarifa and all that coast is pretty laid back.

[Marina]

Katy,

East of Malaga are small fishing villages, Lagos, Mezquitilla and Caleta. I live in this area and it couldn't be more different to the large resorts.

I lie in bed at night and can hear the hum of the fishing boats out at sea.

[katy]

There are still fishing boats out this way too but not the whole set up that goes with the perception. I based my suggestion that she will be in the manilva area which is nearer to Cadiz area particularly Tarifa which has a sort of hippy scene.

[Marina]

Well, I'ts not just the boats that are here. While there are a lot of new apartments being built and one nearby village has a number of high rise blocks, the villages that I have mentioned all still have the original old fishermans cottages along the seafront. These are still lived in by the local fishermen and haven't yet been sold off and converted into holiday homes.
At Caleta, the pleasure Marina is very small because most of the port is still a working port used by the local fishermen. If you take a stroll along there, you will generally find the men sitting out and mending their nets.
I don't know what goes with the perception of a fishing village, but the reality of the latest generation of fishermen still living and working in the same traditional way, seems pretty real to me.

[safeashouses]

Well you have certainly made it sound appealing to me. It's probably like Sabinillas (Manilva) was 10 years ago. But much has happened in the last 10 years. Too much. I hope the 'overdevelopers' are ashamed of themselves but I very much doubt it.

We still have boats and fishermen but they are now only allowed to use designated sections of the beach but probably for bather's safety I guess.

[aidan]

Tarifa would be the obvious choice for 'Hippy' laid back experience. I believe that there is still a Hippy comune ( originated by Germans) up in the old Castellar behind San Roque on the Jimena road.

[silver]

You have a good selection of places to investigate on line before you come...I would like to add...Maro, El Chorro, Pedregalejos and El Palo (east Malaga center) Juanar...are just a few within reasonable distance...but there lots of others...

[jules 2]

I agree with Katy.We've stayed at the Hurricane Hotel a couple of times and love it. In fact it was built by a hippy from California! Tarifa old town is interesting too. The Hurricane Hotel is on the main N340 coast road approx. 7km past Tarifa on the left hand side. They have their own riding stables & windsurfing school. Also worth visiting is Vejer de la Frontera approx. 40 mins further up the coast and slightly inland. From Manilva area, should only take just less than an hour to reach Tarifa. Castellar de la Frontera does still have a few 'new age travellers' hanging around and some of the tiny houses located inside the castellated village are for rent through the local rural tourism facility. Have fun!

[Kristin]

to all your comments, really appreciated!
I have printed all your comments and will bring to Spain in the end of the month. Enjoy the sun x

[paulday]

We live in the Spanish "wild west"
Try this Atlantic coast, Cadiz and Jerez. Seville just up the road.

[asiwalkedout]

as bandy mentioned, cortes de la frontera is lovely, also Jimera de Libar, montejaque and ronda, all lovely, quiet (well apart from ronda) and stunning countryside, great for walking and chilling out