Hidden Andalucia
Looking to get off the beaten track in Andalucia? We’ve scratched beneath the surface of this exciting, historic area of Spain, asked local experts and come up with a list of little-known things to…
If you like to shop and like your designer brands then there aren’t many places that come close to Puerto Banus. Why? For the sheer concentration of designer boutiques in a relatively small area: Bond Street may have the designer staples in mega-boutiques, but Puerto Banus has a very heels-friendly, bite-sized offering.
Here’s our guide to the very best luxury Puerto Banus shopping – whether you’re mad about Michael Kors or love a bit of Lois Vuitton, there should be something for you in this little lot…
Versace
Conjunto Residencial Benabola, 8 (First shop into the port at the fountain)
No introduction is needed for this famous fashion house. Always a favourite for that evening dress to impress.
Gucci
Muelle Ribera, 15-16 (Near Salvatore Ferragamo)
Another shop front, another global fashion icon. Gucci’s PB instalment features lashings of the usual glamorous looks from the brand’s recent magazine front cover-conquering collection.
Tod’s
Muelle Benabola, 3 (At the entrance to Puerto Banus)
Household name Italian accessories designer Tod’s sells classic shapes in wearable colours. Their moccasins are a basic holiday necessity.
Carolina Herrera
Muelle Benabola, 5 (A little further along from Tod’s near Sinatra’s Bar)
Carolina Herrera is the high priestess of classic, high-end, stylish design. Head here for sheer sophistication.
Intropia
Calle Ribera
While Intropia can be found on most of the more desirable shopping streets in Europe they still have a unique edge compared to other high-end high street offerings. Their exquisite designs are ideal for wedding guest attire or summer evenings or… just any time, really.
Michael Kors
Muelle Ribera, 13
New York-based designer Michael Kors offers wearable, practical solutions for your wardrobe. The Puerto Banus boutique stocks his MICHAEL Michael Kors sports luxe range as well as his ready-to-wear collection.
Dior
Calle Ribera, Casa F, 15 (Second road from the port)
Oh, Dior! Raf Simons left the helm in 2015 and Maria Grazia Chiuri finally took over in 2016, she has brought Dior into a new era. However, customised accessories is where it’s at and Dior has just pretty much blown all other options out of the water. If you’re in sunnies this season make it Dior.
Tom Ford
Muelle Ribera, Casa F, 20
Tom Ford brought Gucci from the brink of bankruptcy in the 90s before setting up his own label in the noughties. Thank you Tom for having a store in Puerto Banus – we can’t get enough of the American chic, feminine designs.
Hackett
Calle Ribera, Casa L, 8 (Second road from the Port opposite Hermes)
Traditional British clothing brand Hackett is still doing what they’ve been doing since 1979. Expect the usual beautifully made men’s classics in their Puerto Banus store.
Hermes
Calle Ribera, 11 (Second road from the Port)
French label Hermes may be famed for its accessories (it’s a scientifically proven fact that you can never have too many Hermes silk scarves) but don’t overlook its ready-to-wear collection.
La Perla
Avenida de la Rivera, 33
Italian luxury lingerie designer La Perla’s Puerto Banus shop is a romantic, elegant affair full of pure silk, Chantilly lace, ribbon and feathers. They also have a gorgeous swimwear collection, too.
Salvatore Ferragamo
Muelle Ribera, 17K
Need shoes? Visit Salvatore Ferragamo. From classic heels to avant-garde statement shoes, the Italian designer’s shoes are a thing of legend.
Jimmy Choo
Muelle Ribera Casa N, 5-6 (Near Louis Vuitton)
One word: swoon. While Jimmy Choo’s sun-kissed Puerto Banus boutique couldn’t be further from his beginnings in East London, the clientele is much the same as anywhere else: fashion royalty and the international city jet set.
Louis Vuitton
Muelle Ribera, Casa N (At the end near Dolce & Gabbana)
Little introduction is needed for the French brand that managed to make luggage sexy. Suitcases and bags aside, you can pop in and browse their full range of holiday-friendly accessories and a ready-to-wear collection, too.
Dolce & Gabbana
Muelle Ribera 3-4
Italian designers Dolce & Gabbana have been at the forefront of fashion for nearly three decades. Always fresh and inspiring, their designs are youthful with killer tailoring.
High Street with Edge in Puerto Banus
Uterque
Calle Ramon Areces, 5
From the same house as Zara, Uterque is not luxury but it does do fashion accessories and some choice basic clothing items very well indeed. A good option to browse through for basic wardrobe-fillers.
338B
Calle Ramon Areces, 16B
This compact shop pulls together a youthful selection of clothes and accessories from recognised labels including Ted Baker (thank goodness), Highly Preppy and Sam Edelman (more shoes) among others.
Adolfo Dominguez
Centro Comercial Marina Banus
Also on the same road as Uterque and 338B is a shopping centre (Centro Comercial Marina Banus) with some high street stores inside. One of note is Adolfo Dominguez. It’s always worth visiting as it hits trends in a classic, effortless way with its easy to wear everyday favourites.
El Corte Ingles
El Corte Ingles is the department store in Spain, it sits somewhere between the British stores of House of Fraser and Selfridges – or similar to Browns, if you’re North American.
The usual suspects are all present and correct in the cosmetics hall with the likes of Bobbi Brown, Bare Minerals, Chanel, Kiehl’s and Estée Lauder on offer. Elsewhere there are accessories from Bimba y Lola (a Spanish fashion brand to love, think Jonathan Saunders with uniquely bold, easy to wear designs – they also have a full boutique on Calle Ribera), whole floors of women’s and men’s designer fashion (Burberry, Emporio Armani and Missoni to name but a few brands), as well as a good children’s department (yes there’s a Petit Bateau). Other floors include homeware, electrical goods and food departments – everything you’d expect from a large department store, basically.
Liking our guide to the best Puerto Banus shopping, but in need of more top retail therapy? Check out our edit of the very best Marbella shopping.
Lindsay Gregory
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[post_content] => Looking to get off the beaten track in Andalucia? We’ve scratched beneath the surface of this exciting, historic area of Spain, asked local experts and come up with a list of little-known things to see and do for our guide to hidden Andalucia...
Malaga Province
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Visit Malaga Cathedral's Roof
If the bird's eye view of the inside of the cathedral looks spectacular, then to cap it off you emerge outside with 360-degree rooftop views of Malaga.
[email protected]
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RELAX IN A HAMMAM
The top tip of Lindsay Gregory, Director of The Luxury Villa Collection: “Stroll around Malaga historic centre, take a hammam at Mammam Al Andalus and finish with cocktails at a rooftop bar.”
https://malaga.hammamalandalus.com/en/
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Meander in Antequera
A rather lovely town with a Moorish fortress complex and no fewer than 30 churches. Don’t miss having tapas in the impressive Plaza de los Escribanos.
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Visit Three 5000-year-old Dolmens
Just outside Antequera, these are some of the largest and most complete megalithic structures in Europe.
Museosdeandalucia.es
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Wonder at a 9TH Century Church – Bobastro
The ruins of a 9th-century church carved out of rock are the highlights of a larger fortified town complex. Anything 9th century and still standing is incredible in our books.
Granada Province
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Nose Around the Carmens of Granada's Albayzin
A house with a garden in the Albayzin (the oldest part of Granada city) is known as a Carmen. These Carmens look out towards the Alhambra Palace, often have wooden balconies, plant-filled patios, babbling water features and decorative tiles.
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Visit the Abbey of Sacromonte, Granada
This 17th-century abbey and college comes complete with holy caves/ancient catacombs. The view of Granada alone is worth the walk.
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Take a day trip to Alhama de Granada and its Natural Hot Springs
This village has stately houses gripping onto the edge of a gorge, cobbled streets and spa credentials. Our top tip is to escape the summer heat in Granada and visit Alhama – it has a unique microclimate where summer nights cool to a comfortable level.
Cadiz Province
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Find Out the Mysteries of the Island of Sancti Petri, San Fernando, Cadiz
Once part of several fortifications, the castle that sits on this tiny island dates back to the 13th century.
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Experience the Beautiful Light in Vejer de la Frontera
This pristine white village, sitting high on a rocky hilltop, really comes into its own at sunrise and dusk. Aside from the dramatic light, there are lovely boutique shops, great restaurants and, during the summer, look out for their candlelight festival.
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Surf and Sip in El Palmar
While it's got a great beach with some decent Atlantic surf, it’s the laidback-hip bar vibe in El Palmar that makes it stand out from other stretches of southern Spain's coast.
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HIRE A Private Chef
David, chef at De Tako's top tip is, “One of the best ways to experience a country is through its food and an even better way is to enjoy perfectly cooked food is in an incredible setting surrounded by friends". We entirely agree – hire a private chef at your villa for the ultimate in convenience.
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Taste Riotinto Beef
One of our top hidden foodie treats in Andalucia is delicious Retinto beef from Cadiz. Much is spoken about fried fish, olives and olive oil, jamón ibérico and Sherry but this meaty option is also a real gastro-standout.
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Take to the Sea – Dolphin Watch
Hire a boat and hit the sea - you’ll almost inevitably come across a pod of dolphins in the Mediterranean.
Seville Province
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Puerta de Macarena/Walls of Seville
This forgotten about 12th-century arched gateway and wall was the main entrance into Seville, and is certainly off the beaten path.
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Drink at a Bar Dedicated to Easter in Sevilla
You'll never have experienced a bar like Garlochí, a homage to Easter in Spain. All year round there's incense burning and procession music playing – they call it the cathedral of bars. Don’t miss their signature cocktail: Grenadine, whisky and Cava.
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Wild Swimming at Cascadas de Hueznar in Seville Province
There’s a succession of beautiful waterfalls running over some interesting limestone formations in Sierra Norte de Sevilla Nature Park.
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SEE LIVE MUSIC IN THE ALCAZAR PALACE
Fiona Flores Watson, Telegraph Travel Writer and Seville resident recommends: “The summer outdoor concerts held in the Alcazar Palace… a magical setting for live jazz, flamenco or classical music by moonlight.”
Alcazarsevilla.org
Cordoba Province
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Visit Highgarden, the Tyrell’s House in Game of Thrones
The castle of Castillo de Almodovar del Rio was built in 740. You can join theatrical tours, do some medieval combat training or spooky storytelling.
Castillodealmodovar.com
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TRAVEL TO EAT AT TRES CULTURAS
Manni Coe of Toma & Coe Tours' top tip is: “One of the most consistently excellent restaurants I know in Andalucia is located on a little-known street, in the little-known town of Lucena. It's called Tres Culturas and it's also a handy stop off en-route to Cordoba."
Tresculturasrestaurante.com
Jaen Province
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Marvel at the Castle of Iruela, Jaen
In the Sierra de Cazorla natural park this castle was built at the start of the 16th century. A beautiful monument in an even more beautiful part of the world.
Huelva Province
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Reconnect with Nature and See Autumn in Aracena
The colours of autumn over the vast landscape of rural Huelva is the perfect way to disconnect. Local people flock here to experience the change of the season.
Almeria Province
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Genoveses beacH in Cabo de Gata, Almeria
This breath-taking beach near the charming village of San Jose feels like another world.
A bit of a cheat but do a tour…
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See Andalucia through its Bullrings
Our top 5 are: Most unusual is in Segura de la Sierra in Jaen province: this square bullring is the old courtyard of a castle and was built in the 18th century. Ronda bullring is the second oldest and the biggest. Seville bullring is the oldest; Antequera's is famed for appearing in Madonna’s Take a Bow video; Mijas has spectacular views and is simply charming. Archidona usually erects a bullring inside its eight-sided main square during the summer season.
Like this and want to know more about visiting southern Spain? Check out our 50 things to do in Andalucia and our guide to the five best cities to visit in Andalucia
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[post_content] => (As of Nov 2020)
Since the global pandemic reached our countries in early 2020 there has been restrictions in one way or another on the way we live our lives. With the sheer amount of press on Covid-19 it’s difficult to see the wood from the trees. So we wanted to reach out to our guests and give you a clear idea of what it’s really like to be in southern Spain in 2020.
As we become used to Covid-19 not going away we’re getting better at carrying on with our lives but with safety measures in place. Obviously, those who are at high risk may adopt a more stringent approach to their activities but for the rest of us we’re getting out and about responsibly. While we at The Luxury Villa Collection welcomed guests during 2020 we realise that clarity on what it's like in southern Spain is needed.
What restrictions are there in southern Spain?
Shops, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, events, museums and art galleries all have capacity limits to ensure social distancing can be adhered to safely. Businesses all have hand sanitizer at the door so customers can clean their hands upon entering and leaving an establishment. As of 25th October there is a curfew between 22.00hrs and 07.00hrs. Further restrictions have been put in place to limit the movement of people outside their municipalities.
Face coverings must be worn at all times if over 6 years old, other than:
- People playing sports do not have to wear a mask whilst engaged in the sporting activity.
- Masks do not need to be worn by customers who are eating, drinking, or smoking.
- In the sea or swimming pool.
- In a designated household sunbathing area on the beach.
Do I have to wear a face covering?
The use of face coverings is mandatory for anyone over the age of 6 years old at all times unless during one of the points stated above. This includes in all forms of indoor and outdoor public spaces even if social distancing can be applied. For countries that haven’t adopted this measure, face coverings seem a huge inconvenience but what they have allowed people to do is enjoy their holiday as normal with face coverings and social distancing being the only restrictions.Are restaurants open?
Yes, restaurants and cafes are open with limitations place upon their capacity to ensure tables are spaced out enough so customers can remove their face coverings while drinking or eating. Serving staff and chefs must wear masks at all times.
Are Beaches open in Andalucia?
Yes. Once on a beach in your own sunbathing area and in the sea you may remove face coverings. The sunbathing areas must be 2 metres apart and social distancing must be adhered to in the sea. Some beaches have allocated sunbathing areas others are flexible but there are personnel checking that people adhere to social distancing rules while enjoying the beach. No distancing is necessary within your family unit. The norms that local governments put in place over summer 2020 worked to great effect and people could enjoy the beaches of the Costa del Sol, Costa de la Luz and Costa Tropical.Are tourist sights open?
Yes. Restrictions on numbers being allowed into famous landmarks, tourist attractions and galleries has meant some sights have never been so quiet. Achieving the perfect photo of the Alhambra Palace or Real Alcazar de Sevilla without other sightseers is actually possible.
Does a face covering need to be worn while driving?
When driving alone or with your household no face covering needs to be worn, but if there are passengers or a driver from a different household then everyone must wear a face covering.What’s the general mood in southern Spain?
Summer 2020 saw fewer parties for sure: the dancing all night in a club and watching the sunrise from a buzzing rooftop bar was and is not on the cards at the moment. However, long lunches beside the sea, visiting theme parks, historic sights, galleries and museums, beach days and outdoor activities are all there being enjoyed. It's really business as usual with the some sensible parameters in place. Some of our guests used our villas with entertainment rooms, cinemas, spas and abundance of space to organise private experiences from chefs to talks to spa treatments and live music. Bringing the wonderful Spanish culture into the safety of their private villa.What is State of Alarm and What Does it Mean?
The phrase state of alarm sounds very official and, well, alarming however, it is really just an administration step for the government and helps regional governments put in place restrictions. This phase allows the government (if necessary) to limit the movement of people at specific locations and times, temporary use private industries (such as private hospitals), limit the use of services and ensure the supply of necessary goods and services. In 2020 during Covid19, the state of alarm has meant limiting the movement of people between different provinces and curfews been implemented (from 23.00-06.00hrs). In no circumstances does state of alarm mean visitors aren't permitted to travel back to their home country.Air travel – Is it safe?
So far there has been little evidence of in-flight transmission of coronavirus, but there have been a couple of examples of transmission early on in the pandemic before more stringent controls were in place.
Shaun Fitzgerald, Royal Academy of Engineering visiting professor at the University of Cambridge said, aircraft ventilation systems are unique, the “replacement rate” - the number of times a volume of air equivalent to the volume of the cabin is removed each hour - can be four minutes in a aircraft. Compare this to 20 or 30 minutes in an indoor environment on the ground and it’s very brisk. The air filters themselves on aeroplanes are sophisticated and much more effective than filters found in indoor venues on the ground.
Most airlines say face coverings are mandatory, limit food and drink services and don’t allow queuing for the toilet. The airports themselves are being diligent ensuring social distancing is in place as well as temperature controls in some.
As from October 2020 if traveling from Europe or the UK:
- You must complete a health control form - which includes a HCF - a negative PCR test within 72hrs of your arrival to Spain.
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Is it Safe to Travel to Southern Spain?
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