Self Catering:
- There are three supermarkets within walking distance. They are all marked on the map in the apartment.
The nearest is the Opencor (open 8am-2am - almost 24hrs!, 365 days a year). It sells almost everything and those forgotten holiday items. It includes a bakery and a cashpoint that gives instructions in English.
The Supersol at Centro Plaza has parking and it is larger. It contains a Butchers with a Spanish-English translation diagram on the wall for the various cuts of meat so that you know what you are buying! It sells many British items including brown sauce and Heinz beans! It will deliver free if over 60 euro is spent or charge 3 euro if less is spent. The Mercadona is larger again, has easy parking or will deliver. The Pharmacy is next door and it is also marked on the map. The kitchen in the apartment is user friendly and our friends and family have often cooked because it is such a pleasure to eat out on the terrace and watch the sun go down.
Eating out:
- There are many restaurants within walking distance so lots of drinking and no driving. Begin with breakfast and the newspaper at the cafes in Centro Plaza. Lunch at the Tapas bar 'Eldorado' just outside the garden on our side of the complex then in the evening 'Yanx' the American restaurant at Centro Plaza. It's easy to find and a good introduction until you get your bearings. It's popular especially for the children's menu before 7pm. Chinese, Italian, Spanish, Indian, Swedish, German are all available in the immediate area. 'Reginas' next to the Andalucia Plaza Hotel for finer dining Italian style and live music on some evenings - great atmosphere. Patio Andaluz – walkable through the short cut shown on the map in the apartment - recommended by guests. The restaurants in the nearest Spanish town 'La Campana' (Italian, Indian, Spanish) are cheap and cheerful and good value. If you are a real foodie it's worth a trip to Benahavis to the 'gourmet village of the Costa del Sol'.
Puerto Banus:
- El Corte Ingles department store open 10am till 10pm - air conditioned - handy for a hot or even a wet day. The café/restaurant on the 2nd floor in El Corte Ingles is very Spanish, great daytime and evening atmosphere for morning coffee or evening tapas and aperitif at the bar. Set price buffet lunch/dinner and regional foods in the restaurant. Toys in the basement for the children. Bakery and Deli on the ground floor. Home cooked chilled meals, cold meats, ham and cheeses to take away from the Deli. Attractions for the children in the lovely square outside. Try the Marbella walk from Puerto Banus along the beach promenade. A long walk but many 'pit stop' opportunities on the way. Catch the boat or bus/taxi back.
“La Canada” - a large accessible indoor shopping/eating complex at the Marbella/Ojen junction - handy for a wet day - includes a large hypermarket, cafes, clothes, shoes, home etc.
Ski:
- For winter sun/ski a 2 hour drive to Sierra Nevada. Watch the temperature gauge in the car go from 20 degrees to -2 degrees in 2 hours. The journey is just about manageable for a day out to have a look or a trial run. About 1½ hrs to the outskirts of Granada on the motorway then about ½hr to drive up the mountain
There is a brochure in the apartment from our trip there in 2004 or try the Sierra Nevada website if you are tempted.
Golf:
Aldea Blanca is in the golf valley leading up from Puerto Banus and is also convenient for the wives/ladies who don't play golf to go shopping in Puerto Banus - walkable or a €1.15 bus or €5 taxi ride. The following courses are a short drive away - Aloha, Los Naranjos, La Quinta, Las Brisas, or a longer drive for a special treat at Valderrama. Further information and a map of the courses is in the apartment.
