Spain: Canary Islands, Costa del Sol
UPDATE for 2026: We are returning again for three months. Followed by a month in Albania. The Costa del Sol region, with its perpetual sunshine, has captured our hearts, and we’ve made it an integral part of our annual Snowbird retirement journey. Our initial visit in 2022 was sparked by a touch of whimsy, reminiscing […]
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During our snowbird adventure along Spain’s Costa del Sol, we explored the charming coastal path through the older section of Benalmádena, home to traditional architecture and design. The roundabout near the impressive Holiday World resort featured lifelike elephant sculptures that instantly caught our attention at our first bus stop. Beyond this landmark, we discovered hidden […]
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One of our Snowbird day trips while in Costa del Sol, Spain, took us to a relaxing green space just off the free train ride to Montemar. The Battery Park was originally used in WW1 and WW2, but has been transformed into a space for the people with lots of fountains and fanciful statues of […]
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During our snowbird travels in Spain we enjoyed a quirky “burning of the lizard” event, which occurs as a symbolic end to the week long “Carnival” events. The fancy dressed cardboard lizard float is taken in a 2km parade to the beach in Benalmadena where it is burned on the beach by the local firefighters, […]
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We thoroughly enjoyed the many fantastic stone sculptures and 3D reliefs, located in the outer edge of an old rock quarry in Osuna, Spain, during this years Snowbird excursion to the inland mountain parts of Costa del sol. The now abandoned rock quarry was used by the Iberians before Roman times during the 5th centry […]
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The Costa del Sol – Spanish town of Benalmadena is host to four un-related sites connected to Science and Religion. The golden steeple of the Buddhist “Stupa” is visible over 7 km away from at our apartment where we are snowbirds in Fuengirola, Spain. Across the road is an amazing, immersive Butterfly Park where you […]
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La Cala de Mijas is a favorite among UK expats. It’s a bit smaller than where we stay, but it has all the essentials for a vacation in Spain. The “watchtower” served as the primary emergency communication system in the 1500s, alerting other coastal villages of pirate invasions by lighting a bonfire at the top […]
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During our winter retirement in Spain, we embarked on a train journey to the farthest point of the “free” train line outside of Málaga. The scenic ride took us through farms with lemon orchards and pyramid-shaped mountains, culminating in the charming, less touristy town of Álora. There, we explored a 10th-century castle and a grand, […]
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We are delighted to be back in the Costa del Sol of Spain again for our 2nd year as Snowbirds, staying for 3 months here. We took the “free” train to the main city of Maliga to see Magellan’s Spanish Galleon from the 1500’s, and then climbed the steep trail to Gibralfaro Castle – Moorish […]
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We thoroughly enjoyed our brief sojourn in Lisbon, Portugal, as we made our way back from our snowbird retreat in Costa del Sol, Spain. Lisbon shares similarities with Spain, yet it possesses its own distinct character. While Spain boasts consistent beauty throughout, Lisbon captivates with its grandiose monuments. The Manueline architectural style in Portugal stands […]
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