Episode 5 Getaways

Hello and welcome to Getaways. We're on a mission to discover

the best holidays directly from Ireland, and this week,

we're in one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations.

We are here on the Costa del Sol in southern Spain

and to find out why it attracts huge numbers of holiday-makers

from the UK and Ireland every year.

We're going to be looking at what is on offer here that

entices people back year after year.

Is it just sun, sea and sangria?

We want to find out if there is more to do than just top up your tan.

Coming up - we find out how Malaga

is reinventing itself as a cultural hub.

I visit Ronda to find out why it is an ideal place for a day trip.

And I take a short getaway to Kinsale, County Cork,

where I get creative with painting and cookery classes.

We flew from Belfast International to Malaga,

but there are direct flights from Dublin, Cork

and other Irish airports, and the flight takes around three hours.

Where better to start our Costa del Sol trip but on the beach?

This is Marbella's Golden Mile,

and millions of you come here every year.

Can't say I blame you.

Spain is the number one destination for UK and Irish tourists,

with over 1.3 million visiting from Ireland alone every year.

The Costa del Sol is one of Spain's main holiday hotspots,

and it is the beaches and good weather that bring us here.

There's almost 100 miles of beach, stretching all the way

along the coastline, with every imaginable type of accommodation.

There is something for old-timers and honeymooners,

for teenagers and toddlers.

There's a range of resorts sprawled along the coast,

including Marbella, Fuengirola,

and for those of us who like a bit of bling,

there is always Puerto Banus,

known for its designer shops, luxury yachts and new money.

We are basing ourselves in the glamorous resort town of Marbella.

Two things Marbella is famous for are its beaches and shopping.

The handy thing is, right here is the beach,

30 seconds that way are the shops.

It is a really long season here. You will get sun from Easter

to the end of October.

We visited in September, when it was an ideal 25 degrees.

I know it's hard to believe, but you can work out a hunger when you

are just lying around on the beach, maybe having a wee pal and all that.

If you had a choice,

would you go for some limpid excuse of a burger,

with overcooked, greasy chips,

or would you go for something like this?

Round these parts, these little fellas here, sardines...

HE SMACKS HIS LIPS Delicious.

Cooked on the fire, look at that. Oh, no mucking around.

HE LAUGHS GLEEFULLY

Another big draw for tourists around Marbella are beach clubs,

where you get a taste of luxury, five-star living.

What you will get here is a fabulous pool setting,

VIP service to your sunbed and a little bit of pampering.

There's no rushing to get your towel down, no warm bottled water

and no sand in awkward places.

No, this is sunbathing for those who like a little bit of luxury.

During the summer, the beach clubs open from 11 in the morning

until seven at night, every day of the week.

If you want to splash out,

the VIP treatment costs 160 euro for two people.

That gets you this enormous bed with a sea view, champagne,

fruit and a little goody bag.

You've got a mirror, a hairbrush, lip balm,

some earphones and a spritzer to keep you cool.

SHE SPRAYS

Not bad.

Beach clubs are dotted all along the coast here,

and make a really special holiday treat,

but don't just take my word for it.

I would definitely recommend to go to a beach club during the day.

It is much more enjoyable than

actually just lying on the beach. You have drinks on hand,

you have waiters there to take your order, and it is brilliant,

you really don't have to move off

your big sunbed if you don't want to.

Lovely food, the food was fantastic, and the beds were great.

Just a little bit expensive for the drinks.

Sometimes you recommend that we walk up steep hills or plough through

snowy mountains, but I love it when

you guys recommend somewhere like this.

You know we deserve the Kim and Kanye treatment.

You lovely people.

Marbella isn't all about bling and luxury living.

There is a quieter, gentler side to Marbs too.

It wasn't until the 1940s that Marbella became

a playground for the rich and famous,

and behind the high rises, there's still a reminder of

the quiet Andalusian village

with its narrow streets and whitewashed buildings.

The old town, Marbella.

This is a nice place to come to escape the beaches,

orange trees, old historic buildings - it's beautiful.

Yeah, and when you come to a resort that is so popular as this is,

you have to expect the concrete, the built-up, the hotels,

the very commercial beaches, but you can escape it, you can

-come and get yourself a traditional taste of Marbella.

-Absolutely.

But if you are holidaying with kids,

chances are you're going to visit somewhere like this.

SCREAMING

Tivoli World is one of the largest

and most popular theme parks in the Costa del Sol.

With over 40 attractions, it has stuff like Ferris wheels,

roller coasters and a 60-metre vertical drop,

so it has got something for everyone.

Little 'uns and indeed big 'uns like me. Let's go.

And you've got to do the Ferris wheel.

I mean, just check out the view you get over the park. Beautiful.

Tivoli World is already known for being

one of the best value theme parks in Spain.

But if you want to save you a few extra quid,

book your tickets online before you come here and it's a 20% discount.

That's more yield for less euro.

Word to the wise - if you're going to venture on this

harmless-looking log ride, be prepared for the drop.

Going up.

'And for getting wet.'

Whoa-a!

'And I mean soaked.'

Ohh!

HE LAUGHS

A 20-minute drive into the hills west of Tivoli World

is the Andalusian village of Mijas.

BIRDSONG

Mijas is known as Villa Blanca, or "White Town",

and you can see why,

with the picture-perfect whitewashed houses and shops.

There is a totally different vibe up here,

and even if you don't fancy exploring the area,

it is worth trekking up here just for the views along the coastline.

One of the main attractions in the village is

the 17th-century shrine to the Virgen de la Pena,

the patron saint of Mijas.

The shrine is carved out of solid rock

and it attracts visitors from all over the world.

Legend has it that an image of the virgin was discovered

when the two children of a local shepherd followed

a white dove that led them to this spot.

You can go inside the little chapel to see

the image of the virgin.

The village is small and easy to explore,

but it's famous for its donkey taxis, known as burros.

But this is one taxi rank we think we'll avoid,

and give the beasts of burden a break.

Mijas may be a small village,

but there is a lot going on and plenty to see.

SHE SINGS IN SPANISH

When we visited, we found a flamenco display going on in the main square.

Local festivals take place throughout the summer,

so keep an eye out for traditional music and dancing.

This little number made me want to dust off my dancing shoes.

And if all that isn't enough,

of course you can also get in a bit of souvenir shopping.

This region is famous for its leather goods, both for pricing

and indeed quality - belts, bags, jackets, all very popular,

as are sort of cowhide rugs.

Let's look at this one, for example.

They have gone for more of the patchwork motif,

and if we look closely, someone has obviously skinned a Minion,

which, on the surface, I know sounds cruel,

but there is obviously a market for it.

This little item here will set you back a cool 110 euro.

Yes, really.

How cute is this?

I know, look at that, it's a sea of colour, isn't it?

ANGELA LAUGHS

You see the kind of Moorish influence with their stuff,

it is very Moroccan. Morocco is basically just over there.

The thing is with these,

I always go a bit wild when I'm on holiday, and then I go home...

-That surprises me(!)

-Yeah.

But out of context, in the grey, rainy Ireland,

these fabulous coloured terracotta pots don't quite work.

No, they don't sit well.

Also, things like these, which are very popular -

a gateway kind of ornament.

Next stop, you're getting, like, dreamcatchers,

and you and I can't be friends any more.

-SHE LAUGHS

-I do not like dreamcatchers.

-No.

Here on Getaways, we always try and bring you a little taste of

the left of centre, the unusual,

and I think today I have outdone myself.

This is the Castillo Colomares.

It was built by a doctor who was fascinated with Columbus

and his discovery of America.

Now, it's quite a jumble of architectural styles,

it shouldn't really work, but do you know the reason why it does?

Because he just went so far with it.

The doctor who built this modern folly was an American,

who poured his own money and all his spare time into the project.

He built this himself with the help of two stonemasons.

It took them seven years to build and opened in 1984.

It must have cost millions to build,

but you can get in for a couple of euro.

This place is class.

See when you walk around, you notice the little details

on the walls, the carvings and all the ornamental stuff.

To use the parlance of our time, it's pretty far out, man.

The monument itself is set in the hills overlooking

the coastline of Benalmadena.

Another notable monument nearby is the Buddhist Enlightenment Stupa,

the biggest in Europe.

Of course, you don't have to fly abroad to get away from it all.

Joe took a short getaway to Kinsale in sunny West Cork.

Kinsale is a popular holiday resort known for sailing, art,

culture, history and its food.

And I'm here to sample a little bit of what it has to offer.

It's just the sort of place that

invites you to take a wee dander around.

You could spend the whole afternoon just taking it in,

looking in the windows, checking out all the quirky wee shops.

Oh, wait, bookshop, back in a second.

I think the pretty streets with colourful shops,

bars and galleries give Kinsale a continental feel,

a bit like northern France or even parts of Spain.

SEAGULLS CALL

In the past decade, Kinsale has really revived

its arts and crafts scene.

Here you will find everything from pottery through glasswork,

jewellery of gold and silver and quite a few galleries.

Feeling inspired, I have booked

myself into an art class that takes

an unconventional approach to learning how to paint.

(What's going on back there?) What are they doing?

Well, it's quite strange really, because, as you can see,

-they're blindfolded.

-Yeah.

And it is all designed really to get rid of the fear factor,

and that is the idea, to get them

to put marks on not knowing what colour,

and then once they have done that, they take the blindfold off

and they try and interpret what they have done blindfolded.

Time to put the technique to the test.

Time for the reveal.

Wow. There is a certain charm though, a naivety, I feel.

Just outside Kinsale Harbour is Charles Fort,

a 17th-century fortress that has

been restored as a national monument.

It makes a fine walk if you are interested in history

or just want to get some fresh air and admire the scenery.

Kinsale is regarded by many as the gourmet capital of Ireland.

The restaurants here can rely on a plentiful supply

of freshly-caught seafood.

And the farmers' market held here every Wednesday

is attracting foodie tourists.

'I am paying a visit to Ballinacurra House

'for a cookery lesson at the new Kinsale Gourmet Academy,

'run by award-winning chef David Rice.'

All right, we are ready to rock, what are we doing?

OK, so we are going to do pan-fried scallops,

roasted black pudding, some pea puree and crispy bacon.

-Excellent.

-We put a little bit of oil on the scallops.

Curry powder seems an unusual choice for scallops.

It gives it a nice colour when you are cooking them.

-Beautiful.

-And when they hit the pan, you just leave them.

Then get your black pudding and just drop it in as well.

We blitz this up.

Toss them in the butter now.

Just do a swoosh like that. Perfect. Natural.

So how I can do that? Just like a suggestion of it.

OK, now time for the tasting. My favourite scallop.

Ten out of ten, well done.

-Oh, my word.

-If your TV career doesn't work out,

-I'll give you a job in the kitchen.

-Would you, yeah?

-Yeah.

After you have exhausted your artistic energy by eating

all of the seafood in sight, like I did, you can stay at this

secluded rental apartment right on the water's edge.

And if you really want to get away from it all,

at the end of the garden, there is a Mongolian yurt,

where there is no TV, no phone and no internet - just a fantastic view.

Two nights in the yurt costs from 260 euro.

We are in the Costa del Sol,

one of Spain's most popular holiday destinations.

So far, we've explored the beautiful village of Mijas.

I made a splash at Tivoli World.

And we've been spoiling ourselves at a Beach club in Marbella.

Here on Getaways, we always recommend that you

drag yourself off the sun lounger

and head a little bit further afield.

Catherine from Belfast suggested that we take

a day trip to the historic town of Ronda.

Ronda is just over an hour from Marbella.

If you are not brave enough to drive on the windy roads, you can

book an excursion, as public transport to Ronda isn't great.

What you can't possibly miss

and what attracts thousands of tourists here

every year is the massive bridge

which dominates the centre of the town.

The bridge crosses the El Tajo gorge and splits the town in two,

separating the old Moorish area from the new Mercadillo quarter.

This is Ronda's famous Puente Nuevo, or "the new bridge",

although that's not technically true since it was

built in the 18th century.

Now, as if that is not impressive enough,

the views out this way are absolutely incredible.

The bridge was completed in 1793 after taking

around 40 years to construct.

It's almost 100 metres of

pure, drop-dead-gorgeous civil engineering.

It's said to be one of the most photographed sites in the world.

True or not, it certainly makes a perfect place for holiday snaps.

-Hey!

-CAMERA CLICKS

The bridge here in Ronda can get pretty hectic with tourists

in the summer months, but if you duck off the main streets,

you will find plenty of tranquil little spots just like this.

This is the courtyard of the Casa de Don Bosco

in the heart of Ronda's old town.

This is actually the garden of a retirement home for priests,

but it's also open to the public.

As well as admiring the beautiful Arab-style mosaics,

it's also a prime spot for another fabulous view over the valley.

Ronda's cobbled alleys

and streets are perfect for wandering around, and you

will come across little plazas with excellent bars and restaurants.

People always rave about French and Italian food, but for me,

Spanish is up there with the best.

Here are some specialties from this region.

Gazpacho, which is essentially chilled tomato soup blended

with bread and garlic, spices - it's delicious and really refreshing.

Then pimiento, which are green peppers,

there's always a spicy one hiding in there, so be careful.

And this one, which is specific to Ronda, it's really fresh,

locally grown tomatoes, drenched in olive oil, salt

and topped with tuna.

So sweet and so tasty.

Ronda is known as the birthplace of modern bullfighting,

and the Plaza de Toros is famed for its history and architecture.

Bullfighting was first found in ancient Rome,

but it was the Moors who invaded from North Africa

who developed bullfighting in this region.

Its roots lie in rituals associated with feast days

and ceremonial events,

and the bullfights originally took place on horseback.

Regardless of your opinions on the sport of bullfighting,

it is undeniably part of the culture and history of Spain, and this

beautiful bullring in Ronda is the oldest one in the country.

'I caught up with a local expert to find out

'more about the bullring's history.'

When we go back to the 18th century,

we see that a population like Ronda, no more than 10,000 people,

built this bullring for 7,000 people,

then you understand that this building has to do more

with the history of Spain than with the history

of the bullfighting itself.

There is a lot of controversy now around bullfighting,

has that affected its popularity?

I would say it's becoming more popular for foreigners

than for Spaniards.

Many people in Spain don't like bullfighting, so it is...

When you say don't like it, it doesn't mean you're going to

go against it, it's just that you don't practise.

But if you're interested in catching an actual bullfight,

they do take place here once a year, during a festival every September.

Whoo!

If you're more about slides than sand, there are several

water parks in the area, so grab your togs and get amongst it!

The Parque Acuatico Mijas water park in Fuengirola has enough attractions

to warrant tearing yourself away from the beach for a while.

Are we having fun or what, people?

I think today has been the best bit,

because we've had so much fun here, haven't we?

-Yeah.

-We've gone down on every slide, she's been very brave.

And it's just lovely, it's just a lovely family day out.

We've just had an absolute blast so far.

It's not the biggest water park, but it is easy to navigate

and has small slides and big slides, so it's good for all ages.

The daily family tickets for two adults

and two children costs just over 50 euros.

Yeah, it's great value, we got a family pass in,

so all of us together, it worked out cheaper.

It's fantastic. Yeah, great price.

Next, we're hitting Malaga,

which you may not consider a holiday hotspot, but think again.

Most people fly directly into Malaga, but use it as a stopgap

en route to Ronda, Mijas, Puerto Banus and Marbella.

But more and more, Malaga has become a destination in its own right.

There's been a lot of investment in Malaga tourism,

particularly in the area of culture.

And Malaga also has everything else a holiday-maker may want -

history, architecture, gardens and great food,

and you're not even going to miss out on the beaches.

'Wandering around the old town,

'I bumped into a couple of holiday-makers from back home.'

-How do you find it so far?

-Absolutely brilliant.

It has got everything.

Lovely cafes and lovely little streets to wander about,

and it's got the sea,

it's got historical museums, art, it's got everything.

And I see you're out doing a bit of a bike tour,

which is amazing, you think it's a great way to see the place?

Yes, we decided this morning to go on a city bike tour,

and we've got a guide, and he's telling us

all about the history of the place. It's great.

Malaga really is on a mission to rejuvenate itself,

and this docklands area is at the heart of it.

It is the perfect place to spend the day checking out the shops

and checking out the yachts.

Until fairly recently,

Malaga's port was off limits to members of the public,

but recent developments to both the docks

and the city have changed this.

Huge cruise liners arrive with hundreds of thousands

of passengers each year,

and Malaga Port is now one of the most important in Spain.

Two quays have opened up in the city port, situated side by side -

great for a bit of people-watching and to pick up a souvenir of two.

Also to be found in the port is

Malaga's newest cultural addition, the Pompidou Centre,

a smaller scale version of Paris' great contemporary arts venue.

They've really put their money where their mouth is

when it comes to the arts here in Malaga.

There has been a 100 million euro investment,

which includes this, the Pompidou Centre,

the only one outside Paris, and it has seen exhibitions

from Pablo Picasso himself, but also Frida Kahlo and Francis Bacon.

The Pompidou Centre is housed in a striking

contemporary cuboid glass structure nicknamed -

can you guess? - that's right, "the Cube".

And there is one more arts centre I want to steer you towards.

Art is very important in Malaga, as it is the birthplace

of Pablo Picasso, a giant of contemporary art.

So if you're here, you really should get along to the Picasso Museum.

Picasso was born in Malaga in 1881

and was a pioneer of the cubist art movement.

He was not only one of the most influential artists

of the 20th century, but also one of the most prolific,

creating thousands of artistic works.

There are 12 halls in the museum that showcase over 200

art pieces, which cover the whole range of his portfolio,

from paintings to sketches and ceramics.

All of my favourite painters, I have at some point in my life

seen their pieces, their work, in the flesh, as it were,

not just in books.

But I have never seen a Picasso outside of a book,

so to be in a room full of Picassos, in a building full of Picassos...

it's really quite something.

The Picasso Museum is in the heart of the old town,

just a few minutes away from the house where he was born.

Well, can't stay around here chatting all day.

For our holiday in the Costa del Sol we stayed

in the Melia Marbella Banus.

We particularly liked the range of swimming pools,

including the waterfall one set in a subtropical garden.

In keeping with the Marbella theme, the hotel has

an upmarket beach club vibe, and there are VIP beds by the pool.

'The hotel also does a mean buffet, and the resident chef Jose gave me

'a taste of the local delicacy - pata negra.'

So, Jose, tell me a little bit about this.

OK, this one is pata negra ham.

-Typical from Spain. And this is fed by corn.

-Corn-fed, OK.

And it is wild in the country.

-So the pigs are running free, it's organic, they eat acorns.

-Yeah.

Pata negra means "black pig".

-Yep.

-Can I have a taste?

Mm. Oily and... Oh, yeah.

A week here in May or June costs from £779 per person

for two adults sharing, including flights and transfers.

If you're looking for a cheaper alternative,

then the Hotel PYR Marbella is a good value three-star option.

The PYR is centrally located and quite traditional in style.

There are catering facilities in the rooms,

so you can save on eating out.

And who doesn't love a hotel with an aqua park thrown in for free?

The Holiday Hydros is one of the four hotels at

the massive Holiday World resort in Benalmadena.

The complex includes everything from themed family hotels

to boutique hotel options.

The Holiday Hydros is quite exclusive,

with only 28 suites here, so you won't be fighting for a sun lounger.

The suites all have balconies and hot tubs, ideal for a sundowner.

We booked our hotels and flights with Jet2Holidays.

There are flights to Malaga from all the main Irish airports.

If you would like any more information on any of our holidays,

please visit...

-So, Joe, what was the highlight?

-You know what? Malaga.

I think a very underrated place generally. See the Picasso Museum?

Massive highlight. What about you?

Well, this place is so known for beaches,

but actually, I enjoyed escaping up the mountains to Ronda.

Quiet, peaceful, and the food was unbelievable.

Yeah, that looked good. See you next time on Getaways.