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Riogordo - Axarquia, Andalucia Southern Spain Riogordo is a typical Moorish style "white" rural Spanish village. It nestles at an altitude of 400 metres in the hills just 35 minutes drive inland from Malaga Airport in the Axarquia region of Andalucia in Southern Spain. The area benefits from its proximity to the coastal urban developments but retains its local character and identity. Apart from enjoying everything that Casa Carabo and the village have to offer, Riogordo is an excellent base from which to discover the delights that this area has to offer. Casa Carabo is roughly in the area bounded by Granada, Sevilla, Cordoba and Ronda, all historic cities that are well worth a visit.

Alhambra Palace at Granada If you are looking for some culture during your trip, this is the place to go. The Alhambra was a palace, a fortress and home of the Nasrid Sultans. It is best to book in advance as it is a very popular attraction, and to pre-selected times for the Alcazaba (fortress) and Palacios Nazaries. Headsets are available to enhance your visit. www.alhambra-tickets.es .The palace is well sign posted from the Granada/Almeira road south of Granada about 1¼ hours from Riogordo.

Caves at Nerja For a truly unforgettable experience you can travel a short distance along the coast from Torre del Mar to Nerja, where there is the most amazing network of limestone caves. The Nerja caves are located three kilometres from the centre of town and comprise a natural archaeological cave containing the world's widest column. Wall paintings found inside the caves date from the Palaeolithic and post-Palaeolithic periods while skeletal remains and artefacts show that they were inhabited from about 25,000 BC up until the Bronze Age.

Puerto Banus See how the “other half” live. Puerto Banus is located just west of Marbella, before you reach the small town of San Pedro de Alcantara. This is the place to ogle those fabulous luxury yachts while sipping a drink at one of the many open air restaurants and bars. The setting is close to ideal, with its impressive mountain backdrop and ocean views.

Vinuella Lake Viñuela is set in the stunning landscape of the Axarquia in Malaga province. Less than an hour’s drive from Malaga International Airport, La Viñuela is a very popular destination for those who hope to enjoy the unspoiled beauty of Andalusia. It has also been chosen by many Spanish and foreigners alike to become their home, enjoying life in its beautiful surroundings. This idyllic spot attracts writers, artists, photographers and those who just take pleasure in the countryside in one of the best year-round climates in Europe.

Golf Since the golf boom of the 1980’s Andalucia has taken giant strides on the way to becoming a golfing destination now offering 85 courses. There are some 40 courses on the Costa del Sol alone with the remainder distributed amongst Andalucia’s eight provinces, providing the perfect excuse to combine golf holidays with visits to some of the historic cities noted above.

Sierra Nevada Near Granada are the Sierra Nevada mountains. From the house it is just about possible to ski in the morning and play golf with shorts on in the afternoon! There is a total of 61 kilometres spread over 39 runs, plus 6 off-course trails. The Sierra Nevada has a vertical drop of 1,300 meters, and snow areas for all types of skiers, from beginners to experts. The highlights of its courses were those used in the World Alpine Ski Championships held in February 1996. Ski lifts are open to the public from 09.00hrs. - 16.30hrs. daily, however, weather conditions may affect lift schedules. Lifts are also open Friday and Saturday evenings for floodlit night-time skiing.

El Torcal Nature Reserve El Torcal Park Nature Reserve is known for unusual limestone rock formations. El Torcal Park Nature Reserve is located about 30 km west of Riogordo in the direction of Antequera near the village of Villanueva de la Concepcion. Within El Torcal Park's 17 square km are some of the most beautiful and impressive limestone landscapes in Europe. The whole area was under sea until one hundred million years ago.

Ronda Again about 1¼ hours from Riogordo, the old town of Ronda is quite spectacular. It is famous worldwide for its dramatic escarpments and views, and for the deep El Tajo gorge that carries the rio Guadalevín through its centre. Visitors make a beeline for the 18th century Puente Nuevo 'new' bridge, which straddles the 100m chasm below, for its unparalleled views out over the Serranía de Ronda mountains. Ronda is also famous as the birthplace of modern bullfighting, today glimpsed once a year at the spectacular Feria Goyesca. The bullring is well worth a visit being the oldest in Spain - the Plaza de Toros, is now a museum, and visitors can stroll out into the arena .

El Chorro North of Alora, west of Riogordo, there are three stunningly beautiful turquoise coloured lakes bordered by pine forests. Malaga's "Lake District" is in fact three artificial lakes created by a dam built across the dramatic 200 m. high Guadalhorce river gorge, known as the Garganta del Chorro. Watch out for the eagles which continually circle around the sheer cliffs. Von Ryan’s Express was filmed here.

Natural Park of Fuente del Piedra This is in a stunning setting especially popular with bird watchers. You will find it on the most northern point of the Province of Malaga, about 60 kms from Riogordo. It is easily to find by taking the A92, the main Malaga - Seville road. It is 443 meters above sea level and just 19 kilometers out of the town of Antequera. Fuente de Piedra is famous for its beautiful lake, which has been described as a 'Natural Paradise'. The elliptical lake of 'Laguna de Fuente de Piedra' is the largest in the Iberian Peninsular at 2.5 wide and 6.5 kilometers long and is visited by the second largest colony of flamingos in Europe. There is also a guide service available, which allows you to observe the birds and other wildlife and overall views from the best vantage points. Call 'Ville di Fonte' on (+34) 670943894. We went in October and there wasn’t much to see but imagine it will be wonderful when the Flamingos are in residence.

Malaga Malaga City is dubbed the Capital of the Costa del Sol. Whereas it was once considered to be the poor cousin of Andalucia’s capital city, Seville, it now competes successfully for attention. Since the opening of the already well acclaimed Picasso Museum in 2003, cultural tourists have been flocking to this and the now beautifully refurbished birthplace of the great artist, all in the heart of the historic centre of the city.

The Coast The Costa del Sol stretches along just over 150 kilometres of Málaga province and is one of Spain's most popular tourist destinations. The area's mild climate makes it possible to enjoy the beaches and a wide variety of outdoor activities year round. The Eastern Costa del Sol is the the 54 kilometre stretch of coast to the east of Malaga city (the capital of Málaga province) and is not anything like the property development on the western Costa del Sol. From Malaga eastwards there are cliffs of up to 200 meters where the Sierra Almijara joins the sea. This section ends at a place called Mara, on a coastal plain. It has an urban landscape surrounded by traditional agriculture. Torres del Mar is the nearest beach - approximatley 30 minutes from the house.