Go to Spain with Ted

We begin with our home town and resort of Benalmádena, There is, of course, much more to the region than the coastal resorts, so we then visit the rest of the region and the major cities in particular, finally providing basic information on getting around the region, by train or coach.

Introduction to Benalmádena

Benalmádena, Ted and Steve’s home in Spain, is located on the Costa del Sol, not far from Málaga city and airport. There are three distinct parts of the town. Benalmádena Costa is a popular holiday resort and you can enjoy yourself doing nothing else but lying on the beach. Arroyo de la Miel, a little back from the coast, is the main urban area where most of the locals live. The historic original village a few kilometres inland, Benalmádena Pueblo (pictured), has its own attractions. Follow this link to the Introduction to Benalmadena  page  for more detail.

Málaga city is an easy journey from the Costa del Sol resorts. It has become a major tourist destination in its own right, yet many people never make the minimal effort that is required to visit. The other major cities of Andalucía – Sevilla, Granada (pictured), Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz  and Córdoba and the town of Ronda – are all easily accessible from Málaga and are tremendous locations for a day trip, overnight stay or a city break. We’ve been to them all several times and we have prepared brief city guides to each of them. Click on the links to view the guide of your choice:

Travel by train. Trains in Andalucía are modern and fast, with high speed lines linking Málaga with Córdoba, Sevilla, Granada and Madrid. On the Costa del Sol there is a frequent local train service which links Málaga with Fuengirola via Málaga Airport, Torremolinos and Benalmádena. Almost all trains are operated by Renfe – www.renfe.com  App: Renfe .

And then there is the remainder of Spain – Andalucía is only one region and Spain is a big country. We’ve travelled widely in Spain, starting in 1990 clutching a London to Málaga return by train, visiting both Barcelona and Madrid for the first time. In the last few years Ted and I, and my notebook, have wandered through various parts of the country by train and coach, and written up the experience. These recent journeys are (roughly from North to South):

• along the north coast of Galicia and Asturias from Santiago de Compostela via A Coruña and Ferrol, then by narrow gauge train to Aviles: The Galicia trip .
• the length of Western Spain, roughly following the Roman Ruta de la Plata (silver route) from Santiago once more, and taking in Lugo, Leon (Leon cathedral pctured), Ciudad Rodrigo, and through Extremadura to Sevilla: From Galicia to Andalucia .
• a trip to explore the pintxo bars and sites of Bilbao in the Basque Country and the tapas bars of the capital of La Rioja, Logroño: Bilbao and Logroño .
• Steve visited the coast of Catalunya twice as a tour manager for Great Rail Journeys (Ted stowed away and is pictured in the historic town of Besalu) and The Catalan Coast  provides a brief introduction to the area.
• We recently travelled by train from Malaga to Durham, breaking the journey at Burgos, before heading onwards to France: Spain to UK by train 2023 .
• We travelled to the UK by train once more, this time via Zaragoza and Barcelona, and visiting Vall de Nuria in the Pyreness: Back to the UK by train 2024
• We had a short break in Zaragoza, with a day out by train towards the Pyrenees, before travelling to Tarragona: Zaragoza and Tarragona .
• We have visited the historic city of Cuenca three times and this account includes all three, together with our linked visit to Alicante and a journey onwards via scenic slow trains to Zaragoza: Alicante and Cuenca .
• In 2019 we travelled across Spain from Andalucía to Aragón visiting Baeza, Cuenca, Teruel, Albarracín and Valencia: Andalucia to Aragon .
• We have been to Valencia three times. We have been impressed by the city, and put together this brief guide: Guide to Valencia
• In 2024 we visited the city of Murcia during the spring fiesta then returned to Andalucía via Mojácar: Murcia and Mojacar
• Close to the Portuguese border we have visited Huelva and Badajoz using a couple of little known railway lines and returning via Ciudad Real: Huelva and Badajoz .
• We’ve travelled to the Canary Islands several times, most recently spending a week on Lanzarote: Lanzarote .
• A few years ago we explored the islands of Tenerife, La Gomera and La Palma: The Canaries Trip .