Olive Press Andalucia Issue 458

AFRICAN

Do

not scan this code!

BRITISH expats have sounded the alarm following the arrival of a sophisticated QR code ‘malware scam’ on the Costa del Sol. Cars across Mijas and ‘along the coast’ have had paper slips placed on their windshields notifying owners they have received a parking fine.

One told the Olive Press: “These scammers are placing them on cars everywhere along the coast, people need to be careful and made aware.”

The slip reads in Spanish: “Vehicle infraction… you have parked badly.”

It then shows a QR code with writing next to it that says: “To pay the fine, scan this code.”

Beware, as the code will take you to a fake website that has been created solely to steal personal and banking data.

The Olive Press has since discovered the scam has gone nationwide, with slips so far being spotted in Valencia, Bilbao, Madrid, Tenerife and Mallorca. Apparently, when scanning it, the browser takes the user to a website where there is ‘malware’ (similar to a virus) that is downloaded and infects the phone.

This virus, known as a ‘trojan’, collects personal data that is sent to the thieves for their use.

Any traffic fines are only payable after receiving a letter or email from the Direccion General de Trafico (DGT).

KITCHEN NIGHTMARES

FROM the moment Steven Nadja received an evocative postcard of emblematic Arcos de la Frontera, he was enamoured.

A friend had invited him to visit the stunning inland town (above) for a holiday in 2019.

It was during the five-day break that he stumbled across the very same historic home - the Casa del Conde del Aguila - on which the postcard featured.

To his surprise, there was a sale sign on the door and thinking it was fate, the Yorkshireman jumped at the opportunity to snap up half of the ground floor of the listed 19th century property.

Seemingly a bargain at €135,000, he quickly began to turn it into his dream home.

It wasn’t long however, before the

EXCLUSIVE

By Yzabelle Bostyn

67-year-old realised he had made a grave mistake when after a couple of days strangers began to appear in his kitchen.

Unbeknown to Nadja, a phar maceutical boss, his kitchen was shared by two neighbours who had the right to enter at any time.

“It started one morning when a random stranger appeared with her dog,” he told the Olive Press

“When I asked her what the bloody hell she was doing, that’s how I learnt there were two doors that led directly from other homes into my kitchen,” he added.

“I obviously immediately queried it with my lawyer and it turned out she

was right.”

British expat moves into his picture postcard home only to discover he has to share his kitchen with his neighbours

Nadja, who currently lives in France, continued: “It was completely devastating: I bought it thinking it would be the basis for a new life in Spain, but now I hardly come over because I don’t want to live under the threat of random people sitting down in my kitchen.”

cifically asked the seller, plus his lawyer, and even

the town notary to check the deeds to ensure the kitchen was his. They all confirmed that while the kitchen was once shared with two other homes, ownership ‘would be transferred’ once the purchase was complete. The problem is both neighbours have ‘access rights’ and keys to get in. Despite both of them having their own kitchens, neither of them have ceded their rights.

And worse was still to come, when a few months later he discovered that one of the neighbours had stolen his coffee machine worth over €1,000.

He also ‘lost’ all the plants and an irrigation system he had put in the communal courtyard.

And then a neighbour illegally connected a pipe to his water, siphoning off his supply.

“I was just recovering from a stroke when this all happened,” he continued. “It’s taken a big toll on me both financially and mentally.

“I’ve spent about €20,000 on all the work, including paying for a neighbour’s house to be repainted and for new beams in the kitchen to save my neighbour’s house from collapsing,” added Nadja, from Huddersfield.

“It is my understanding that these costs should be shared but my lawyer is useless and can’t get the residents together. “Ironically, my kids told me I would regret buying a house in Spain and unfortunately they were right.”

BLAME THE POSTIE: Steven (top) bought his ‘dream home’ after seeing it on a postcard

NEWS IN BRIEF

Spanish trolls

AROUND 100 Spanish football fans descended upon a UEFA Nations League match to cheer San Marino’s last-minute equaliser against Gibraltar.

Lifesaver

YOUNG African migrant, Mansour Konte, who went viral after rescuing a woman during the Malaga floods has been offered a job by Spanish company, Azcon.

Water trap

A BASQUE Country court says a sports centre worker was rightly sacked for putting bleach in her water bottle to teach colleagues ‘a lesson’ because they kept drinking from it.

Train tragedy

A TRAIN crash has left two Portuguese nationals dead in Palencia after a service bound for Santander collided with a car.

BOAT owners along the Costa del Sol and Campo de Gibraltar are being urged to step up security after a surge in thefts linked to human smuggling mafias.

At least four recreational boats have been stolen from marinas since last month, with criminals using these vessels to attempt dangerous migrant crossings across the Strait of Gibraltar.

Boat pinching

Boats in Barbate, Fuengirola, and Algeciras have already been stolen, with some vessels found severely damaged after being abandoned.

Local authorities have confirmed that a 20-year-old man linked to a criminal network specialising in stealing the boats was arrested in Algeciras last month.

SUICIDE THREAT

THE policeman at the heart of sexual abuse allegations against a mayor told a judge he would ‘shoot himself’ before going back to work for ‘that man’.

The alleged victim, who has been on mental health leave since July 2023, has ‘already

been talked out of shooting himself on two separate occasions’, a legal source close to the case told the Olive Press.

The Policia Local officer told a court how Estepona’s leader, Jose Maria Urbano, launched an alleged campaign of sexual harassment against him and

Car robbery

A WARNING has been issued in Marbella after a pregnant woman had her ‘entire life possessions’ stolen on her first day here. The woman had moved over from Finland with her partner and, exhausted, left their belongings in the car on Calle de las Adelfas, Nueva Andalucia.

He was allegedly piloting a boat stolen from a Costa del Sol marina and found carrying 19 migrants - despite having a safety capacity for just six people. The overloaded vessel suffered engine failure, leaving vulnerable people stranded at sea.

Alleged sex abuse victim vows to shoot himself rather than work for Estepona mayor again

By Walter Finch

later his wife from May 2022.

revelation comes after Urbano attended court this week as a ‘suspect’ – and not voluntarily, as he had claimed.

They woke up the next morning to discover a robbery had left them with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

“I know NOW that we shouldn’t have left the car in the street, but in the last months all we heard from the agents and community is that ‘Marbella is super safe, Nueva Andalucía is great’, she said in the Marbella Info and Chat Facebook group.

The mayor refused to answer questions however, from either the prosecutor or the victim’s lawyer, before stonewalling the assembled press pack outside the courtroom.

Later, during an official town hall meeting, Op-

position PSOE councillor

Emma Molina asked the mayor if he had considered ‘stepping down’.

She described his failure as ‘unethical’ and said that the local residents were ‘talking about it in the streets’ and demanding urgent answers.

“Don’t you think refusing to answer the prosecution obstructs the search for the truth?” she added.

He angrily replied that he would not step down over a case that he dubbed as ‘political’ and was merely aimed to tarnish his reputation.

The pressure is growing on the mayor, particularly as further witnesses will give evidence next week.

Have you had dealings with the Estepona mayor? Contact newsdesk@theolivepress.es

Hate crime

THE conviction of four men over the homophobic murder of 24-year-old Samuel Luiz has sparked outrage across Spain. The nursing assistant died in July 2021 after being assaulted outside a nightclub in A Coruna, Galicia.

Diego Montaña, Alejandro Freire and Kaio Amaral were found guilty of aggravated murder while Alejandro Migues was found to be complicit in the crime.

The jury agreed that the group’s leader Montaña assumed Luiz was gay from his voice and clothing.

He proceeded to shout homophobic slurs at him before attacking him.

The prosecution has asked for jail terms of between 2227 years and sentencing will take place later.

Sniffed out

A SPANISH police dog has found cocaine hidden in a stripper’s vagina after sniffing out her workplace.

When Spanish police searched a Granada strip club, they expected to find money, drugs and other paraphernalia all over the club.

But the officers got the shock of their life when the Guardia Civil sniffer dog sidled up to one of the locale’s performers. Soon, a bundle of cocaine was discovered hidden inside the stripper’s vagina.

Many other workers were also reported for possession of the drug.

The

Rafa’s farewell

RAFAEL Nadal shed a tear as he gave an emotional speech following his last professional tennis match.

He ended his illustrious career with a straight sets defeat to Dutchman Botic van de Zand-

schulp in Spain’s Davis Cup quarter-final tie in Malaga.

Speaking afterwards, Nadal saidL “What I’d like to be remembered for is as a good person from a small village in Mallorca.”

The tribute ceremony included video messages from Serena Williams, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Conchita Martinez, and Roger Federer.

High tea on the high seas

Tea, glamour, and a brush with Brigitte Nielsen in Puerto Banus

WHEN the world’s most expensive afternoon tea sailed into Puerto Banus, I had to see what all the fuss was about. Sandwiches served in diamond-encrusted handbags, champagne nestled in golden designer shoes, and an eye-watering price tag of €69,000 - this wasn’t just tea, it was the pinnacle of decadence. Originally the opulent afternoon tea was crafted by multimedia artist Debbie Wingham, known as the Countess of Confection, and was a bespoke creation for a 21st birthday aboard the stunning Malex yacht.

By Yzabelle Bostyn

A fusion of Willy Wonka, the Mad Hatter’s tea party and Marbella luxury, the afternoon tea fea-

tured edible perfume bottles and jewellery trays. Everything was adorned with the latest fashions from a vintage Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet to ornate diamond studded detailing worth €34,000 alone. Add in the yacht charter, swag bags for 10 friends and all the food and drink, and the cuenta reaches the staggering total of €69,000. Yet, for those without a yacht or a six-figure budget, Wingham has introduced a more accessible €89-per-head version, and I couldn’t resist sampling this slice of luxury.

ROCK ON

GLAMOUR: Debbie (above) has brought diamond encrusted tea to Banus, with Brigitte and (inset) Yzabelle enjoying a taste

the setting was sheer glamour.

As I stepped aboard the Malex,

The tea itself was an art form - handbags masqueraded as mugs, and milk jugs disguised as perfume bottles. Lemon meringues and apple pies, crafted with ingredients from Wingham’s own garden, added a rustic yet refined touch to the extravagance.

And then, there was Brigitte Nielsen. Sharing pastries and pleasantries with the statuesque star of Red Sonya felt surreal. She

was every bit the icon, exuding warmth and humour as she reminisced about her Hollywood days. Between the exquisite food, the artful presentation, and brushing shoulders with Nielsen, this wasn’t just afternoon tea - it was an unforgettable journey into a world of glamour, creativity, and indulgence.

Debbie Wingham hasn’t just redefined luxury; she’s made it tantalisingly accessible, one stunning bite at a time.

CANADIAN rocker Bryan Adams will bring his Roll With The Punches world tour to Valencia on January 19, 2025, at the Pabellon Fuente de San Luis.

This performance marks his first-ever concert in the city, promising an unforgettable night for fans.

With a career spanning four decades and over 100 million records sold, his live shows are renowned for their energy, heartfelt performances, and timeless sound.

The concert will showcase Adams’ classic hits, such as Summer of ‘69 and Heaven, alongside tracks from his new album, which inspired the tour's name.

Doors open at 9pm, with tickets ranging from €60 to €120. Fans eager to attend should act quickly, as tickets are selling fast across multiple platforms.

Don’t worry if you can’t get a ticket – the Olive Press has four to give away to subscribers. See page 7 for more details on how to enter our competition.

NO GOING BACK

DESPERATE Housewives star Eva Longoria has doubled down on her decision to quit the USA for a new life split between Spain and Mexico following Donald Trump’s election win.

The Texas-born actress, 49, says she is ‘done’ with life in

what she describes as a ‘dystopian’ USA.

“I’m not going back,” she said, adding that even her Hollywood career - both in front of and behind the camera - has shifted.

Longoria has been working outside the US more frequently, including filming her travel series Searching for Mexico and Searching for Spain.

She has a villa in Marbella and a residence in Mexico, where she spends much of her time with her Mexican husband Jose Baston and their 6-year-old son, Santiago.

UK police have launched a fresh appeal into the disappearance of a British father and son who mysteriously vanished from the Costa del Sol more than five years ago. Daniel and his son Liam Poole, from Burgess Hill, hired a grey

€10,000 reward over missing Brits

Peugeot 308 with registration 0254 KTM when they arrived in Spain on March 31, 2019.

The pair, aged 46 and 22 at the time, were last seen on April 2 in what was their third trip to Malaga in just four months. Police later found their vehicle abandoned, while their luggage and passports were found at their hotel room in Estepona. British police classified the probe as a murder investigation in 2022, and they are now offering a £10,000 reward for information leading to the charge of those responsible.

Detective Simon Dunn said: “You may not appreciate the importance of the information you have, but it could be the piece of the puzzle we need.”

Email newsdesk@theolivepress.com if you can help

Have you seen Tanya?

FEARS are growing for a ‘vulnerable’ British tourist who vanished after landing in Malaga more than a month ago. Tanya, who suffers from dementia and vertigo, arrived at the airport on October 14 and has not been heard of since. Her family have launched a desperate appeal after becoming very concerned.

Her niece told the Olive Press: “My aunt has been missing for five weeks now and is classed as a high risk vulnerable missing person.

“There are still no updates, all we know is she was heading to Malaga Airport. We are waiting for contact from the authorities.”

Tanya’s sister Bev added: “Tanya is meant to be on medication but does not have this medication.

“She has Korsakoff dementia, so can become very confused. She also has vertigo so is not completely steady on her feet, so she is at risk of falls.”

If you have seen Tanya or may know where she is, please email tips@theolivepress.es.

Brit couple sound the alarm after being targeted by vile ‘bird poo’ con in Fuengirola

DON’T LOOK UP!

A BRITISH expat has sounded the alarm after falling prey to ‘bird poo’ scammers on the Costa del Sol.

Sue Oswick and her husband were enjoying a walk by the river in Fuengirola when they were unknowingly robbed of their credit cards. They only realised they had been targeted by the classic con when the thief attempted to use their cards to do his shopping in Mercadona.

By Laurence Dollimore

Sue explained: “We were both splattered with what we thought was bird crap.

“This ‘nice’ man, who had just sat down on the next bench to us, jumped up and offered to help us clean ourselves up. He had water and tissues.

“He was helping to clean my husband's shirt and shorts and then said we could keep the water to finish off. He then left.”

Sue said that just 20 minutes later she received a message from her bank.

She added: “I got a text from the Barclaycard fraud team saying somebody had been trying to use our card in Mercadona.

“When my husband checked, he noticed that two of his cards were missing.”

Sue said the bank told her someone was also trying to use their cards in Benalmadena.

She said: “I think he may have had an accomplice who dropped the poo onto us from the ramp behind where we were sitting.

at Kempinski Hotel Bahía

“We thought he was a nice man for helping. How wrong

we were, be careful in that park!”

Last month, a 56-year-old man was arrested for carrying out such scams in Benalmadena.

The master thief, who had a variety of disguises, would carry biscuits in his bum bag, which he would chew up into a mush before throwing the mixture at his victims.

He would then play the part of a helpful passerby while picking their pockets.

SPAIN is one step closer to abolishing its Golden Visa programme after the measure was approved in Congress. Currently, Brits and many other ‘third nationals’ can secure residency in Spain if they spend at least €500,000 on real estate.

The sum can also be spent on investing into a Spanish company’s shares or public debt, with both also granting residency. While the move has been approved in Congress, it still needs to pass through the Senate for amendments, before final approval. It means that the Golden Visa scheme is unlikely to be abolished before the end of January 2025, setting up a probable surge in applications over Christmas.

THE chief of Spain’s national weather agency is facing investigation for manslaughter over the deaths of 221 people in Valencia’s DANA storm. María Jose Rallo del Olmo, the president of Aemet, is one of three officials in the firing line of a complaint filed by activist group Manos Limpias. The group claims Rallo del Olmo is jointly culpable for the loss of life following the catastrophic storms and flooding.

Don’t miss the most famous Christmas occasions on the Costa del Sol this festive season, a time full of sparkle and joy

30 November - The Kempinski Christmas Market & Lighting of the Tree from 13.00 until 20.00, with stalls, festive delicacies, choirs, a kids zone (paid entrance) and a visit from Santa. Open to the public, no entrance fee.

24 December - Christmas Eve six course Gala dinner at Baltazár Bar and Grill, with live music and that perfect Christmas atmosphere

25 December - The famous Christmas Day buffet brunch, with live music, kids entertainment and the visit from Santa!

31 December - You can choose between:

New Year’s Eve: a stunning gala dinner with a pre-dinner cocktail, live music, midnight celebrations and an open bar to dance the night away.

New Year’s Eve buffet: ideal for all the family, with a pre-dinner cocktail, live music, midnight celebrations, and kids club available till 01 00

Discover more by scanning the QR code for more details about each special occasion!

A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in

with an estimated readership, including the

OPINION

Scammers’ paradise

OUR edition this week has laid bare the importance of keeping your wits about you in Spain, a country which remains a hotbed for scammers and charlatans.

While enjoying your holiday or new life of sun, sea and sangria, it’s easy to be lulled into a false sense of security.

But you must remain on the lookout for the countless con artists who are looking to take advantage.

They are, unfortunately, operating at all levels here, ranging from classic pickpocket tricksters to shady high-flying lawyers.

Our front page story of Steven Nadja is a classic case (Kitchen Nightmares, p1).

The Brit bought a home in Andalucia without being warned that he would be forced to share his kitchen with his neighbours.

Any decent lawyer would have pored over the purchase contract and prevented him from signing until it was cleared up.

More than likely, he simply didn’t care as he looked out for his next commission.

It’s why we launched a campaign called ‘Lawyers in the Dock’ a decade ago and tragically the need for it is still there.

When carrying out any major deal or purchase in Spain, it is paramount that you hire a respected lawyer with a solid reputation. And on top of that, double check their work.

Ask Brits in your area who have already made the move for advice, or consult community pages on Facebook such as Citizens Advice in Spain.

Do NOT hire the cheapest person available, as it will likely cost you far more in the long run.

You must also be aware of the everyday street scams that seem to be on the uptick.

Poor Sue Oswick and her husband were targeted by the vile ‘bird poo’ con, for example (Don’t Look Up! p4).

The scam consists of a pickpocket launching chewed up food on their mark before offering to clean it up, telling them it must be bird excrement - all the while taking advantage of the chaos to pick their pockets. Eyes peeled at all times, dear readers!

PUBLISHER / EDITOR

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es

Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es

Walter Finch walter@theolivepress.es

Yzabelle Bostyn yzabelle@theolivepress.es

Ben Pawlowski ben@theolivepress.es

Humenyuk

Makarova (+34) 951 154 841 admin@theolivepress.es

Alex Trelinski alex@theolivepress.es

Simon Hunter simon@theolivepress.es Laurence Dollimore laurence@theolivepress.es

Cole Sinanian cole@theolivepress.es

Héctor Santaella (+34) 658 750 424 accounts@ theolivepress.es

‘IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN’

EXPERTS have warned another Valencia style disaster could strike Spain next year if urgent action is not taken.

Antonio Gallegos, flooding expert at the University of Malaga (UMA) claimed the Andalucian city was ‘lucky this time around’ but could soon face a catastrophic natural disaster.

The geography professor told the Olive Press: “The intense rain in Valencia was extraordinary but it’s happening more and more.

“Luckily in Malaga we haven’t had such

It is only a matter of time before the lethal floods that struck Valencia are repeated in Malaga and other regions, a flooding expert has warned the Olive Press

By Yzabelle Bostyn

ven’t implemented measures like creating parks on floodplains designed to absorb water so we’re already late, these things have been urgent for years.

“Now that the tragedy in Valencia has happened, it has made us realise we need to act. Hopefully politicians will be proactive, it’s in their hands now.”

Malaga is not the only place in Spain that

storms more common and intense.”

This puts the Balearics, Murcia, Costa Brava and many other parts of Mediterranean Spain at high risk.

To avoid the devastation seen in Valencia, Gallegos says prevention and better disaster management are crucial.

“For many professionals, it never occurred to us that over 200 people could die in Spain in the 21st century as a result of a natural disaster. But in the case of Valencia, the management was very bad,” he said.

“Climate change caused the storm, but the lack of prevention and management is responsible for the consequences.”

Luckily, there are many things we can do to better face such challenges in the future, starting with a deep study of the failures in

“The fact they didn’t give the warning until

“ “

We need to educate. If we had done that in Valencia it wouldn’t have panned out the way it did

(+34) 951 154 841 distribution@ theolivepress.es

‘Let’s get that pint!’Expat dad of pop star Danny Jones hopes to build bridge with the I’m

DANNY Jones’s ‘estranged’ British expat father has lifted the lid on their decades-long rift for the very first time, revealing how he hasn’t sat down with the I’m A Celeb star in 18 years.

In an exclusive interview with the Olive Press, Alan Jones, 72, suggested a bitter divorce from Danny’s mother Kathy tarnished his relationship with his son, who he describes as a ‘lovely lad’ with a ‘heart of gold’.

He said they had an ‘excellent’ bond throughout the McFly gui tarist’s childhood in Bolton, and that he had ‘dedicated his life’ to helping kick-start his successful music career.

The radio DJ, who now lives in Benidorm with his cur rent wife Sharon, has yet to meet his six-year-old grand son Cooper, who Danny shares with his wife and former Miss England Geor gia Horsley - but he is holding out hope that ‘one day it will happen’ and that he’ll ‘finally get that pint with his son’. Danny, 38, has never visited his father in Spain, where he moved to in 2016, and Alan was not present at his daughter Vicky’s wedding last year.

Speaking from his radio station in L’Alfas del Pi, Alan explained how his marriage to Kathy went south

when Danny and Vicky left home in the early 2000s.

Danny was in London after signing a record label alongside Tom Fletcher to form the band McFly - which would go on to sell more than 10 million records worldwide.

“It should have been a time where the marriage got a bit closer, but it didn’t,’ he said.

‘I can’t explain why but it didn’t, so we had two very bad years… and then I met Sharon and that was it.”

Danny was 19 when Alan walked out on the family in 2005, and has previously revealed how he sought therapy for anxiety over the incident.

Alan met his now-wife as friends in 2004, a year before he left Danny, Kathy and Vicky.

Alan and Sharon got married in 2007 and in 2016, they moved to the picturesque village of Polop, just a 10-minute drive from Benidorm.

The La Alberca resort where they live is mostly made up of two-bedroom, sand-coloured chalets worth up to €250,000,

boasting mountain views and a communal swimming pool.

Alan is a DJ and presents a three-hour show on Radio Fresh between 2pm and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

He presents the programme from a humble radio shack situated on a camping site filled with holidaying Brits and Germans, after zipping down from the mountain on his moped.

Alan said it had been his ‘lifelong ambition’ to move to Spain.

He insisted he has always been open to repairing his relationship with Danny, saying it had been ‘excellent’ throughout his childhood as he gushed about his talents.

“We had a superb bond, I was either taking him to guitar lessons or football,” he said.

“He was absolutely joined at the hip with his guitar, his uncle was a musician and I think a lot of influence came from him.

“When he was 10 or 11, we used to take him to local pubs and he would get up and sing and play his guitar, which was great for character building.”

Alan said he has never met his grandson Cooper but would love to.

“I always keep my fingers crossed that one day it will happen, but Danny is in charge of that, not me.

“I can’t just fly back to England and say ‘Hi, I’m here’, that’s too much for him. I think one

people were already drowning is something that needs to be studied because it is responsible for a large number of deaths,” said the environmental expert.

“We also need to re-do maps and statistics of flood risk areas as they do not use contemporary data and only consider the flow of ‘clean water’, which does not overwhelm systems as quickly as the muddy, debris filled deluge that battered Valencia.”

Joaquin Martinez-Campillo Garcia, delegate of the Spanish

College of Geologists in Valencia, agrees: “I hope Valencia is a turning point, but the cost has been too high. We need to take note, listen to the ecosystem and remember we are capable of preventing these situations.”

“A good example is Ontinyent in the Valencian Community. They had very serious flooding and are modifying their river limits to make sure the water does not pick up such dangerous speeds.”

Another key action is educating flood zone residents how to react when warnings are issued.

“We need to educate; If we had done that in Valencia it wouldn’t have panned out the way it did. People kept going about their daily lives because they didn’t know otherwise. When you get a red alert, don’t think about your job or deadlines, think about saving yourself and your loved ones.”

Climate scientist Dr Anabela Bonada, works tirelessly on such education courses in her native Canada.

She is the Managing Director of the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, which develops guidelines to mitigate extreme weather risk.

“A lot of people think that because they don’t live near water that flooding can’t affect them, but with climate change that is changing so

it’s very important to be aware,” she advised.

“There are some simple things you can do to mitigate your risk such as cleaning out your gutters, ensuring your downspout is directed away from the home or adding a rain garden

day, you know, I always hope it will happen.”

He added: “I would say the last time I shook Danny’s hand was about 18 years ago.”

Asked if that was tough for him, Alan said: “Oh yeah, absolutely. I mean, I really did dedicate my life to… I wouldn’t say getting him to where he is today, but to his start, and his mum did too, she did a lot.”

He said he ‘absolutely’ wishes he was closer to Danny, adding: “At the end of the day I can sleep at night, I know he’s okay, he’s safe…

“But hopefully one day we’ll have that pint, sooner rather than later, time’s getting on.”

Alan said he will ‘definitely’ reach out to Danny when he leaves the jungle to congratulate him ‘whatever happens’.

Asked if he had a message for his son he said: “Yes… just keep being yourself, keep doing what you’re doing. ‘He’s an amazing guy and I have followed what he’s been doing since I left home and I’ve supported him and stuck up for him if anyone said a bad word. “No matter what the outcome, I will tell him ‘you’ve come across as a great guy’, which he is, he’s a lovely lad with a heart of gold.”

to absorb excess water.”

If you live in a flat, as many people do in urban Spain, she advises keeping an emergency grab bag filled with supplies to sustain you for at least 72 hours such as water, food, a torch and medicine.

She also recommends knowing where your nearest high ground is and where you keep your valuables in case of an emergency.

“But ultimately, the responsibility for this awareness raising falls heavily on the government’s shoulders,” she said.

“Likewise, they need to improve the alert system and stop building on floodplains.”

Spain partially banned construc-

tion on floodplains in 2015, but developers can still build on some of this land if certain ‘safety conditions’ are met.

Thousands of people also live on floodplains built before this law came into place, especially on the Mediterranean coast where huge property booms led to heavy urbanisation of coastal flood zones.

Indeed, the Balearics government earlier this year approved a change in the law to permit even more construction on flood plains. This local legislation has now been frozen following the Valencia disaster, while all political parties discuss modifications.

Despite the fear many Spanish residents are feeling right now, Dr Bonada encourages a healthy optimism.

“Things need to be done differently, but we have the solutions, so for me that provides hopeful optimism,” she shared.

“But we also need to be proactive, if we want these actions to be implemented, it’s up to all of us to push for it and vote for a government that we know will implement these actions.”

WE DO IT FOR YOU!

Register to the Olive Press website for a chance to win Bryan Adams tickets

THE Olive Press is giving away two pairs of tickets to see legendary singer Bryan Adams.

The Everything I Do singer will be performing a sell out show at the Fuente de San Luis Pavilion in Valencia on January 19. The Canadian songwriter will perform his greatest hits as part of his Roll With The Punches Tour.

We will only be offering the competition to our registered users, and will send out details on how to enter next week.

For those of you who are not yet registered, it could not be simpler to set up an account. Scan the QR code on this page (above) and fill in your name and email address.

Registered users are able to comment on stories and will be able to take advantage of future promotions and competitions, which this year have included free meals, furniture giveaways and concert tickets.

Registered users are also sent weekly newsletters on travel, health and property and a personal message from our digital editor Laurence Dollimore each Saturday.

We have seen an incredible surge in registered users and subscribers over the past few weeks, with thousands of readers deciding to join the conversation.

We thank you all for your support, which helps us keep bringing you the news and exclusives you love.

BLACK FRIDAY SPECIAL

MEANWHILE we have a very special one-off Black Friday sale going on for a limited time only.

So if you want to snap up an annual subscription for half price at just €25 you need to get online fast.

EXPERTS: From left, Joaquín Martínez Campillo García, Dr Anabela Bonada and Antonio Gallegos

McFly star Danny Jones has not seen his dad Alan (inset) for 18 years

DISASTER: Will be repeated if urgent action is not taken claim experts

OUTRAGE: On the streets of Valencia, with regional president Mazon in the firing line

CHRISTMAS SWITCH ON

THE famous Malaga Christmas lights - all 2.7 million of them - will be switched on this Friday. Lighting company Puente Genil Illuminaciones is behind the 7pm turn on that at-

Sky high

tracts tens of thousands of tourists each year. The design has been kept a complete secret and is likely to be different from the 16 angels and 32 pillars that have flown above Calle Larios since 2022.

A SENSATIONAL U-turn

might allow loud music to return to Malaga city centre.

Expat couple break skydive world record

By Yzabelle Bostyn

A five-year ban on new bars and restaurants could be scrapped depending on the results of a new noise survey.

A €72,600 project will measure noise levels across the centre and Teatinos neighbourhoods, both declared Acoustically Saturated Zones (SAZs) in 2019.

Restaurant owners have been pushing for restrictions to be lifted, arguing they have harmed development in the two vibrant districts.

The six-month study, starting on December 4, will determine whether noise levels have actually improved since the restrictions were implemented.

It is argued that much of the noise actually comes from punters and locals hanging out and drinking in the streets.

A DARING expat duo have soared into the record books with a jaw-dropping skydive involving a staggering 151 daredevils.

Marbella residents Vera Kuznetsova, 55, and husband Oleg Ivanov, 50, defied gravity - and their nerves - when they joined a group from 30 countries leaping from seven planes at a dizzying 6,000

metres

The Arizona jump was organised by The World Air Sports Federation (FAI) and involved forming a 151 strong ‘snowflake’ formation (pictured right) before breaking off and making another.

“This is a historic moment for skydiving,” Vera, a property developer from Russia, told the Olive Press.

“It demonstrates the boundlessness of human capabilities and I hope

it inspires people to believe in themselves and know that anything is possible.”

Jumps like this can sometimes take up to 15 attempts but Vera’s team secured the record in just three tries over two days.

“It’s very difficult to achieve these records because everyone falls at different speeds and it requires a lot of accuracy and coordination while falling,” she said.

“You have to be really calm

and fight your fears. If just one of us made a mistake, we wouldn’t have the record.”

After the jump, a panel of judges checks if all the requirements have been met, but luckily, the elite team succeeded.

“It was an absolutely amazing feeling, just pure happiness,” Vera added.

She holds seven other skydiving world records and secured the record for largest female formation in October alongside 63 other women.

THE Spanish government is facing a hefty insurance bill after 2,000 claims were filed in Malaga following the damaging DANA storm.

During a meeting with 45 mayors, it was announced that compensation is already being paid out through the national compensation consortium.

Over €83,585 had been paid out by the end of last week.

NOT NOISY ENOUGH Flood cost AIR POWER

BRITISH fighter jets have been leading NATO exercises in Spanish skies designed to train European pilots in the art of modern dogfighting. The eight Typhoon jets from RAF Coningsby took part in the exercise at Albacete’s Los Llanos Air Base. British and Italian air force engineers worked together servicing and maintaining each other's sophisticated aircraft.

Wing Commander Andrew Shaw from the RAF described the training as an opportunity to develop leadership skills in a live flying scenario.

“Working closely with other NATO nations makes this training incredibly valuable,” he said.

PROUD: Marbella residents Vera and Oleg fly the flag in Arizona

‘Touch of kindness’

MEDITERRANEAN Homes have donated their fourth defibrillator to Coin with their ‘ Touch of Kindness ’ campaign.

Owners Kelly and Tyler Summerell have so far installed three new Samaritan PAD 350P defibrillators at key community establishments: Afacoal - Asociacion de Alzheimer de Coin, CDP Nuestra Señora de Lourdes primary and secondary school, and the Huertas Viejas primary school last year.

These installations are part of an initiative to enhance emergency preparedness within inland Costa del Sol.

The first installation took place at CDP Nuestra Señora de Lourdes primary and secondary school on March 29, 2023. This is one of the largest schools in Coin with approx 800 students. Training was also provided to five teachers at the school so they are now all fully trained to use the defibrillator.

The second installation took place at Afacoal, a cornerstone in the community since 2003, known for its dedication to supporting individuals with Alzheimer's and dementia, as well as their families.

On November 20, Mediterranean Homes conducted training for the use of the defibrillator, with an unveiling ceremony following the next day. This life-saving device will also be accessible to two other vital organizations housed within the same day care centre: the AECC – Asociacion Española Contra el Cancer, and the Asociacion Decolores - Familias con Diversidad Funciones, amplifying the impact of this initiative. Afacoal has been a beacon of hope, providing advice, raising awareness, and offering support to approximately 600 patients and 1,100 family members affected by Alzheimer's and dementia. With 22 people currently under their care and four specialists employed, Afacoal's work extends from psychostimulation techniques to individual and group psychological therapies for families and caregivers.

Local real estate company Mediterranean Homes brings life-saving technology to local institutions

The third installation took place at Huertas Viejas primary school on November 27, 2023, with the unveiling ceremony the next day. This proactive measure by Mediterranean Homes ensures that the youngest members of the community and their educators have the protection they deserve. And the fourth defibrillator will be provided to Colegio Publico Ximenez de Guzman, also in Coin. This is a public primary school. This new defibrillator will be donated in the next few weeks and will also be followed by training for eight school members.

Community

Mediterranean Homes, while renowned for facilitating the acquisition of a wide range of properties in the inland Costa del Sol, have always prioritised community well-being. "It's about more than property; it's about people. By equipping these establishments with defibrillators and the necessary training for five key staff, we're investing in the safety and health of our community," said Kelly. This initiative not only equips the institutions with the necessary tools but also empowers them through comprehensive training sessions.

The Summerell’s vision for a community fortified against medical emergencies is becoming a reality, one heartbeat at a time. We also promote the following group: Defibrillator Locations on the Costa del Sol.

Next year, they will donate a further two defibrillators to the Coin community, one in a school and another in a public square.

fact, the business has a track record of raising money and awareness of local charities. They support Paws-A-While dog adoption centre, frequently helping to organise their events and fundraising.

ARCH Horse Rescue is also greatly backed by the real estate business. In times of need, Mediterranean Homes always feels compelled to lend a hand to their community.

They have a track record of raising money for local charities

“We hope that you will help us to spread the word and encourage others to join us in ‘Saving Lives Together,” said Kelly.

She added: “It is only thanks to the support from our clients that we are able to help our local community.

“If you would like to get involved in the campaign and save lives, we are more than happy to discuss how we can work together on this campaign.”

The ‘ Touch of Kindness ’ campaign is not the only charitable effort by Mediterranean Homes. In

So when disastrous flooding struck the Valencia region, they couldn’t just stand by.

Instead, they got together with other Coin businesses to send vital resources to the affected areas.

Mediterranean Homes donated essential items worth €1,000, including baby food, nappies, cleaning products, pet food, baby formula and personal hygiene products.

The two trucks full of goods were transported by local kitchen company, Inko Cocina.

For more information and images regarding the ‘Touch of Kindness’ campaign, please reach out to Kelly Summerell (kelly@mediterraneanhomes.eu) Telephone +34 621 235 667

FIRST: Mediterranean Homes donated to CDP Nuestra Señora de Lourdes school, while (top) the Huertas Viejas primary school also benefitted

24/7 Emergency roadside assistance

BREAK DOWN COVER

If your car breaks down it can be an upsetting experience, especially if you don’t have roadside assistance cover. But they are also the most common type of problem on the road.

STAY SAFE

If you break down, stay calm and safe until rescue support arrives. Remember that while you wait for help, your priority is to safeguard yourself and any fellow passengers. Línea Directa policyholders simply call 919 171 171 and inform the emergency hotline where you are. Línea Directa provides emergency roadside assistance anywhere in Spain 24/7 and 365 days a year, with a national network of operators and recovery vehicles.

GEOLOCATION SERVICE

This service is exclusive to Línea Directa and allows breakdown recovery and roadside assistance services to pinpoint your location and send help directly to you. This service is available throughout mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. The technology is simple to use and really useful when you need it most.

BREAKDOWN KIT

To help you stay safe here is a checklist of some important safety items in the event of a breakdown. This emergency breakdown kit should be kept in your vehicle at all times. The kit includes: a torch and spare batteries, warm clothes and blankets, high-visibility jacket, first aid kit, jump start cables, empty fuel can, food and drink, two reflective warning signs, a road atlas, and a mobile phone charger.

OVER 20

YEARS OF EXPERTISE

As Spain’s most experienced provider of insurance for British expatriates, Línea Directa has been keeping motorists on the move for over 20 years.

We hope the information provided in this article is of interest. If you would like to contact Linea Directa please call 952 147 834. More information about Linea Directa online at www.lineadirecta.com

Stark warning

Mediterranean sea level rises ‘will displace millions of homeowners’ within 75 years unless ‘drastic action’ is taken

A NEW scientific report has revealed a grim future for the Mediterranean coast, with up to 20 million people at risk of displacement due to rising sea levels by 2100.

Mediterranean sea levels have risen over 6cm in the past 20 years - twice the 20th-century average - and could rise by up to a metre by the end of the century in the worst case scenario. This could see salt water get into coastal aquifers, making them unusable for human

By Walter Finch

consumption and agricultural purposes.

Meanwhile, temperatures are predicted to increase between 3.8C and 6.5C in the same period, depending on various greenhouse gas emission forecasts.

Marine heatwaves, already more frequent, have led to mass die-offs of corals, sponges, and molluscs, while tropical

CONTROVERSIAL plans for an octopus farm in the Canary Islands have been thrown into doubt after trials ‘failed’ - but the company behind it has pledged to press on.

Galicia-based Nueva Pescanova announced a ‘breakthrough’ in cultivating captive octopuses in 2019. But now, five years later, sources at Nueva Pescanova say its cultivation programme has not worked out because its octopuses die soon after they hatch.

The proposed €65 million farm in Gran Canaria comes amid ongoing financial losses at Nueva Pescanova and

species invade warmer waters.

The regions most at risk of catastrophic climate change lie in the south and eastern end of the sea, with Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and Palestine listed as most vulnerable.

To add to all this is the Med-

Sucker punch

By William J. Furney

continued protests by animal rights groups and environmentalists - most recently on World Octopus Day.

But a representative for Nueva Pescanova told the Olive Press that despite local media reporting on the farm’s cancellation, it was still going ahead with the project. It remains convinced that problems can be ironed out.

iterranean’s status as one of the most plastic-polluted seas globally.

Plastics make up 82% of visible waste, 95-100% of marine litter, and over 50% of seabed debris.

Without drastic improvements in waste management, plastic pollution could double by 2040, threatening marine ecosystems further.

Conducted by a team of international experts from 17 countries, the report paints a stark picture of a region increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

More frequent and intense heat waves could reduce tourist numbers, while rising sea levels could erode beaches and damage coastal resorts.

The report, from MedECC (Mediterranean Experts on Climate and environmental Change) calls for urgent action to mitigate climate change and adapt to its impacts.

Artist’s impression

THE HIGH LIFE

Olive Press editor Jon Clarke takes readers on a personal first hand tour of the magical town of Ronda, which he has called home for two decades

@aguas_deronda

Photos by Jon Clarke

errania de onda R

A TRIP BACK IN TIME

them through 2000 years of history.

In fact, millions of years, as a series of easy-to-listen audio guides explain how this remarkable gorge was formed, along with its waterfalls and deep, swimmable splash pools.

More intriguing is how a string of 13 flour mills were somehow installed along its edge, making use of the original Arabic acequia watercourse cut in the 9th or 10th century.

It is also encouraging to learn how the team of architects carefully ensured that the acequia wasn't touched - and the bridge stood up, particularly after an earlier attempt collapsed killing 50 people.

For a small fee you are handed a hard hat and pointed down the walkway, sustainably made from local Ronda stone and rocks.

Eventually the path will continue all the way to the wonderful Arabic baths that are a must for any visitor to easily Spain's most evocative mountain town.

For now you'll have

Ronda and (top) the Cathedral which was once a mosque. (Below right) A local woman takes the air from her balcony

to backtrack and cross over to the eastern side of the Casco Histórico where you should head first towards the Moorish baths.

Most likely, if you're lucky you'll find classical guitarist Eugen strumming away (perhaps a classic from Bizet's Carmen that was filmed in the town - or a flamenco copla) in Plaza Maria Auxiliadora. En route you must, however, take in the Casa del Rey Moro and its remarkable La Mina steps that also drop right down to the Guadalquevin river below.

This was an important visit for Michelle Obama and her daughters a few years back and gives you the best possible understanding of the steep walls of the Tajo.

These 300 slippery spiraling steps were effectively a siege tunnel, used as an escape route during times of siege, as well as to fetch water.

The tunnel was carved out by Christian slaves during the reign of Ronda’s Moorish king, Abomelik (above) and he definitely had a penchant for gardens, as his palace grounds are certainly reminiscent of the Alhambra, albeit on a far smaller scale.

Just below, you you'll hit the Old Bridge (Puente Viejo built in 1616) and finally the so-called ‘Roman bridge’, which was actually built by the Moors in the 13th century.

Next to this are the wonderful Moorish baths, the best preserved in Spain and built during the times of Al Andaluz, when it was an absolute essential pitstop for ablutions after arriving in Ronda after a long journey.

It would have been a wonderful time to be a traveller arriving in Ronda from say Cordoba or Granada, after at least a day striding through the impressive nearby hills.

Spanish and English, brings the past back to life and is a must-watch, before continuing your tour up the hill into the old town.

Front row seat to history

By the time of the collapse of the Moorish empire, Ronda had been entertaining foreign visitors for around 1500 years.

One of Spain’s oldest towns, in Roman times it was a truly bustling place, boasting its own wine industry and even its own mint, fittingly its coins bearing a tendril of grapes.

Established in 9BC as a military bastion, it was given the name Arunda meaning ‘surrounded by mountains’ and it is easy to see why.

Take a look at any of the monuments dotted around the town and chances are you will see dozens of faraway peaks that literally ring the town, from the recently inaugurated National Park of Sierra de las Nieves on one side to the Parque Natural of Grazalema on the other.

are now able to definitively link the production of wine in Ronda to 3AD. No surprise then, that so many writers and historical figures have waxed lyrical about Ronda… Austrian writer Rilke dubbed it the ‘City of Dreams’, while Orson Welles relocated to Ronda and immersed himself in bullfighting, later having his ashes scattered at a nearby estate.

Spain’s most famous writer Miguel de Cervantes of Don Quixote fame lived in the town (and you’ll find a plaque if you look carefully), while Ernest Hemingway’s tome, The Dangerous Summer, is largely about Ronda’s bullfighting dynasty, the Ordonez family.

Later he wrote of Ronda in Death in the Afternoon: “It is where you should go if you ever go to Spain on a honeymoon or ever bolt with anyone. The entire town and as far as you can see in any direction is a romantic backdrop.”

It is why Carmen the movie was filmed here and why Madonna insisted she had to film a video around its cobbled streets.

The 11th century Banos Arabes offer the best explanation of the sophistication of the former Moorish inhabitants, who ruled for an incredible 700 years until the late 15th century (it’s a little-known fact that Ronda only fell to the Christians in 1485, seven years before Granada finally fell in 1492).

A superb demonstration of urban planning, the baths sit in atmospheric gardens and have three rooms - hot, cold and tepid - each fed with water from the river outside.

The domed ceilings with their starshaped air vents were part of a complex astronomical symbolism so popular in Moorish times.

The baths were the main hammam and lay just outside the defensive walls by the main gate to the town from the direction of Granada.

A clever virtual reality video, in both

Ronda is a true front row seat in history with these nearby mountains literally swollen with ancient remains.

They include the Roman sister settlement of Acinipo with its wonderful amphitheatre, as well as the ancient salt mines of the Cerro de las Salinas, near Arriate, and the historic wine storage village of Setenil de las Bodegas.

As far as you can see in any direction is a romantic backdrop

Then you’ve got the remains of a Roman aqueduct running south of the town, the hidden Arabic baths in the Llano de la Cruz valley, and the recent discovery of a Roman grape-treading floor for winemaking nearby.

Uncovered at a vineyard, called Morosanto, archaeologists have excavated

a sizable 2,000year old wine operation with pipes through which wine was transported to vats. The remarkable find, alongside a 21-metre Roman swimming pool and sauna, means historians

This year meanwhile, we had Helena Bonham Carter, Iain Glen and Martin Freeman wandering the town as they filmed Agatha Christie classic Seven Dials for Netflix. It’s also why Adrian Brody, Anne Hathaway, Bill Gates, Ricky Gervais and Jodie Whittaker have all had recent holidays in the town, while celebrity chefs Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsey dedicated episodes of their TV shows to Ronda. Celebrity chefs have such a pull to the town that handsome whiz in the kitchen Jean Christophe Novelli once told me he was moving to Ronda, but after two months was unable to find the right property to buy (he was probably more likely shacking up with a mistress). And then there is Benito Gomez, a classic blow-in from Catalunya, who has done so well in the town that he now boasts two Michelin stars (maybe three by the time you read this) with his amazing restaurant Bardal and a second Tragata.

But, take my word as a local - who chose this mountain hideout over the bright lights of Marbella or Malaga some two decades ago - while it is magical in so many ways, Ronda is also an incredibly tough place to settle.

The extremes of weather (its spiky dry heat in summer and freezing winters

ATMOSPHERIC: The perfectly preserved Arabic baths and Hemingway working in

From front page

Photos by Jon Clarke

thanks to its altitude of 800m) doesn’t suit everyone.

Equally its inward-looking locals, so typical of conservative mountain types the world over, are not openly friendly and take a while to warm to you.

But there is no denying its landscape, history and architecture.

Few places in Spain have such a wonderful mix of buildings, from the Moorish Palacio Mondragon to the neoclassical town hall and from the Arabic baths to the splendid Renaissance mansion the Palacio del Marques de Salvatierra.

And don’t forget the cathedral (once a mosque) as well as the oldest bullring in the country.

Still owned by the Ordonez family, with two fitting statues to Antonio and Cayetano outside, is an excellent introduction to a pastime that goes back 300 years in Ronda.

Built by the godfather of bullfighting

Pedro Romero, who fought well into his 80s and was painted by Francisco Goya, it is worthwhile to visit for its collection of Goya etchings alone.

Pedro Romero killed over 5,000 bulls and passed his skills down the line to the Ordonez family who have, so far, provided Spain with three generations

of bullfighters… the youngest Cayetano, becoming a handsome Armani model.

Sipping a caña or coffee in the heart of town it’s not difficult to imagine Hemingway scribbling in the shadows of a backstreet cafe.

His legacy looms large all around the town and he (like Orson Welles whose ashes are scattered at a nearby farm owned by the Ordonez family) has a small street named after him behind the Parador hotel. He celebrated his final birthday in Ronda in 1960 and was fittingly, further

immortalised with a statue beside the bullring in 2015. It is here, or nearby on the bridge, at Semana Santa (Easter), that you will find some of the most evocative, moving scenes, be you religious or not, like me. The epiphany that cemented my own sense of belonging in the City of Dreams (above left) came just last year, when at nearly 1am when I ventured out of a nearby wine bar to take a picture of the bridge with a nearly full moon above it. I thought the classic Easter parades had long ended, but atop the bridge I found

TRADITION AND FAMOUS FACES: Spain’s Foreign Legion carries Jesus in an Easter parade (left), while a little known path leads down past the walls. (Inset below) Recent visitors include Gervais, Hathaway, Whittaker, Obama, Bonham Carter and Freeman

two lines of drummers made up of soldiers from Ronda’s crack Spanish Legion brigade (coincidentally, Spain’s finest shock troops, similar to the Paras).

Dressed in short sleeves despite the cold northerly breeze, they stood rigid and to attention, staring straight ahead and tapping their drums quietly, rhythmically in perfect unison. It was hypnotic and insistent and, incredibly, I found myself almost alone beside just a handful of spectators on the bridge. After what was easily 15 minutes, out of a side street suddenly loomed a statue of Mary on a float, carried by two dozen other legionnaires. Just behind was another group carrying Jesus lying prone on his back. The mood was incredibly sombre and he was carried past, legs first facing upwards to the stars, the moon shining brightly from behind a convent. I looked up and, as a trumpet started to play, I felt a sense of permanence. The sort that (might just) carry one to the heavens. I knew I was in Ronda for good.

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DOWN INTO THE DEPTHS

The Olive Press sent reporter Yzabelle Bostyn to test out the new Desfiladero del Tajo attraction to check out her head for heights

RONDA has just opened its answer to the famous Caminito del Rey, but is it really as hair raising as the original?

Opened by Junta president Juanma Moreno this Summer Ronda's new tourist attraction finally gives tourists an exciting way to see the depths of its breathtaking Tajo gorge.

The first phase is now open and, once completed, the narrow path pinned to the side of the gorge will take visitors from the historic old town down to the bottom of the famous bridge and finally, all the way to the Arabic baths, stretching 750 metres.

hard hat, ready to start the adventure.

Currently you can only walk down 250 metres of path to the foot of the Puente Nuevo bridge, finished in 1793.

It is the newest and largest of three bridges that span the 120-metre-deep (390 ft) chasm, cut through with Ronda’s Guadalevin River.

The walk down offers panoramic views over the gorge and into the stunning Tajo valley to the west.

Some of the victims were thrown from its windows to the rocks below

It will allow visitors to see the Guadalevin river and all its sluice gates and anti-flood measures up close and feel the magnitude of the impressive gorge from below.

Descending

from the Mirador de Maria Auxilidora, the Desfiladero del Tajo is easily accessible from the town centre. After making your way down 100 or so steps, you will find a small white building where you purchase tickets for €5 (or free for Ronda residents).

The friendly staff then supply you with a hair-net and a

From above, it is hard to appreciate the magnitude of this imposing 98m structure, but standing at its base gives you an almost chilling indication of its huge size.

Its construction began in 1759 and took 34 years featuring three upper arches and two giant pillars.

It needed to be strong as an earlier poorly-built bridge finished half a century earlier featured just one arch and collapsed killing 50 people in 1741.

It’s an impressive stone construction - which for nearly 200 years was the world’s highest bridge - and incredibly, it’s still open to traffic in both directions.

The bridge features a chamber above the central arch which at one point was used as a prison and during the Spanish Civil War as a torture chamber.

Some of the unlucky victims ended up being thrown from its windows to the river and rocks below.

From the walkway below visitors get a privileged view of this impressive construction as well as the river and the interior of the gorge itself.

For those nervous of vertigo,

not, as it isn’t suspended over the river, meaning it does not have terrifying high metal bridges like

fear

the Caminito del Rey.

WALKWAY: A brand new must-visit path has been carved into the side of the Tajo gorge

Calle

NEW RONDA IN THE FALL

The Serrania’s incredible copper forest is the perfect autumn escape, writes Yzabelle Bostyn

AS autumn sets in and temperatures drop, inland Spain becomes a vibrant patchwork of reds, oranges and yellows.

There’s no need to wait until the evening to witness the sunset's

burning colours, as golden leaves fall to the ground and blanket forest floors.

Nowhere is this more true than the Serrania de Ronda’s Bosque de Cobre (Copper Forest).

GOLDEN: Now is the time of year to visit the Copper Forest

You begin to see it when you are three quarters of the way up the incredible mountain road (A397) from Marbella.

It comes as one of the best mountain views in Spain, two rows of stunning peaks meandering off into the distance over 50km away.

Below you is the Genal Valley and you’ll get glimpses of this stunning landscape of cascading hills and dense forests every couple of minutes.

You could turn off early at Puerto El Madrono, but not only will it be a few minutes slower, but you’ll miss the drama of seeing the huge sea of chestnut woods appearing as a backdrop.

Better to take the turn off just before the Mirador de la Rueda and head down towards the formerly Moorish villages of Igualeja and Pujerra.

As you round the corner to Pujerra, an explosion of saffron, ochre and terracotta

literally leaps out of the evergreen mass.

It is here you will find the so-called ‘Copper forest’ (Bosque de Cobre) which is just a short walk out of the village and well signposted.

You’ll soon find yourself in corridors of amber trees rippled through with sunlight, assuming it’s a sunny day.

The forest twists like layers of gold ribbon around the small hill, so you’re sure to work up a sweat as you wander, enchanted by the leaves dropping slowly to the ground from mid November through December.

There are many routes you can take from the central forest, some stretch -

ing as far as the former Smurf town, Juzcar, or even as far as the whitewashed Jubrique.

For those less adventurous, it takes around an hour to explore the Copper Forest hill, take a few pictures and enjoy the scenery.

Though there are well established paths, it's worth deviating from the main thoroughfares to appreciate the forest at its wild core.

After meandering back down the hill, let the scent of roasted chestnuts lead you into the mountain

village of Pujerra. The locals are very proud of their chestnut products and you will find everything laced with the nutty treat, from cheese to wine to bread.

If you’re lucky, you might even catch the artisan market, not only selling village delicacies but also jewelry and hand woven baskets. It is also anything but the only village in the valley that has chestnuts, with Alpandeire, Cartajima, and Genalguacil, plus nine more villages counting on them.

DRIVE: The winding roads snake through the copper-coloured trees

THE PHILIPPE EFFECT

The giant red bull’s head looming over the Serrania de Ronda is a Starck masterpiece, writes Jon Clarke

IT cost well over 20 million and will hopefully create something of a ‘Guggenheim Effect’ for Ronda.

That is Philippe Starck’s amazing new organic olive mill recently finished near the town.

A towering six-storey 40-metre giant made of concrete and steel it peers out over the beautiful Serrania like a beacon.

Built over four years, La Almazarashaped in the head of a Picasso-style bull - is the largest and easily the most original in Europe.

Created by legendary designer Starck, it's a fully functioning mill, as well as museum and restaurant, that currently makes extra virgin organic olive oil out of thousands of trees on its surrounding 26 hectare estate.

The brainchild of the French creatorknown for designing a string of hotels, yachts and chairs - it came about after he met a local landowner in New York many decades ago.

The aristocrat, Pedro ‘Perico’ Go mez de Baeza, was already behind the

high quality local La Organic olive brand, alongside businessman Santiago Muguiro, now CEO of the entire project.

Having already been behind the amazing Frank Gehry-designed hotel at the bodega Marques de Riscal, in Rioja, they thought they might do the same in Ronda.

First came a cool olive can designed by Starck in 2000, who is an investor, and already lives between Sintra in Portugal and Formentera in the Balearics, plus ‘many other homes’.

Then came the project for the hillside, between Ronda and Arriate, which also has a five-room rental villa and conference facilities.

While it took years for the sleepy town hall to award a licence, it finally started to go up in 2020 and is now finally open for visitors for €25 a head, including an olive oil tasting with bread.

The visit takes punters on a fabulous windy tour of the 9,500-tree estate and its fruit orchards, organic vegetable garden and vineyard.

They will also enjoy the fascinating museum, which celebrates the introduction of olive oil into the Andalucia region in the days of the Phoenicians.

As well as being able to watch the olives actually being introduced into the machinery below, tourists learn about other important local Ronda characters, including Pedro Romero and Abbas Ibn Firnas, who is considered one of the inventors of flying.

A fully-fledged restaurant, with chairs and tables all designed by Starck, is set to open imminently.

AMAZING: The new mill is the most original in Europe - inside and out

STUNNING: The view from the terrace and (right) Philippe Starck

Super Serrania

ROMAN RONDA

A15-minute drive from Ronda takes you to the ancient city of Acinipo, where the Romans built another ancient settlement

The highest hill for miles around, it still has much evidence of their skills with a large part of its amphitheatre intact and a lot more to look at, not to mention the views.

The visitor centre is only open for the morning, but one can always climb up to the amphitheatre out of hours.

Tlf: 952 87 24 38 952 87 37 76 684 45 93 91

OPEN: Monday to Friday 09:00 -13:00 & 16:00 - 20:00

C/ Virgen de los Remedios, 21 (esquina C/ Las Tiendas) – RONDA www.idapardo.com

ida.pardo

Instituto Dental Avanzado Pardo

From bandit hideouts to Roman wine cellars, there is so much to see and do close to Ronda, writes Jon Clarke

RONDA is surrounded, the Sierra de las Nieves and the Sierra de Grazalema, not to mention its very own breathtaking Serrania These surrounding hills are creaking with wonderful walks and pretty towns and villages to visit, all easy to reach in the car and most with their own excellent places to stay and eat. Here are a few top picks for a trip out of Ronda.

PREHISTORY KEPT ALIVE

FOR anyone wanting an idea of what life was like in Ronda 5,000 years ago, head to Algaba, a short drive out of Ronda.

This wonderful estate has recreated a prehistoric village showing clearly how the area’s forefathers lived, how they ground their bread, decorated their homes and what they did with their dead. There are also lots of rare breeds of cows and goats

Topener and amazing for photography.

Nestled in the rolling landscape, 20 minutes out of Ronda, it was built around a series of caves, which served to keep the wines of the Romans cool in summer, hence its name. It is best to leave your car outside the town, wander up to the old fortress before heading down to the famous overhanging cave for a fine tapas lunch.

WOOLY WONDERS

ZAHARA and Grazalema (below) are two of the most evocative towns around Ronda.

Both set in spectacular scenery and with some lovely sites, Zahara has a towering castle above it and a great restaurant Al Lago, while Grazalema (a beautifully conserved gem) was once the centre of the wool industry and you can still buy delightful rugs and bedspreads.

and you can even stay in the nearby finca if you Visit www.algabaronda.com

BANDIT TERRITORY

THE Serrania was once a major stronghold for bandoleros (bandits) and the tiny towns of Benaojan and Montejaque were famously where many holed up. But there is much more, such as the Cueva de la Pileta, near Montejaque (left), which has the oldest cave paintings in Spain, while Benaojan is the centre of the ham and sausage industry. There is also a fabulous walk from Benaojan Estacion down the river to Jimera de Libar, from where you can get the train back. At each end is a great lunch spot, with hotel Molino del Santo, when open in season, the obvious pick.

WHILE it’s about as stunning as any of the pretty villages around Ronda, there is one big difference with Juzcar… it’s blue. This is thanks to the Smurf movie that in 2011 decided to use the tiny village as the mythical base of the tiny creatures. It has been used a handful of times since and voted to stay blue some years back. But apart from the many attractions for kids, based around the movie, it is also the perfect place for a walk and to see Griffon vultures and crag martins.

GO into any wine shop in Ronda, or any of its restaurants, and you will be amazed at how many local wines are now being produced.

In just three decades, around two dozen vineyards have launched and collectively there must be around 100 different wines on offer from the nearby hills.

Ernest Hemingway would most certainly have approved.

An infamous drinker, he once wrote: “Wine is a grand thing. It makes you forget all the bad”.

So the fabled writer would be amazed to discover that Ronda has so many wine producers and even, today, has its own appellation.

The DO Sierras de Malaga, Serrania de Ronda was confirmed in 2004 to represent the local vineyards, which grow dozens of grape varieties, some indigenous, including Melonera, Rome and Tinto Velasco.

There is also a well signposted wine route, which aficionados can follow around the local valleys and the Milamores Centro Integral de Vino helps to coordinate them, while also offering a museum on the area’s history.

Vintage vats

It was the Romans who first planted vines in the Serrania de Ronda.

An advanced race, they realised the soil and the climate were perfect for winemaking.

To best understand this, take a ride up to Ronda la Vieja, the next valley over to the west.

GRAPE EXPECTATIONS

The growing winemaking prowess of Ronda can be traced back to its Roman coins which featured grape tendrils, writes Jon Clarke

It is here at a height of 1000 metres that you’ll find the ancient Roman settlement of Acinipo, which once spread around its still largely intact amphitheatre.

All the land - allegedly hundreds of hectares - was dedicated to grape growing and the area had soon started producing wine good enough to export back to Rome, with Ronda becoming known back at Imperial HQ as the ‘city of wine’.

So popular did it become back in Italy that the local legionnaires were even allowed to mint their own coinage, appropriately with the tendrils of a vine and grapes on one side.

The neighbouring village of Setenil de las Bodegas (a clue is in the name) handily provided its famous caves as cellars for the maturing wine.

And once they were approaching the right age and/or strength they were dispatched on the week-long journey to Rome, as was the local olive oil in amphoras.

Further proof of the Romans making wine in the area can be found on the south-east facing slopes near Arriate.

Here, at Bodega Morosanto, archaeologists have excavated a sizable wine operation with pipes through which wine was transported to vats.

The discovery – among columns, stat-

ues and a 21-metre Roman pool - now means that historians can definitively link the production of wine in Ronda in 3AD.

The nearby rolling hills between Arriate, Ronda and

Acinipo were largely under vine and today the numbers are rising up again.

This includes the two dozen hectares planted by Ramos-Paul at Bodega El Chantre, and the largest local producer Chinchilla that has brought up various plots scattered around the area and is now said to have planted over 30 hectares.

Proof of the Romans making wine in the area can be found near Arriate

The rebirth of the area’s winegrowing prowess started, ironically, thanks to expats.

It was German aristocrat Principe Alfonso Hohenlohe who first planted vines in the area in the 1980s, having sold his shares in the Marbella Club hotel, which he built in the 1950s.

Looking for another challenge he planted 80,000 French vines at Cortijo de la Monjas, which nestled in a natural valley,

and sought help from various winemaking pals, including Marqués de Griñon and Michel Rolland. The wines however were rather disappointing until a skilled local oenologist

Juan María Vetas, who had done his time in Bordeaux, was drafted in. Improvements led to the vineyard being sold to an international conglomerate with Juan Maria heading to his own smallholding just outside Arriate, where today he makes his highly rated Vetas.

Another key trailblazer was Friedrich Schatz, a German from Baden-Württemberg, the best wine-producing area of Germany. He moved to Ronda nearly four decades ago with his parents to set up a vineyard on the road to Acinipo. Today his half a dozen wines frequently win international awards.

Other German-speaking vintners have followed suit.

Martin Kieninger from Austria and Theodor Conrad from Switzerland arrived two decades ago, while recently an American winemaker bowled up in the Ronda La Vieja area.

The majority of bodegas are small family-run wineries, but they can still be visited by appointment in the main, some offering far more than others. A top pick is that of Martin Kieninger, an architect by trade, who not only planted an incredible vineyard in stunning countryside near Ronda, but also built his own home and bodega. To visit call Martin on +34 630 161 156 or visit www.bodegakieninger.com

MATURING: A vineyard in Ronda la Vieja, with Acinipo in the distance

Gaucin cheer!

Christmas Fair promises to be a fun event

GET ready for the most magical weekend of the season.

The Gaucin Christmas Fair, a tradition for more than 25 years, is back this November 30 and December 1.

The fair promises a feast for the senses with breathtaking views, one-of-a-kind crafts, and delicious homemade treats

The town will be alive with festive spirit as locals and visitors flock to the fair, where stalls are packed with unique gifts, handcrafted decorations, and jaw-dropping creations from the region’s top artisans.

And it’s not just about shopping – food lovers will be in heaven with a mouthwatering lineup of Spanish delights, including roast pork sandwiches, creamy croquettes, sweet pies, and of course, mulled wine and cava to get everyone in the holiday mood!

Kids won’t be left out, with face painting and festive crafts to keep them busy, while live music from Marcus Meyers (Saturday) and Elizabeth Zeder (Sunday) fills the air. Don’t miss the Gaucín Christmas Fair – is not only a chance to find one-of-a-kind gifts but a vibrant celebration of community spirit, bringing holiday warmth to all who visit.

BALCONY OF THE SERRANIA

Gaucin is the perfect place to get outside and get active

IT’S not hard to see why Gaucín is known colloquially as ‘El Balcon de La Serrania de Ronda’.

Perched on a rocky outcrop at over 600m above sea level, the beautiful village has some of the best views in Europe, particularly across to North Africa.

Sitting in the Sierra del Hacho, this is a foothold into one of Andalucia’s most stunning mountain ranges, the Serrania de Ronda and Gaucin is its mostly Western point. Surrounded by breath-taking mountain scenery with stunning views across two continents, it's ideal for a day trip

or long weekend, being just 30 km from the Costa del Sol. The best time to visit is the cooler winter months when you can combine outdoor activity and fresh mountain air with great local and international food.

If you like hiking, cycling, birdwatching, mountain-climbing - or just simply sitting outside a restaurant terrace admiring the views - then make sure Gaucin is at the top of your list of things to do this Autumn.

Pack your walking shoes and get ready for some invigorating hikes immersed in wonderful nature.

Whether you are a keen hiker or just fancy a family stroll before lunch, you can take advantage of the excellent network of walking routes ranging from 6 to 14km in length. The majority start and finish in the village and the excellent tourist office in Paseo Ana Toval has all the information you’ll need… or simply

CELEBRATED: Walking in the chestnut woods in winter

visit: www.visitgaucin.com/ en/walking/ Walking is not the only way to experience the beauty of this very special part of Andalucia.

Of course you may just fancy a gentle amble through this whitewashed village before lunch at one of the award-winning restaurants. Pick up a map from the tourist office and visit the castle and the stunning cemetery

The ruins of the Castillo Del Aguila are located at the top of the town at 688 metres above sea level and look proudly over the Genal Valley, Campo de Gibraltar and North Africa. It received its name because of the birds of prey that frequented the castle and can still be seen around the ruins today.

The castle is of Roman origin but was reinforced by the Moors in the period of AlAndalus. Since then it has been rebuilt several times.

The wall, the ‘Homenaje’ tower, the water tanks and an escape mine are all preserved. Guzman El Bueno died in the surroundings of the castle in 1309 when he tried to conquer it from the Moors.

Note that the opening hours of the castle during these winter months are from 10:30 to 13:30 and 16:00 to 18:00 7 days a week.

Riding Fun in the Sun before your reservation. Take a slow walk up to the castle and soak up the history and the views across the straits of Gibraltar as you wet your appetite.

BATTLES: Leader Guzman el Bueno died trying to seize Gaucin’s castle

Pic Credit: Maria Calvente Mendoza

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QUIRKY: A moveable sound system at Arriate’s Fiesta en el Aire

PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF FUN

IT might only be five minutes from Ronda to Arriate by car, but it’s five light years away in character.

Indeed what Ronda has in history and heritage, its nearest neighbour of Arriate has in authenticity and charm. And it definitely has a lot more fun. A buzzing village of 5000 people, Arriate offers a great quality of life, far from the usual tourist drag and it punches well above its weight.

Fiercely independent of Ronda, it wrestled control from its near neighbour over four centuries ago and the locals insist they have always been entirely different.

It was in fact on February 14, 1630, that the villagers paid 352,739 Maravedies in order to buy their independence from Ronda.

As a result the village has Saint Valentine as a patron saint and now bills itself as the true ‘pueblo de amor’ (village of love) where visitors might get smitten or cement their relationship. I did and have lived near the village with my wife for over two decades. Arriate took its name from the Arriadh estate which had existed since Moorish times, deriving from the Arabic

A family business since 1934

Jamones y Embutidos Melgar

While enveloped in stunning mountain scenery, warm-hearted independent Arriate is famous for its friendly locals and a love of partying, writes Jon Clarke

rietenos are far more worldly and friendly.

“We are certainly far more open than the locals in Ronda,” explains businesswoman Carmeli Gamarro, whose family firm Melgar have been curing and salting meat for many centuries.

“The Arriatenos are worldly people, who have travelled the globe in order to work,” she continues. This is certainly the case with the majority of them having to emigrate to other parts of Europe - principally France, Switzerland and Germany - during the harsh impoverished years of the 1960s and 1970s before the death of Franco.

dence of man, going way back before the Romans.

A wonderful statue with a worker holding his suitcase and looking longingly back at town from near the train station is appropriately called ‘el emigrante’.

Many of these workers finally made it back and you can’t fail to notice the number of contented pensioners hanging around watching the day go by.

term meaning ‘the gardens’.

And this was no surprise as the leafy area has two rivers and is well irrigated, long supplying most of the fruit and vegetables to nearby Ronda, which totally envelops Arriate making it a sort of island.

But while just over eight kilometres square - the smallest district in Malaga province - it is one small village that massively punches above its weight.

Staunchly left wing since the death of dictator Franco in 1975, the locals insist their snobbish ‘pico’ neighbours

One place, Bar La Albarra is so famous for these old boys that one Dutch photographer put together an exhibition based entirely around its regulars. There are dozens of bars here for them… but equally there are dozens of shops, with at least two greengrocers, two flower shops, three bakeries and four butchers alone.

Local mayor Francisco Javier Anet is of a similar mindset and sums up Arríate’s passion for the countryside and nature.

“It’s a breathtaking space and a real adventure for anyone looking for a genuine escape,” he explains. “It’s this natural way of life we want to promote to anyone thinking of visiting the area.”

Anything but your average politician, he has worked as a photographer and had various photos published in the national press.

It is little surprise that Arriate – after Ronda – is one of the only inland Malaga villages to continue to grow over the last few decades.

A staunch environmentalist, having studied Geography at university, he is keen to promote the wonderful green spaces and walks around the local area.

In particular, the trails around the Arroyo de la Ventilla, a stun

Much of this must be down to its laid back nature and reputation for being a party town. Despite being ruled by the IU (or Communist party) for well over a decade (the socialist PSOE party finally took over a few years ago), there is more interest in having fun than the teachings of Chairman Mao.

This might perhaps explain why – despite its apparent hard left leanings - the village has some of the best known Easter parades in Andalucia. Highly competitive and reaching fever pitch around Good Friday, practically every family has a member in one parade or another. Indeed, such is the clamour to be involved, the brotherhoods even hold lotteries for the right to carry the floats (or tronos) of Jesus and Mary.

are taken very seriously and they are very moving, but it is a simple fact that most of those involved hardly ever go to church and so it is really just down to tradition.”

Aside from the 400 years of tradition that brings thousands of visitors to see the Hermandad del Santisimo Cristo de la Sangre and del Santo Entierro de Cristo at Easter, there are other festivals such as the Romeria, the Dia de la Vieja, and the now famous Fiesta en el Aire, (pictured right), which takes place in October.

A wonderful three-day festival of fun, there are live bands, amazing food stalls and more artists than you can shake a paint brush at.

Around 20.000 visitors make it for the now famous weekend, which almost always signifies the start of the rainy season.

“It is this sort of thing that really makes the Arriate people stand out,” explains former mayor Melchor Conde, who is an agronomist by trade. “They are above all very generous; and always have an open door and are happy to give you what they have.”

Another curious trait about Arriate is its wealth of musical talent. There are two town bands, a drumming group and ‘everyone plays one instrument or another,’ it is claimed.

It is a tradition that can be traced back even before the origins of the town, when a mythical group of country musicians roamed the area playing music in the dead of night.

Known as La Aurora de Arriate, the group of musicians still keep up the tradition playing in the dead of night on Sunday morning between the hours of 4am and 6am.

With origins from Arabic times in the 13th century, the coplas, or local songs, have been passed down from generation to generation and became famous when in 1973 the British National Geographic Society recorded them for an album on Spanish cultural music.

A capacity for music and culture is all too obvious with a visit to the incredible Los Caireles restaurant on the high street. There are few surprises in the

JOYOUS: A pair of nuns take in the Siesta en el Aire, while (top) a giant bench up the Arroyo walk

Serrania de Ronda as pleasant as walking through the anonymous, easy-to-miss doors into this wonderful space that was once a cinema.

The brainchild of brothers Roberto and Monolo Rivera, they have undertaken an amazing conversion of the 1940s Cine Ideal, that is incredibly still intact out back.

The bar and open-plan restaurant with its glass roof light is just one small corner of what was once the cinema. And what a gem it is, with all its cine memorabilia scattered around the walls and corners.

EL MUELLE DE ARRIATE

WEDNESDAY TO SATURDAY | LUNCH AND DINNER SUNDAY | LUNCH

being heavily censored by the local priest and mayor, who would watch the film first demanding cuts all over the place.”

Running until 1988, when due to dwindling audiences part of it had to be converted into a flamenco venue, the brothers have kept it intact out back despite numerous offers from developers to turn it into flats.

All its cine memorabilia is scattered around the walls

“Our father was a real film fantasist,” says Monolo. “This was one of the most popular cinemas in the Serrania.

“People came for miles around despite the movies

“This is our legacy and part of our town’s key history,” says Roberto. “I grew up watching Cinema Paradiso and always dreamt of one day opening the cinema up again. One day we hope to be able to find the funding to do that.”

More entertainment? Please do, it is, after all, what Arriate is about.

ROYAL SEAL OF APPROVAL

After 40 years serving Ronda, Almocabar restaurant is back in safe hands

POLITICIANS, presidents and even kings have eaten in Ronda’s grande dame of dining Almocabar.

So it is incredibly fortunate the historic restaurant is now in the hands of talented local chef Antonio Dominguez (above).

Having trained at La Fonda cookery school in Benalmadena and a long stint under the Michelin starred ‘chef de caviar’ Diego Gallegos at Sollo (pictured with Diego, left), he is breathing new life back into one of Ronda’s most emblematic places to eat.

With a raft of new dishes and a talented new team, Antonio, 30, is aiming to be ‘one of the best’ in Ronda.

“I’m working and working to really push the best KM-zero produce from around the Serrania and really drive this place forward,” he explains.

“I want to be up there with Benito at Bardal

Tel: +34 952 875 977

Email: almocabarronda@gmail.com

Open: 13.00 to 16.00 and 20.30 to 23.00 www.almocabarronda.es

and prove to all the famous people who have eaten here that Almocabar is maintaining its reputation,but with new quality dishes.”

The list of prestigious diners so far includes the former president of Mexico, the King of Holland, bullfighter Cayetano Rivera and Junta president Juanma Moreno.

Set up by popular restaurateur Manolo in the ‘80s, it counts on an amazing wine list and is charm personified not just inside, but out in the wonderful Plaza de San Francisco, particularly on sunny lunchtimes.

Antonio himself worked his way up from washing plates to running restaurants in Grazalema and later Ronda.

“I started from the bottom and luckily learnt so much from Diego at Sollo,” he explains.

“He taught me everything and even took me on trips to Mexico and to cook for Antonio Banderas, so I’m forever grateful to him.”

Rainbow’s End

The melting pot of restaurants in Ronda is second to none in Andalucia, writes Olive Press editor

JON CLARKE

IT might seem like a backwater in the middle of nowhere, but Ronda really is the veritable pot at the end of the restaurant rainbow.

A cauldron of quality local ingredients and a chopping board of talents, Ronda and its nearby Serrania is one of the true hotspots for dining in southern Spain.

Take my word, having travelled far and wide to unearth a chestnut or seek out a morsel, interviewing well over 100 chefs in the process, much of it for my book and website Dining Secrets of Andalucia , as well as the Olive Press.

While I have waxed lyrical about the culinary revolution in Madrid, raved about rural gems such as Asador Etxebarri and fallen in love with San Sebastian over the last ten years, few places equal the joy of a tapas tour in Ronda in the heart of winter.

When I first arrived in the mountain town two decades ago, it certainly had its highlights, but it definitely lacked a proper line up of decent eateries.

Today, you can eat well in easily a dozen places, while the level of talent includes many chefs who have worked in the world’s best three Michelin star joints.

Top of the pile by some length is two Michelin stars (maybe three by the time you read this) chef Benito Gomez (pictured with me above), a Catalan dynamo whose restaurant Bardal has taken the town to new heights.

Having trained under Spain’s most famous chef Ferran Adria (El Bulli), he moved to Ronda

via a stint at Adria’s sister restaurant Hacienda Benazuza, near Sevilla.

I first tested his food there some 15 years ago, an amazing 25-course masterclass which was easily one of the best meals of my life.

Bardal comes close, thanks to Benito’s love of the Serrania's local ingredients and his original way of using them.

If his long (and for some pricey) tasting menu doesn’t suit you his nearby diffusion restaurant, Tragata (also now open in Malaga) gives you a nice taster of his skills.

Closeby are, no less, than FOUR other joints where the chefs have worked at the very top Michelin star restaurants in Spain.

Take Taberna Almacen where Javier Pimentel is continually changing and upgrading his menu, supported by a big team of youngsters.

Having trained at San Sebastian’s three star cathedral of cuisine Akelarre and later with Malaga’s top chef, Dani Carnero, he’s more than earned his culinary stripes.

“Ronda has seen a big general improvement in quality and creativity over the last few years,” he explains. “With new places opening it has created a really healthy rivalry.”

I always end up eating very well here and there are usually lots of specials of the day, while dishes incredibly start at just a few euros.

I am a big fan of his stews and soups, while his smoky baba ganoush, with fried sweet potato chips, dried carrots and bananas, is a veggie delight.

Like Benito he is always hunting down the best local ingredients, in particular the bread from artisan baker, Panaderia Maximo, in nearby Benaojan. His ‘Mollete de Benaojan’ is one result, a lip-smacking mini-bocadillo of blue cheese and local Iberian ham.

Just around the corner you’ll find the highly-rated Quinto Tramo , which has become the nerve centre for foodies over recent months. The very essence of Ronda, head chef Jose Luis Pacual's parents ran a hat shop here

ESSENCE OF ROMA: Qunito Tramo and Maitre Paco (above)

QUALITY TALKS: Former ham-cuttimg champ Juan shows off a dish at Barrafina while (above left) Jon with chef Benito Gomez

tel: +34 657 03 16 87

Calle Las Tiendas, Número 28 Plaza Carmen Abela, 29400 Ronda

WHERE TO EAT

Ruben and a dish at Mi Manuela, Martin at Kutral and a dish at Tropicana

Explosions of taste

nearly a century ago and he and his brother

You can really feel the history of Ronda here thanks to the bullfighting memorabilia and

With nearby Bar Maestro where Hemingway and Orson Wells used to wax lyrical about the sadly shutting a year or so ago, this is

It has real ambience and luckily its food is to match, with a top pick the fried prawn taco with onion guacamole and kimchi mayonnaise, a tuna tempura taco with a twist of lime which you roll up to eat is a genuine explosion in the mouth.

Everything is beautifully presented on branded grease paper and Jose Luis is a perfectionist

having done his time at Dani Garcia’s three Michelin star restaurant in Marbella, and before that, Tragabuches in Ronda.

Another, absolute must visit is the charming dining den of Tropicana , where Jose junior and senior run an incredibly slick operation. Often voted among Spain’s best on Tripadvisor, Jose junior learnt his trade under famous three Michelin star genius Martin Berasategui in the Basque Region.

Having embraced the new world, the prodigal son fully understands the need to have plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free dishes on the menu, plus a decent number of specials. I loved his partridge salad (above right) which, while badly sold as coming with just red peppers, came with croutons, carrots, lettuce, raisins, walnuts and at least a dozen mixed leaves and spices.

Meanwhile an artichoke heart comes with a few thin slices of pancetta and a fried egg sounded dreadful but it oddly worked... and the presa iberica was as beautifully cooked as I’ve eaten in Ronda and came with a creamy wheat semolina accompaniment.

Yet another three star Berasategui trainee is Martin Abramzon at Kutral , who has also made Spain’s Top Ten best restaurants, according to Tripadvisor.

An incredibly hip spot at the back of Ronda’s industrial estate, you’ll definitely need to book on the weekend and likely in the week. One of the best travelled foodies in Spain, Martin can talk about dining till the cows come home, which is appropriate given the Argentinian runs easily the best parilla-style temple of meat in Malaga province.

In Ronda for well over a decade having arrived to run the former Michelin-star joint Tragabuches, he can also knock out some impressive vegetable dishes, plus, naturally the best empanadas around. He has also cooked for many celebrities, including Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo.

“Ronda, not me, deserves an award for its incredible range of places to eat,” he insists. “Gastronomically we are offering more and more new places to eat with lots of variety.”

One of those places is

From previous page

ATMOSPHERIC: Night time at Barrafina

JOYOUS:

Barrafina , in an incredibly charming spot just inside the old city wall, down by the Arabic Almocabar gate.

Run by Spain’s former ham-cutting champion Juan Ramirez Gil, himself the son of the town’s first wine merchant, it focuses heavily on top

quality ingredients.

Aside from the best ham in Ronda, the goat's cheeses from Grazalema are spectacular, while the tuna tartare and beef tataki are superb.

Now with well seasoned chef Kiko Ramirez in the kitchen, it goes from strength to strength with new dishes like a pulled pork brioche with dates and walnuts and a burrata with pesto and amazing local tomatoes on toast. Also highly-rated on Tripadvisor, best of all is the black Angus pastrami 'sandwich', the true king of luxury sandwiches, which comes with beer, pickles and mustard.

Nearby, in the main Barrio San Francisco square is easily one of the friendliest places in southern Spain.

Cerveceria Bandolero is always very much service with a smile from these two cousins, who run backwards and forwards charming guests and plying you with excellent simple and local fare, with a bent towards Carnes a la Brasa.

Right in the heart of town meanwhile you must look out for Mi Manuela , in the charming Plaza Carmen Abela, near to where writer Cervantes once lived.

This is an excellent new spot run by a friendly young local couple with some good ideas, a fabulous eye and offering great value.

They are always doing specials by the day and the variety of rice dishes is worth checking out.

Best of all, was the amazing freshest mango and avocado salad with prawns, brought out by chef Ruben himself (photo far left).

If it is wine you are looking for, don't miss En

Continues on next page

FRIENDLIEST: Paco and Rafa at Bandolero and (below) Entre Vinos that has 100 Ronda wines

WHERE TO EAT

Atmospheric and delicious

tre Vinos , which has over 100 wines (yes 100!) from Ronda, with more than a dozen wines by the glass. There are some excellent tapas and it's a charming place to while away a few hours, particularly on warm days on the

terrace outside. Just up the hill is Siempre Igual , which is exactly that ‘Always the same’, it's a bloody excellent place to enjoy tapas and some excellent wine with friends.

Run by a friendly family team, they always have some experimental new dishes, worth a try and in a great location, just up from the bullring. Right by the bullring is the classical Pedro Romero , almost always full and jam-packed with bullfighting memorabilia, making it worthy of almost-museum status.

Named after the matador who founded modern bullfighting and put Ronda on the map, brothers Carlos and Tomas have been in charge since their 88-year-old father hung up his hat.

He is still often in situ mind, eating at his favourite table, and the dishes have hardly changed, in particular with classics such as carrillada (bulls cheek) or rabo de toro (oxtail) which easily equals the best you can eat in

from where

Marvellous

If you’ve never eaten in a railway restaurant then you are in for a big surprise. Not only is El Muelle, in Arriate, very much the first class carriage, but this is a genuine train to your taste buds. This all thanks to Dutchman Frank Rottgering, whose legendary joint sees regulars drive all the way from the coast and even Sevilla to eat each week. Highly rated on Tripadvisor and it’s not hard to see why, it being both charming and atmospheric in equal measures. Chef Isa is as popular with foreigners and tourists, as the locals, who love her generous servings and ability to change by the month and always offer specials of the day. But there is simply no substitute for Frank himself, who is easily the most talented restaurateur in the Serrania, enthusiastic, inquisitive and interesting.

Cordoba,

the dish heralds.

Muelle

From previous page

DELIGHTFUL: Inside and out at El Muelle in Arrriate

WHERE TO STAY

CITY OF DREAMS

The Puente Romano group is adding a property to Ronda’s catalogue of romantic and luxurious places to stay

IT was famously dubbed the ‘City of Dreams’ by Austrian poet Rilke and soon you’ll have two more luxurious places to stay.

As well as a new five star hotel set to be built beside the town hall, Marbella hotel tycoon Daniel Shamoon has recently bought a stunning private villa near the town.

Dating back to 1920, Villa del Canto will be the latest addition to the five-star Puente Romano portfolio when it opens in January.

Set across 16 hectares, the ‘resort’ counts on four exclusive suites, as well as a giant pool, cinema, wine cellar and vineyard. The Heredad del Canto estate was once a giant 300 hectare estate, which had its own school for the workers’ children, as well as its own train station.

If you are looking to bask in similar luxury in the heart of the city, then look no further than a suite at the atmospheric Ronda Romantica apartments. Comprising five

tastefully-converted apartments in the Casco Historico, guests will love the giant four poster beds, handmade in Kenya, as well as the leafy courtyard with its own splash pool. Check out ‘Ronda Romantica lofts’ on Booking.com or WhatsApp the owners for a special three-for-two winter deal on 633663339 or 691831399.

Finally Hotel Virgen de los Reyes is a great value budget option costing from just €70 a night. The centrally located hotel is comfortable and well equipped.

www.hotelvirgendelosreyes.com Hotelvirgendelosreyes

Established

Ronda Properties Estate Agent

Inland Andalusia, c/San José, 1 29400, Ronda, Malaga, Spain

Country Villa with guest house located in the Serranía de Ronda with panoramic views over the impressive Los Alcornocales Natural Park. Gardens, palm trees, olive and cypresses trees plus extensive pasture land, ideal for horses. Access from a driveway leading to a private electric gate which provides entry to all 4 properties. The complex consists of a single-story country Villa of 400m2, with a 20m2 porch, guest house 128m2, swimming pool 100m2 with its casita that could easily house a gym, stable or warehouse128m2, terraces 300m2 and a pool house.

Bedrooms: 7

Bathrooms: 5

Ref: 101724

Build: 145m2 Plot: 0m2

€1,995,000

Tel: (+34) 952 187 313 Mob: (+34) 608 765 990 Email: info@rondaproperties.com www.rondaproperties.com

Rural Hotel in the heart of Andalucia. Excellent 2 star hotel and restaurant located in the beautiful Genal Valley approx 20 minutes from the historic town of Ronda. Coast only 45 minutes. The Hotel is running very successfully and comprises 8 well presented double bedrooms all with en-suite bathrooms, wood-burning stoves and terraces with views to the mountains, plus 2 large suites, attractive bar with terrace and wood burning stove, salon, breakfast/dining room with fireplace, reception and new swimming-pool.

Bedrooms: 10 Bathrooms: 10

Build: 746m2 Plot: 14,025m2

Finca 32.531 m2 with a new, open-plan barn 99 m2. Located in an area of outstanding beauty the property has magnificent views to the mountains and the lake at Zahara de la Sierra. The land is planted with olives and has an orchard with a variety of fruit trees. Abundant water from a natural source. Fenced. Situated close to the village of El Gastor and only 20 minutes from Ronda.

Bedrooms: 0 Bathrooms: 0

Build: 99m2 Plot: 32.531m2

Country Villa & Guest House

PASSION PAYS OFF

ONE man’s certainty that Roman artefacts were buried in northern Spain has led to the discovery of swimming pool remains dating back to the first century.

Archaeologist Jesus Torres was so convinced that the site on the outskirts of Aguilar de Campoo in Castilla y Leon offered rich pickings, that he did most of the digging work himself with volunteers.

Torres’ patience was rewarded with the discovery of the Huerta Varona site, which besides the pool, also has remnants of a possible sauna and massage area.

“The area was probably a town and ironically plunderers finding coins back in the 1980s opened the door to further investigations,” said Torres.

Brit’s Gaudi adventure

Expat involved in finishing architect’s Barcelona masterpiece

A

BRITISH structural engineer, Tristram Carfrae, has played a key role in the final phase to complete Antoni Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.

“It’s the best project I’ve ever worked on,” said 65-year-old Carfrae, who has been involved for 10 years.

“It just inspires you, causes all sorts of emotions and feelings, and to be able to be involved is almost enough, let alone to make an actual contribution.”

The church is iconic for a number of reasons but is just

By Alex Trelinski

as famous for not being finished after construction began in 1882.

Now, approaching the centenary of Gaudí’s death, the church’s completion is within touching distance – with construction happening 10 times faster now than when it first began.

“Gaudi went for a much bigger church than the original design, including one of the massive towers, the Mary Tower, that sits vertically right above the original crypt

‘Demented’ comic book cleared

from the first smaller design,” Carfrae said.

“The foundations, of course, didn’t have the capability or capacity to hold up this tower, so the team thought that the only solution was to build a steel tower and clad it in stone.”

• All staff referenced and police checked

Billionaire Elon Musk, owner of the X social media platform, posted that the comic book was ‘demented’.

A Valencia area judge dismissed the case saying ‘no crime has been committed’ and that the book was clearly aimed at adult readers, with an obvious comic spirit.

THE publisher of a satirical comic book about Jesus Christ has been cleared of discrimination and hatred as well as sexual provocation. It sends up children’s activity books with colouring and painting pages that ridicule anti-gay attitudes. Baby Jesus Doesn’t Hate Sissies attracted legal action from the Spanish Foundation of Christian Lawyers who claimed it was an ‘apology for paedophilia’.

“But, we came up with using a thin and light type of stone within the foundations and therefore honouring Gaudi's original idea of having a stone tower.”

Asked what Gaudí would make of the modern techniques being used to complete his design, Carfrae added: “Well, of course, nobody knows, but my guess would be that he would be quite in favour of it.”

72 Avenida Ricardo Soriano, Portal B, 1st Floor, Marbella, Malaga, 29601 www.britishcareservices.com

NEVER PAINT AGAIN

The long-lasting exterior coating that comes with a 20-year guarantee

EXTERIOR painting of your home is often a regular and costly exercise due to weather causing unwanted erosion.

But you can banish that problem by using a wall coating system that is guaranteed for up to 20 years.

Malaga-based Never Paint Again brings its professional and experienced service to the whole of Andalucia and Gibraltar at a competitive price.

The firm also carries out repairs such as damp proofing, rendering, and getting rid of those annoying cracks.

The team eliminates those ugly-looking mouldy, green and dirty walls, as well as damp patches and stains on walls. They also clear up rough and uneven surfaces that give your home a scruffy look as well as making alterations to a previous sub-standard job.

When properties are painted, masonry paint is not used in favour of the vastly superior option of wall coating. The special painting system is highly durable, resistant to all types of weather, and does not fade, crack, chip or peel.

Wethertex Resin Wall Coating systems arrives in the Costa Del Sol (Est in UK since 1986 and online since 1999).

HIDDEN DEPTHS

BORN in London to Ghanaian and Jamaican parents, Yinka Esi Graves didn’t grow up thinking she could become a dancer, never mind one of the most refreshing forces to storm Spain’s flamenco scene.

AND YOUR VILLA OR PROPERTY WILL

The coating is resistant to rain, sun, snow, dirt, sand storms, mould and pollution plus there's the big bonus of lowering your home heating bills and costs for running air conditioning.

1. No more exterior painting or maintenance for 20-30 years (guaranteed for 20 years).

2. Stops penetrating damp whilst allowing the walls to breathe (microporous).

What’s more, it lasts up to 20 years, and is fully guaranteed.

The exterior wall coating is applied by high pressure spray, and includes a full programme of repairs to the exterior.

You can get a quotation without any obligation.

The coating works on all kinds of buildings; from villas to town houses and commercial properties as well.

Never Paint Again-Costa Del Sol, Malaga Tech Park, Calle Severo Ocha 41, Malaga 29590.

Tel: +34 613 841 950

Email: info@neverpaintagain.co.uk

But after 16 years of study, the 40-year-old has brought a fresh and vital perspective to this traditional art form.

Her groundbreaking solo performance, The Disappearing Act,

Yinka Esi Graves is transforming Spain’s flamenco scene by exploring the genre’s African roots and challenging notions of identity and visibility

explores the African influences in flamenco, an aspect often overlooked in its history.

Graves uses her unique Af ro-diasporic lens to challenge perceptions of identity and in visibility, drawing connections between flamenco and African dance traditions.

This unique perspective, she says, is the key to its success, having been nominated for two Lorca awards.

“Flamenco is an urban art form that has a lot of influences from many cultures, including those of the African diaspora,” she told the Olive Press.

About 15% of the Spanish pop ulation between the 15th and 19th century were African, many ending up in the country after being transported through Sevil la on their journey to the United States.

Of about 80,000 slaves, it is be lieved at least 10,000 stayed in Spain.

“They are often written out of the narrative,” Graves said. “But when I came here, I could suddenly see the African

CREDIT: Scott Shaw

LA CULTURA

but never named,” she said. This feeling of ‘invisibility’ deeply influenced The Disappearing Act, alongside Graves’ experiences as an African person living in the west. She said: “Invisbility is part of my existence, in this work I’m reflecting on how to play with that and use it as a tool. How to be aware? Or to disappear as a means of survival? To ask, what is written out and what is perThroughout the piece, she uses various images such as weaves and skin lightening makeup to explore how one can maintain a sense of self within the concept of ‘invisi-

A ‘very personal’ performance, the show has toured all over Europe, with further stops in Switzerland, France and Granada.

The performance has featured respected flamenco guitarist Raul Cantizano, British drummer Donna Thompson and Graves’ sibling, Remi Graves.

Yinka first showed her talent for dance at just three years old, while living in Nicaragua. She easily picked up the carnival choreography.

On her return to the UK, her parents enrolled her in all sorts of dance classes, from modern to jazz to ballet.

After

However, when it came to university she decided to study Art History, thinking dance ‘wasn’t a real job.’ It was there at the University of Sussex that she discovered flamenco, age 21.

November 29thDecember 12th 2023

LOOKING FOR MORE CULTURE STORIES?

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a lot of friends and felt really nurtured, I really improved and learnt a lot.”

Some five years in, she met Malaga based Flamenco dancer, La Lupi and made her move down south.

university, she moved to Madrid at 24 to pursue flamenco

After working odd jobs after university, she moved to Madrid at 24 to pursue flamenco at the famed Amor de Dios school.

“I jumped in at the deep end,” she confessed. “But I made

“I realised flamenco was born in Andalucia, it’s like going to New Orleans for jazz, you breathe in the space where that artform was created, it’s in the streets, in the way of speaking, in the football, people have flamenco close to them here. It’s a big part of Andalucian culture,” she said. During the first few years of her career, she worked as an english teacher and tour guide to get by while nurturing her true passion. After a decade, she was finally

able to fully dedicate herself to flamenco.

“I was very lucky because I got to the point where I was being asked to perform in places where it felt fraudulent not to be a full time dancer,” she said.

“That was when I decided, I’ve got to make a choice right now, because there comes a point where it asks so much you have to give it all the time that it requires. It’s not possible to do it part-time.”

She has also formed part of the acclaimed company, Dotdotdot Dance alongside British flamenco dancers Magdalena Mannion and Noemi Luz from 2014-2017 and performed multiple successful UK tours.

Now she is pushing the boundaries, infusing African influences with the traditional Andalucian art to create a captivating, modern interpretation of flamenco.

CREDIT: Thais Coy

CREDIT: Miguel Lorenzo

Going straight

SPAIN will grant residency and work permits annually for the next three years to around 300,000 migrants who are in the country illegally.

The policy will take effect next May and aims to expand the country’s ageing workforce.

Migration Minister Elma Saiz says Spain needs around 250,000 registered foreign workers a year to maintain its welfare state.

The new policy simplifies administrative procedures for short and long-term visas and provides migrants with additional work protection.

It also extends a visa offered previously to job seekers for three months to one year.

In 2023, Spain issued 1.3 million visas to foreigners.

Wings clipped

By Alex Trelinski

SPAIN has hit five airlines including Ryanair and Easyjet with a whopping fine totalling €179 million for abusive practices.

The rap sheet includes charging extra for hand luggage and reservation fees for adjoining seats.

The biggest individual penalty is almost €108 million for Ryanair, followed by Vueling on €39

BE CAUGHT OUT

ALLING all Spanish property owners – non residents income tax returns have to be submitted soon!

Anyone who purchased a Spanish property in 2023 or before and is not a Spanish tax resident will be due to submit their annual non residents income tax return before 31.12.2024.

What is the non residents income tax?

Known in Spanish as the Impuesto sobre la renta de no Residentes. In effect it is a tax on individuals who own a property in Spain and is payable even though there is no income! If you spend more than 183 days a year in Spain between 1 January and 31 December then you are generally considered a Spanish tax resident and this tax does not apply to you.

How is this tax calculated?

This

of the

(or 2% if the cadastral value has not been subject to revision or modification since 01.01.1994) and the applicable tax rate is 19% for EU citizens and 24% for non EU citizens. You can see the catastral values from your invoice from the Town Hall for annual rates.

The tax payable varies on whether or not the property is rented and an income is being obtained.

If you have rented your property then you will be obliged to submit annual returns and pay tax on the income.

EU tax residents can deduct the proportional costs involved in the rental such as professional management services, water, electric, insurance and community fees, whereas non EU tax residents cannot deduct these costs.

Ciudad Quesada, Rojales 03170 tel: 966 943 219

Ryanair among five airlines slapped with fines of nearly €200 million by Spain for ‘abusive practices’

million and Easyjet with €29 million. Norwegian and Volotea

● Copy of owner(s) passport(s)

● Copy of owner(s) nies

● Copy of escritura or a land search

● Copy of Town Hall Rates (known as IBI)

● If rented, details of income and rental costs incurred

have both received fines of over €1 million.

The Consumer Affairs ministry started a probe in June 2023 to see whether airline practices were abusive or unfair and whether they contravened regulations.

The investigation came as a result of complaints from consumer organisations. Four practices came under the spotlight: charging a surcharge for reserving adjoining seats to accompany children and dependents; a lack of transparency in pre-contractual information on the final price to be paid: charging a surcharge for carry-on luggage; and not allowing cash payments at the airport to cover extra services.

Extra

“It’s akin to buying beans and then being charged extra at the checkout for the tin,” said Prem Sikka, a member of the UK House of Lords.

“They have been price gouging and misleading customers for years.”

The penalty has been confirmed by Spain's Minister of Consumer Affairs, Pablo Bustinduy, after sanctions and their amounts were proposed back in May.

"No company, no matter how large or powerful, is above the law," Bustinduy said.

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary called the fine ‘politically motivated’ and has said the company will launch a legal appeal.

Big cheese

THE World Cheese Awards 2024 have crowned two Spanish cheeses among the top 14 on earth - and the world’s best is made by a Spaniard in Portugal. The top cheese was named as Queijo de Ovelha Amanteigado made by Spaniard Sonia Marroyo.

The two Spanish cheeses in the list are La Cava Barus, a cured cheese made from unpasterised cow, sheep and goat milk. It is made in Ciudad Real by the Garcia-Baquero cheese makers and placed fourth in the rankings.

The other prize winner, taking 12th place, was the Valleclaro soft goat’s cheese, made in Jaen by Quesos y Besos using goat milk from Malaga.

Some 240 judges evaluated 4,786 cheeses to find the top 104 in the world, which were then whittled down by an expert panel to find the 14 winners.

DABIZ DETHRONED

MADRID based chef Dabiz Muñoz has been knocked off his throne as ‘best chef in the world’.

After being given the title three years in a row, the Danish young pretender Rasmus Munk (Alchemist, Copenhagen) has been handed the accolade by The Best Chef Awards Munk shared the podium with his compatriot Eric Vildgaard (Jordnær, Copenhagen), who took third place.

Spanish chef Albert Adria, from Enigma, retains his second-place position for the second consec utive year.

Beyond the change in reign,

Seventh heaven

THE Beautiful Towns of Spain Association has announced that seven new locations will join its ranks.

In Badajoz, Llerena made the list thanks to its stunning mudejar facades alongside Jerez de los Caballeros.

Two Teruel enclaves made the cut, including La Fresneda and Linares de Mora.

In Soria. Berlanga de Duero was honoured for its impressive medieval fortress and whimsical porticoes.

Meanwhile in Burgos, Poza de la Sal was recognised for its tudor-esque architecture, cob-

After three years as Best Chef in the World, Spaniard is knocked off his perch by Dane Rasmus Munk

By Dilip Kuner

the big news from these awards, which held their 2024 gala in Dubai earlier this month, lies in the transformation of their ranking system.

Until now, The Best Chef Awards operated as a ranking of 100 names, but the founders have decided to im-

LISTED: Linares de Mora in Teruel was honoured

CHRISTMAS FUN

Kempinski Hotel Bahía announces the date of its traditional Christmas market and lighting of the tree for 2024

and well

itate the Michelin Guide by introducing their own rating system.

From now on, the awards will only feature the top three chefs on the podium, with other chefs being awarded between one and three knives, similar to the Michelin stars, although, unlike Michelin, these awards recognise the individual chefs rather than the restaurants.

The full list includes 550 chefs from 61 countries, with 97 receiving three knives, 177 with two knives and 276 with one knife.

As for Spain, 40 chefs have received some form of knife, with 17 of them earning the maximum rating of three knives: Albert Adria (second best in the world), Andoni Luis Aduriz, Angel Leon, Dabiz Muñoz, Diego Guerrero, Oriol Castro, Mateu Casañas, Eduard Xatruch, Eneko Atxa, Fina Puidgevall and Martina Puigvert, Javier and Sergio Torres, Martin Berasategui, Paco Morales, Paco Perez, Paco Roncero, Paolo Casagrande, Quique Dacosta, and Victor Arguinzoniz.

KEMPINSKI Hotel Bahía has officially announced the date of this much-anticipated event.

The annual tree lighting ceremony will see Mr Pursche, General Manager, the Kempinski Hotel Bahía team and visitors count down to the illumination of the tree, which will take place on November 30. The event is hailed locally as ‘When Christmas officially begins in Estepona!’

This year, the Christmas Market is expanding and introducing new and exciting activities for the whole family.

Stalls will feature gastronomic delights, such as local honey, sweets, handmade chocolates, roasted coffee and, of course, wines and olive oils, alongside handcrafted items, beautiful jewellery and those perfect Christmas gifts.

The market is expected to welcome over 600 visitors that day of all ages, from all along the Costa del Sol.

This year, the hotel will also bring back the popular children's area, with more stalls, fun activities for kids, face painting and two bouncy castles.

Santa Claus will make a special appearance, working extra hard this year to hear all the children’s Christmas wishes and personally collect their letters.

While the children play, parents can shop or enjoy one of the two bars that will be available throughout the day.

The market will open from 1pm to 8pm, with choirs singing at various times during the day. Santa Claus will be present from 4.30pm until late, passing through the lobby to light the tree just as the sun goes down.

The event is open to the public. Recommended parking areas are Laguna Beach, with pedestrian access via the promenade, or along Calle de Mare Nostrum, where there is ample public parking. Parking on the hotel grounds is best avoided, as it can become congested during the early evening.

bled streets

preserved medieval walls. Letur in Albacete also claimed a spot on the list.

IF you're dreaming of an autumn retreat, Spain’s countryside offers the ideal setting - crisp air, vibrant forests of reds and golds, and hearty, comforting food.

Five cosy country homes in Spain for a late Autumn retreat

info@tipsysotogrande.com

Tuesday-Saturday: 9.30am-10 pm

Sunday: 9.30am-8pm Monday closed

Sotogrande, Ribera del Marlin

It is the perfect season to escape to the tranquility of rural Spain, where you can unwind in charming country homes that provide the perfect atmosphere for relaxation.

But you can’t just follow the smell of a roaring fire or the footsteps of scuttling squirrels to find a hibernation haven, so we’ve shared our favourite spots for an autumn adventure.

Casa Aldaba, La Hiruela Just an hour and a half’s drive from Madrid is La Hiruela, which despite its proximity to the capital has a fairytale charm to leave you enchanted.

By Yzabelle Bostyn

We recommend booking the adorable Casa Aldaba, where you can settle down on the comfy sofa with a cup of hot chocolate whilst gazing at stunning mountain views.

Each of the site’s three apartments has room for four people and is fully equipped with a picnic area, kitchen, restaurant and private bathrooms.

At just €40 per person, per night, you’ll pay peanuts, or should we say, chestnuts.

If you manage to pull yourself

away from the cosy casa , spend the day breathing in the fresh autumn air with a stroll in the Hayedo de Montejo forest.

Casa Puig, Valle de Aran Nestled in one of the most picturesque areas of Spain, Casa Puig is a 19th century house with charming wood panelled floors and stone walls. Only four km away from Vielha, the house is surrounded by dramatic mountains and the spectacular Saut deth Pish waterfall. To stay in the country hideaway, the price is just €37.30 per night, per person.

Rural Rut, El Tiemblo Perfect for a large group of friends, the Rural Rut has room for nine people, with an open plan kitchen-living space and a bathroom complete with a hydromassage cabin.

Surrounded by the dense El Tiemblo forest, the area comes alive in autumn thanks to its chestnut trees, oaks and beech trees.

At a bargain €31 per person, per night, it’s time to get the gang together.

Los Lebreles Namaste, Sepulveda Castles, ancient walls and historic churches,

Discover the charm of The Tipsy Mermaid, a delightful bar that has become a beloved gathering spot in Sotogrande!

Marc and Alison fell in love with this beautiful area during a week-long vacation and decided to make it their home. With their warm hearts and inviting personalities, they have transformed this little corner into a hub of friendship over the past year.

Often referred to as the “Cheers Bar” of Andalucía, The Tipsy Mermaid is always ready to meet the needs of its customers. Marc and Alison are dedicated to expanding their business, not just as a café bar but also as a tapas bar, bringing even more delicious offerings to the table.

Join us for a cozy atmosphere, friendly faces, and a menu that will tantalize your taste buds. Whether you’re looking for a place to unwind after a day in the sun or a lively spot to enjoy with friends, The Tipsy Mermaid is the perfect destination.

We can’t wait to welcome you always with a big smile!

BEAUTIFUL: Taking a hike in the Valle de Aran is a real treat

November 29thDecember 12th 2023

LOOKING FOR MORE TRAVEL STORIES? Scan to visit our website

FOOD, DRINK & TRAVEL TRAVEL

The perfect escape

Sepulveda feels like you have stepped back in time.

The Senda de los Rios and surrounding countryside are ideal for an autumn jaunt and afterwards, you can retire to Los Lebreles Namaste, the ultimate family getaway. Each accommodation has up to five rooms, with a comfy living room, exciting games room, roaring wood fire, dining room and kitchen. Prices range from €32-35 per person, per night.

A traditional lodging, Casa Lordan has panoramic views

tel:

land-

Between three spectacular valleys, cycling, walking and canyoning are popular activities. A traditional mountain lodging, Casa Lordan has a charming garden, easy parking, eight snug rooms and panoramic views over the Valle de Broto. You can rent each room separately from €26 per person, per night.

MAGICAL CHRISTMAS AT CANDELA MARBELLA

Make this Christmas unforgettable at Candela Marbella

Tuck into our best known dishes this Christmas with our incredible menus. From our super-tender fillet of beef, prawns pil pil, our well known special teriyaki salmon fillet or our super creamy risotto with green asparagus - our celebratory dishes and ambience are sure to add a special and unique touch to your Christmas.

Reservations for our Christmas and New Year’s Eve menus can now be booked. INFO: www.candaelamarbella.com

Ctra. de Ronda, A-397, Km. 44, 29679 Benahavís, Málaga Closed Wednesdays +34 951 74 47 77 clive@cotorestaurante.com @cotorestaurante

Casa Lordan, Torla The gateway to the Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido, Torla will certainly help you get lost in its marvellous

scapes.

SETTING: You will find it hard o beat the surroundings of Casa Lordan (above) and Rural Rut (below)

November 27thDecember 17th 2024

types of construction from A-Z undertaken.

Pools, Retaining Walls, Stone Walls, Refurbs etc Planning, Building and Registration Services.

We work in and around Alcaidesa, Sotogrande, Manilva, Estepona, Cancelada, San Pedro, Marbella, La Cala, Fuengirola and everywhere in between including inland areas.

To see how we work visit us at www.casaresliving.com Jaime +34 630 344 897 or email: info@casaresliving.com

Across:

No protection

CONDOM sales have fallen 15.34% so far this year, according to healthcare company Iqvia.

Just two months before the end of the year, only 25,283,747 have been sold, compared to last year’s total of 39,228,562.

The data has prompted concern from the medical community, which warns that sinking use of condoms could lead to a rise in sexually transmitted diseases.

ON THE RISE

SEXUAL assault is going up, according to an annual report by the Hospital Clinic de Barcelona.

The hospital has reported that sexual assault cases have risen for the fifth year running, with a 12% jump.

This year, 624 people have been victims, 88% of them women and 99% of the attackers were men.

Some 58% of the women were raped and 25% of victims below 45 were attacked by someone they knew in a supposedly ‘safe’ environment.

NEXT PANDEMIC

THE European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has warned tens of millions of people could die by 2050 if tighter controls are not put on antibiotics.

They say that unnecessary use of antibiotics leads to dangerous levels of microbial resistance and the European Union should take urgent action.

Antimicrobial resistance caused almost five million deaths world-wide in 2019

Scientists warn overuse of antibiotics could lead to the ‘next pandemic’

By Yzabelle Bostyn

and could kill more than 39 million people by 2050.

The latest ECDC report revealed that between 20192023, no significant decrease was seen in antibiotic use.

“We’re going in the wrong direction,” said ECDC director, Pamela Rendi-Wagner.

Of the 24 countries included in the study, 14 had not only failed to lower their use of antibiotics, but had

Stub it out

THE Ministry of Health has introduced new tobacco laws in an effort to protect public health.

Cigarettes and tobacco packets will have a ‘uniform’ design, free from individual colours or design, which are thought to incentivise consumption. For nicotine-free e-cigarettes, ingredients lists and health warnings will be introduced on packaging. It will also include information pamphlets on how to use e-cigarettes, their potential dangers and medical restrictions. Artificial flavorings will also be restricted in e-cigarettes and vapes, meaning only tobacco flavouring can be used.

raised it.

The report also showed the use of last-resort antibiotics went up 5.4%, some 2% higher than in 2019.

According to the World Health Organisation, these should only be used when nothing else has worked against multi-resistant organisms.

Although the ECDC admits their rising use could be out of necessity, it insists that member states reevaluate their consumption.

The stats also show slow progress in the EU’s 2030 antibiotics goals agreed last year.

By 2030, it is hoped there will be a 20% total reduction in the use of human antibiotics compared with 2019.

Risk

Some 65% of antibiotics consumed must have low resistance risk.

Each year in the European Union, 35,000 people die as a result of antimicrobial resistance, with 4,000 in Spain alone.

A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON MENOPAUSE

PERIMENOPAUSE means ‘around menopause’ and is the period of time when women’s bodies begin to transition towards menopause.

The time frame varies but on average it lasts about four years, while the menopause lasts between eight to 10 years, during which time women experience numerous hormonal changes.

An understanding of these changes and how they affect mental/emotional and physical health is vital.

Introducing Dr. Ruth FitzGerald, a psychologist who specializes in the psychological aspects of perimenopause and menopause.

She sees this time as an opportunity for women to view themselves and their futures from a new perspective.

“Approaching menopause with knowledge and a healthy perspective can enable us not only to successfully transition through this natural phase of our lives, but to use this time of change as a catalyst for profound personal growth,” she tells the Olive Press. “It’s an opportunity to clarify personal, life and career objectives for the next chapter of our lives.”

The growing research has some concerning findings, particularly in relation to the potential impact of perimenopause and menopause on self-esteem, anxiety levels and mood.

Fortunately, there is a growing body of information, advice, programmes and support for women experiencing it.

One programme ‘Menoperspectives’ has been developed by Dr. FitzGerald to help women.

“I was motivated by my own personal experience,” she explains. “Being a psychologist was an enormous advantage as I was able to understand my emotions from a clinical perspective and apply the

therapeutic techniques, which I utilize in my work, to myself. I really wanted to give other women the same benefit.”

Drawing upon the most up to date research and underpinned by solid psychological and philosophical foundations, it will be a profound and personal growth experience which equips women with the psychological tools and techniques they need to experience menopause with a sense of understanding and confidence.

It allows women who are going through this experience to develop a healthier perspective on their own mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.

Symptoms of Menopause

As hormone levels shift to a new normal with lower amounts of oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, about 80% of women experience symptoms throughout menopause. Although night sweats and hot flashes are frequently linked to menopause, they are not the only symptoms, and not all women have them. Actually, there are more than 30 known menopausal symptoms, and these can vary greatly.

Many women put off discussing these symptoms with a professional because they are unaware they are linked with menopause or mistake them for other conditions; however it is important to recognise these symptoms in ourselves and to understand their origins.

Anxiety and Depression during Menopause

“Anxiety, depression, mood swings, and irritability are often experienced during menopause” says Dr. FitzGerald. “However many women do not talk to anyone about this, sometimes not even their partners. Menopause often comes at a time

when we are also concerned for aging parents and may have concerns and responsibilities for children. All of this can really create the perfect storm.”

A recent study found women in middle age experience significant increases in anxiety, depression, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder and have a high suicide rate.

“This is just one of many studies with similar findings” says Dr. FitzGerald “and that is why it is important for society to talk about menopause and to continue to improve the support available for women. It is also one of the reasons I developed Menoperspectives. Apart from the insight, knowledge and tools that women gain from this programme, there is also the invaluable element of coming together with other women and having this shared experience, which is incredibly powerful. The fact that it is set in a stunning five-star luxury resort is a bonus but I think we deserve to treat ourselves at this stage in our lives.”

Menoperspectives, SO/Sotogrande

Resort - 21 March to 24 March 2025

Menoperspectives is a residential and non-residential programme personally tailored to each participant.

Before arriving participants complete psychosocial and personality assessments and have a one hour online consultation with Dr. FitzGerald to assess their current situation.

The first evening is a beautiful opportunity for participants to get to know one another, with an introductory meeting, icebreakers, drinks reception and welcome dinner.

Mornings are an opportunity to have a relaxing start to the day or for early risers, morning yoga, gym, swimming and meditation are available.

It is important that participants have some personal time to reflect on the workshops, socialise and unwind. From 5pm to 7pm participants are free to engage in a wide variety of activities. For residential participants, the programme fee of €2770 includes 3 nights luxury accommodation and all meals (including wine with dinner) as well as the use of SO/Sotogrande’s state of the art leisure facilities.

For non-residential participants, the fee of €1490 includes lunch however they may elect to add on to this and are warmly invited and encouraged to stay for afternoon leisure activities and dinner. There is ongoing support after the programme with a follow up one hour online consultation with Dr. FitzGerald and also free monthly zoom meetings where participants can ask questions, discuss related topics and continue to feel supported. “This is an experience which really creates strong bonds of friendship and support amongst women who are all having the same life transition and there is a real sense of being part of a shared community. It is important that this sense of community continues which is why the monthly zoom meetings are so lovely” says Dr. FitzGerald.

There are still places available on the March 2025 programme and an early booking discount of 10% is available until 1st December.

Pauper to prince

A FIVE-year-old boy will receive VIP treatment from Barcelona football team RCD Espanyol after being turned away from a game in Girona because he wore Barca’s jersey.

Squid game

A MALAGA diner was floored after being charged €30 for calamari and €8 for gazpacho at the Hotel Marenostrum, sparking an online storm.

Meet-ball

THE Spanish trend of looking for a date in Mercadona has moved to China, where retirees find potential partners while wandering the endless aisles of Ikea.

€200,000 worth of Jamon Iberico stolen in Huelva

POLICE are hunting for thieves who made off with a staggering €200,000 worth of prized Christmas ham.

Some 400 legs of the nation’s finest acorn-fed ham – a delicacy with a Protected Designation of Origin seal – were stolen from a family-run business in Andalucia. The ham, known for its melt-in-your-mouth taste, was set to be served on festive tables worldwide, but

By Dilip Kuner

now it’s vanished.

The ham-burglars struck the Jamones Eiriz factory in Corteconcepcion, a sleepy mountain village in Huelva.

A third of the producer’s entire stock was swiped, sending shockwaves through the small, close-knit community. Police believe five people were involved in the heist,

A COURT has ruled Mercadona unfairly sacked an employee in Albacete for eating an out-of-date croquette destined for disposal.

The worker, with 16 years of service, was dismissed in July 2023 for a ‘very serious’ offence but received only €944 in severance.

The Castilla-La Mancha Superior Court (TSJ) has now ordered the supermarket to reinstate him or pay €40,000 in com-

and some are even whispering that it could have been an inside job.

Domingo Eiriz, whose family has run the business since 1818, revealed the moment he discovered the crime. Speaking to Antena 3, he said he was alerted by a worker who asked, "Domingo, where are the hams, have you taken them?" What he found was shocking –400 legs of ham gone, each

Expensive snack

pensation. Mercadona chose the payout. The worker, earning €2,000 monthly as a junior manager, admitted eating the croquette and was fired the next day. Mercadona claimed he consumed an entire €4.20 packet, but witnesses testified he ate just one. The TSJ deemed the act a minor infraction.

HAM-BURGLARS

worth over €500.

“This is not just about money, it’s the destruction of years of work,” Eiriz fumed.

“They knew exactly what they were doing and they did it at the worst time possible – right before Christmas.”

Despite the family’s best efforts to keep their operation secure, the stolen meat was stored in an unusual location to have labels put on, sparking suspicions of insider involvement.

Jamones Eiriz is a small business with only 20 employees, eight of whom are family members.

SOME might call it a Pane-phony, as Italy has been robbed of its Panettone crown by a Barcelona-based chef. Mexican baker Tonatiuh Cortes snatched the win at the Panettone World Cup in Milan.

The Suca’l bakery worker triumphed over two Italians to claim the title of ‘world’s best traditional panettone’, judged diligently on aroma, taste and shape. Each participant was chosen via a rigorous, two-year selection process, leaving only the 24 best panettone bakers in the world. Finalists came from all over the globe including Asia, Australia and the United States.

WE’RE BACK AGAIN IN THREE WEEKS for our special Sierra Nevada supplement on December 18