Owner: puerto duquesa, costa del sol, spain URL:http://puertoduquesa.blogspot.com Join Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2007 23:23:23 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: A blog about the beautiful marina of Puerto de la Duquesa on the Costa del Sol in Southern Spain. Restaurants, things to do, excursions, latest news and more. Site statistics:Click here
24/7 security for Puerto Duquesa 2007-03-22 23:40:00 According to a recent article (19 March 2007) in The Resident, an established English-language newspaper for the expat community, Puerto
Duquesa is set to benefit from 24 hour security
at the entrance to the marina. Despite the fact that crime levels remain low in the area - I generally feel very safe - this is a welcome development given the increasing number of people who are now living or holidaying here. Click here to see the full article.
Buying property in Puerto Duquesa 2007-03-22 18:12:00 I frequently get asked two questions with regard to property
in and around the marina. These are – (i) is it a good investment and (2) is now a good time to buy. My philosophy on buying property is that you should buy somewhere because you love it and want to spend time there, not because you are looking for profit, and to focus on quality (in terms of location, build, access, etc.). Follow these two points and hopefully you'll end up with a place that you love to live/holiday in and will also make you some money in the long-term.However, since I am far from an expert, here are some links to good articles written by people who live and work in the Puerto
Duquesa/Manilva area:(1) An overview of the market and a 2005 market update by Paul Grindrod, an independent property consultant;(2) Buying
property in Manilva by Tom Provan, author of Gone to Spain and Going to Live on The Costa del Sol; and(3) Why Manilva, by Shanalle Bacarese-Hamilton from Hamilton Homes.By all means contact me i
Puerto Duquesa: the basics 2007-03-21 06:23:00 OK – here’s an overview of all the basic things (in no particular order) you need to know about Duquesa:SupermarketsThere is a supermarket in the marina, right next to the entrance, which is good for basics, but doesn’t have much in the way of fresh produce and can be quite expensive. For bigger shops, there are two main options. You can either head towards Estepona and go to Carrefour or go to Supercor just the other side of Sotogrande. Supercor is a little more upmarket (say, Waitrose) compared to Carrefour (Tesco) and you do pay for this. Ultimately, I suppose it depends on your budget, but I prefer Supercor.To get to Carrefour either: (i) take a right turn into Estepona from the main road and head through the town along the sea front or (ii) continue on the main road and take the Palacio de Congresos exit and turn right once you get off the motorway. The former is prettier, the latter quicker. There is ample parking both underground and right outside the shop.For Supercor, ta Read more:Puerto
La Duquesa Golf & Country Club 2007-03-19 22:20:00 The Costa del Sol – or rather Costa del Golf – is home to some excellent golf courses. La Duquesa is one of them. Set on a spectacular hillside with views of the sea and the surrounding country it’s a challenging (or as my friend put it ‘bloody difficult’) course which is great fun to play. As of 19 March 2007, the green fees were 65 euros for 18 holes and 45 euros for 9 holes, plus the cost of a buggy should you require one. Usually there are out of season and twilight deals available which can bring the cost down.The course was designed by Robert Trent Jones and is a good length, with some excellent par 3s (most notably hole 17 which sees you driving off a small cliff to the green only 100 or so yards away). Personally I’ve always found the par 4s a little long, but then that only goes to show that I’m not really a particularly successful golfer.Food and drink in the Club House has recently improved, although I have yet to try it.For reservations: 952 89 04 25 Read more:Country
Day trips from Puerto Duquesa 2007-03-18 05:36:00 Puerto Duquesa is an ideal base for exploring the Costa Del Sol and Southern Spain. Below I've outlined a number of my favourite trips
- most of which I've done many times - to give you some inspiration when you feel like leaving the beach or the pool...RondaRonda is a stunning town located about an hour and a half drive from Duquesa. To get there, you take the main road (N-340) to San Pedro and then follow the signs to Ronda. The drive takes you up and over mountains so isn't ideal for those who get car sick. Once in the town, the key attractions are the gorge (in the centre of the town), the bull ring (it was about €6 per person for entry last time) and the numerous gardens. Despite not being a fan of bull fighting, the bull ring has an amazing atmosphere and the museum provides an interesting insight into the history of the 'art'. There are numerous restaurants for lunch or dinner and I'm told that Tragabuches (not sure of the spelling) is the best place in town for traditio Read more:Puerto
More food – four fabulous restaurants no more than a 30 minute drive from Puerto Duquesa… 2007-03-16 18:04:00 In no particular order…CasanisThis French owned, bistro style restaurant in the Old Town of Marbella is a well hidden gem. Situated in a beautifully restored old house, with a central courtyard and well, the atmosphere is relaxed and sophisticated. The food includes typically French dishes, such as foie gras and tarte tatin, with an emphasis on fresh, seasonal produce. From personal experience, I can tell you that the foie gras, sea bass and steak (especially the chips) are excellent. The owner is also friendly and accommodating. Advance booking required.Location: Calle Ancha 8 (just up from the Orange Square)Tel. 952 900 450Aroyo HondoChristian and Noriko run this amazing restaurant up in the hills near Casares. Serving lunch and dinner (depending on the time of year), the menu strikes the right balance between contemporary and classic, with all the dishes using the finest ingredients. If you are struggling to find a good place for Sunday lunch, the roast beef here is simply the bes Read more:Puerto
, restaurants
, drive
Favourite (best?) restaurants - the top four. Do you agree? 2007-03-14 22:44:00 Coming in at number one, it has to be...La TraviataWhy La Traviata you ask? Well, I'm basing my judgment on three things: (1) quality of food; (2) atmosphere; and (3) consistency. This is not about who does the most sophisticated dishes (for that I'll write a separate and altogether more pompous entry), but about who produces a great, hearty, filling meal in a nice environment. At La Traviata, the food is as fresh as it can be - Robert, the owner, or one of his staff, visit the local markets every morning to get the best ingredients - and the atmosphere both inside and outside relaxed and fun. On every visit I have had a good meal and, although not the cheapest in the marina, I still think it is good value.Favourite
dishes: gabas pil-pil to start then either a filet steak with garlic and herb butter or the sea bass with lemon butter sauce and sauteed potatoes. Number two goes to...The MacuesThe Macues is a very close second to La Traviata. It's a traditionally Spanish restaurant run Read more:restaurants
Welcome to my Puerto Duquesa blog 2007-03-14 22:22:00 I've been visiting Duquesa three or four times a year for the past 20 years and have seen the area change enormously in that time. Where once there were dirt tracks and open countryside, there are now two lane motorways and apartment complexes. And whilst the area has changed and grown dramatically, it has still retained its small town, or should that be 'small marina' feel, which keeps me, and thousands others, coming back year after year.Since I am currently in the USA it is a slightly odd time to start a blog about Duquesa, but the reason for doing so is simple - I may actually have some time to write some stuff! Most of the things I'm going to write about are things I like doing in the area or places I like going. Clearly I am not going to be able to cover everything, but hopefully I can give you a taste of what makes this such a special place and give you some ideas for your next trip.I welcome contributions, comments, criticisms and...well...praise.If you want to link to me o Read more:Puerto
, Welcome
Semana Santa celebrations near Puerto Duquesa 2007-03-27 19:47:00 If you haven’t yet been to a Semana Santa
celebration, you really must go (you do not have to be religious to enjoy it). It’s an amazing spectacle, combining religion, history and drama, which culminates on Good Friday (6th April) with a procession through the streets ending at the local church. I spent last year perched on the terrace at Casanis watching Marbella’s strongest young chaps carry an enormous effigy through the narrow streets of the Old Town, followed by what seemed like the entire population of Marbella. It is hard to describe the atmosphere, but I suppose the best word would be ‘medieval-esque’. The Resident provides details on the Semana Santa celebrations in San Roque, a 15 minute drive from Puerto
Duquesa. If you need to hire a car, please see the Puerto Duquesa: Basics section. If you do make it along, please send in any photos or comments.
Puerto Duquesa beaches 2007-03-27 00:43:00 The beaches in Puerto
Duquesa are excellent and have been awarded the Blue Flag standard for cleanliness and amenities.West of Puerto Duquesa The beach to the West of Puerto Duquesa (by the old castle (Castillo)) is sheltered and is definitely a good choice if you have young children as the water does not shelve - become too deep - too quickly. There are sunloungers available to hire by the day and a chiringuito which serves fairly decent snacks and sea food (the swordfish is a personal favourite, but you have to like a good dose of garlic!). As with all the beaches in Puerto Duquesa, there are changing facilities, toilets, and showers to wash either yourself or just your feet, depending on how warm the water was. Lifeguards patrol the beach during the summer months. East of Puerto DuquesaThe beach to the East of Puerto Duquesa, accessed through the car park, is a longer, more open stretch of sand which tends to get larger waves when the wind kicks up. It also shelves a lot more quic
Puerto Duquesa in the 80s?!!! 2007-04-03 23:46:00 I watched an excellent film called The Business last night. It's set in 1980s Spain (or should that be Spaaaaaiiiiiinnnn!) and charts the story of some big time drug dealers (Charlie and Sammy) and their apprentice (Frankie). The language is dreadful (definitely justifying the 18 rating) and it's not something that the local tourist board would wholeheartedly endorse, but the story is rather good and enjoyably tongue-in-cheek. More importantly, you'll get to see a good film set on the Costa del Sol, with places like Puerto
Banus easily recognisable. The sound track is also mind blowingly good and I'm definitely going to be buying this to accompany me in the hire car as I fly down the N-340...
English radio in Puerto Duquesa 2007-04-03 23:35:00 There are a number of radio stations on the Costa del Sol which broadcast in English
and are tailored for the expat community. As well as playing music more suited to our British tastes, they are an excellent source of local information and often discuss upcoming events/parties/gatherings/club nights, etc..Reception can be a little patchy in Puerto
Duquesa, so you may not be able to get all the stations below, especially if the weather is overcast or there is rain. In the event that your radio won’t pick them up, then you can always try tuning in online.Global FMGlobal FM has been on the Costa del Sol for a number of years now and is my favourite station. It plays a real mix of music depending on the time of the day – generally it’s 90s/00s chart music in the morning, older stuff during the day, and R&B, hip hop and dance later in the evening. Johnno, Debs and Jimbo recently left the station to setup The Beat Spain (see below), but Global FM still has its fair share of good DJs.
Golf courses near Puerto Duquesa 2007-04-03 20:06:00 While the La Duquesa Golf & Country Club offers an excellent golf course, there are plenty of other courses along the coast which are worth playing.Listed below are my three favorite golf courses near Puerto
Duquesa:MontenmedioMontenmedio is about an hour and a half drive from Puerto Duquesa. The club’s web site contains detailed directions, but essentially you take the main road (N-340) heading West and continue until you get to a gated entrance with a small sign to Montenmedio (sorry I can’t be more specific!). It’s a beautiful drive and you’ll go past Tarifa and the stunning Atlantic Coast beaches (see Day Trips from Puerto Duquesa). How about combining morning golf and a late swim in the sea before heading home? Tiring, but exhilarating.The course itself is described concisely on the Montenmedio web site: “Ringed by majestic trees, Montemedio’s 18 hole par 72 course is 5,930 meters long, covering gently rolling terrain. The unbeatable quality of its tees and greens
Markets near Puerto Duquesa 2007-04-02 20:32:00 Street markets are an institution in much of Europe, and Spain is no exception. Listed below are a few of my favourites which are no more than a 30 minute drive from Puerto
Duquesa. If you need to hire a car, see the Puerto Duquesa:Basics section.MondayMarbella: this market is located next to the Football Stadium in Marbella and sells fresh vegetables and fruits, clothing, souvenirs, household goods and much more. Probably not the best option for a first visit, but good for the seasoned market go-er who wants to pick up some bargains.WednesdayEstepona: similar to the market in Marbella, this is a general market selling everything but (or sometimes even including) the kitchen sink. Again, more suitable to locals/seasoned market go-ers.SaturdayNueva Andalucia/Puerto Banus: as far as I’m concerned this is the DADDY! A huge range of stalls – from typical touristy gifts to antique wardrobes – with a buzzy atmosphere. You probably won’t find a true bargain here, given its proximi Read more:Markets
Laguna Village near Puerto Duquesa 2007-04-08 02:45:00 Laguna Village
is a recent arrival to the New Golden Mile (just West of Estepona and about a 15 minute drive from Puerto
Duquesa). It's a glamourous mix of boutiques, restaurants and a beach club (Puro Beach) set in wonderful gardens with abundant water features.One visitor to my blog commented that it was a great addition to the area and that Trader Vics was a great place for lunch or dinner. I definitely agree with this and have had a couple of excellent meals at Trader Vics. It is not cheap and you are, to some degree, paying for the setting, but what's wrong with that?!!!The video below gives you some idea of what it's like, although doesn't really do it justice. Read more:Laguna
Recommended beaches near Puerto Duquesa 2007-04-08 02:17:00 The beaches in Puerto
Duquesa are great, but if you're going to be staying in Puerto Duquesa for more than a week or have been down here a number of times before, you may feel like venturing a little further afield. Below are a selection of my favourite beaches...enjoy!Family friendlyPuerto Duquesa is pretty good when it comes to being family friendly, but the beach at Estepona is also excellent. Not only to do you have a relatively nice, sandy/pebbley beach, but you also have pedaloes for hire (great fun, go for the one with the slide on the front) and all the attractions of the paseo maritimo, which includes childrens play areas. To get there, simply head East out of Puerto Duquesa towards Sabinillas on the main road and continue until you get to the Estepona roundabout. Turn right at the roundabout and follow the road through the town until you get to the paseo maritimo. Park along the road or in the underground car parks.PeacefulIf you want a large expanse of sand and not many peo
Cheaper flights to Puerto Duquesa? 2007-04-08 20:19:00 Fly Gibraltar was due to launch in April this year offering budget flights
to Gibraltar from London Stansted, Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham and Dublin. With a total of 28 return flights a week this would have significantly enhanced access to Gibraltar (and Puerto
Duquesa) from the UK – currently only BA and Monarch operate from the UK to Gibraltar on a restricted two-a-day schedule from London Gatwick and Luton respectively.Unfortunately, the launch has not happened and Fly Gibraltar’s web site simply states that ‘an announcement will follow shortly’. Chatter on the internet suggests that the venture will never take off (no pun intended), which would be a great shame. I will update the blog as and when I hear anything on this. In the meantime, if you book as early as possible with BA or Monarch, you can still get good prices. Alternatively, if you don't mind the drive from Malaga, try Avro and/or Flight, two excellent flight search engines.
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? 2007-04-13 01:14:00 Actually, it is a plane!I found the video below on YouTube. It's of a specially equipped plane, which the authorities in Spain use to douse large forest fires, flying over the coast line at Puerto Duquesa and filling its tanks with water. These are really incredible machines as they have the power and manoueverability to literally scoop water up from the sea, fly to the site of the fire and then dump the water. If you see one on your travels, you'll probably also be able to see some smoke somewhere in the distance.Many years ago I also saw a helicopter hover over the lake at the La Duquesa Golf & Country Club and pick up water. Given the greater quantities of water than these planes can carry, I think the helicopters are now obsolete near the coast.I should add that, generally speaking, Puerto Duquesa is relatively well protected from forest fires by the golf course and that the authorities in Spain, in the years when there have been fires in the surrounding areas, have dealt with th
Holiday accommodation in Puerto Duquesa 2007-04-11 20:35:00 Most of the available holiday accommodation in Puerto
Duquesa is self-catering. If you want to stay in a hotel, and benefit from its services, there is only one hotel in Puerto Duquesa called La Duquesa Golf Hotel.La Duquesa Golf HotelThis is a 4* hotel which has recently undergone a complete refurbishment. It’s located a 10 minute walk from the marina, right on the golf course. I’ve never stayed there myself, but having been in the communal areas, and talking to people who have, it seems like a nice, smart hotel with a good range of services. For keen golfers, it is absolutely ideal as you can literally stroll out of your bedroom onto the 1st tee when the sun comes up!Self-catering/private rentalThe vast majority of people spending time in Puerto Duquesa chose to rent a privately owned apartment, townhouse or villa. These tend to be excellent value, especially if you book directly with the owner.There are a number of communities to chose from. When working out which is right for y Read more:Holiday
Photos of Puerto Duquesa 2007-04-16 07:11:00 A couple of visitors to my blog have pointed out that there aren't many photos of Puerto
Duquesa on the site. I agree and I'll definitely be adding a load of photos of both Puerto Duquesa and the surrounding area as soon as I can (although my next visit to Puerto Duquesa is not scheduled until the end of September). In the meantime, here's a link to an excellent archive over at Iberian Image. Another way to get good photos of Puerto Duquesa is to go to Google Images and type in 'Puerto Duquesa'. Of course, if you want to email me any photos you have, I'll happily add them to the blog with a credit.
Estepona International Festival, 22nd April 2007-04-15 18:56:00 If you fancy a day of live music and entertainment, consider heading to the III Estepona InternationalFestival
on 22nd April
. There will be music from 36 different countries. It starts at midday and continues until 6pm (although will probably end up running later). For more details, The Resident has the complete schedule.
Driving to Puerto Duquesa 2007-04-18 00:48:00 Driving to Puerto
Duquesa is becoming an increasingly popular option for some people – you just have to look at the number of ‘Brit plate’ cars on the roads – and in the following article I set out some of my experiences of the continent-crossing drive.Where should I start?The first thing to consider when you are planning to drive to Puerto Duquesa is whether you are going to get the ferry to Northern Spain (Santandar) and start your journey from there, or start from Calais. I’ve done both and I suppose it depends on how long you’ve got to do the journey, what you want to see and what your budget is. While the crossing to France can be relatively cheap (either via Eurotunnel or ferry), the ferry to Spain (via Brittany Ferries), assuming you want a cabin to sleep in during the 24 hour journey, is going to set you back at least £500. Timing wise, there probably isn’t that much in it, although with the ferry option, you can hit Santandar fresh and drive the length of Spain Read more:Driving
Aerial image of Puerto Duquesa 2007-04-21 00:56:00 I was browsing the forums at Manilvalife and came across a post about a new web site called flashearth.com. This site allows you to see satellite images from a number of different providers (including Google and Microsoft) without having to download any software. The images load very quickly and you can literally go anywhere in the world. If you type 'la duquesa, spain' in the search box in the bottom right hand corner, you'll be able to see Puerto
Duquesa and the rest of the Costa del Sol from the air! Read more:Aerial
Puerto de la Duquesa = Port of the Duchess 2007-04-24 01:46:00 I've been learning Spanish on and off for years now. Whilst I'm starting to get the correct accent and can conjugate my verbs (well, some of them at least), I find that the main missing ingredient is vocabularly. Which is where Babelfish comes in. It's a free online translation tool which allows you to translate words, sentences or even entire web sites from English to Spanish and vice versa, and it can be particularly useful when you get a letter in Spanish and don't want to pay to have it translated. The technology isn't perfect, but it is getting there, and even if you don't have any business use for it, you can have some fun making up amusing sentences to write on your postcards to send back home!Try typing Puerto
de la Duquesa into the text box, select 'Spanish to English', hit translate and you'll see that it means Port of the Duchess
.
More Spanish property articles today 2007-04-26 01:25:00 Further to my post yesterday about the increasing 'chatter' concerning a property
crash in Spain, the Telegraph published an article today as did thisismoney.co.uk.Amongst all the doom and gloom, I thought the following quote was quite accurate:"Natalia Aguirre, head analyst at Spanish
broker Renta 4, said: 'The real estate bubble has not burst. It is the inflated valuations of some real estate companies that have been pricked."Interestingly, one source in Sabnillas (just down the road from Puerto Duquesa) told me on the Manilvalife forums that her next door neighbour put his apartment on the market and sold it within a week. This quick sale was put down to the fact that it was sensibly priced. Perhaps the market isn't as bad as the press are trying to make out then.
Puerto Duquesa property - what next? 2007-04-24 20:31:00 I've noticed an increasing amount of 'chatter' on the internet recently about the bursting of the property
bubble in Spain. Two articles in particular caught my attention. The first is from The Resident and reveals that properties on the Costa del Sol now take on average 35 months to sell (that's nearly 3 years!) and that prices have been falling in recent months. The second is from Bloomberg and discusses the impact on the Spanish stock market of the recent collapse in confidence.SellersThe outlook for sellers is pretty grim. Since there are now so many properties on the market - and currently being built - in the Puerto
Duquesa area, it has become a typical case of supply exceeding demand. However, if you can afford to hold on to your property in the medium to long term, there is every chance that once the building finally stops, the supply-demand balance will be restored. Moreover, more people in the area should translate into improved infrastructure and an increase in the varie
Safety in Puerto Duquesa 2007-05-02 01:02:00 I was browsing the forums at Andalucia.com today and came across this thread discussing safety in Puerto
Duquesa. Having spent 20 years or so in and around the marina, including during the summer tourist season, I have to say that I have never seen anything untoward, but I do know that, as some of the posters on the forum say, there have been muggings in the port before.Should this concern you? Not really! There have only been a handful of muggings and any other violent incidents (very limited) have been in the very early hours of the morning outside a couple of bars. If you apply common sense and remain aware of your surroundings when you are at the cashpoint/ATM then you should be fine. Incidentally, the other incidents I referred to have been between groups of Spanish and English youths who, after a litre of so of vodka each, have failed to settle their difference through diplomacy!I was once in Puerto Banus when it 'kicked off' in a bar - some idiot knocked over a table of drinks Read more:Safety
Roman Baths near Puerto Duquesa 2007-05-06 20:56:00 Nestled in the hills above Manilva, a 10 minute drive from Puerto
Duquesa, are some well hidden RomanBaths
(Banos Romanos) which are well worth a visit if you enjoy pampering yourself and don't mind the rustic setting. Manilvalife has some useful background details and directions in this article.Making the most of your visitThe baths are known for their healing properties and the high sulphur content helps a number of different skin complaints as well as having a general toning and smoothing effect. To get the most out of your trip, you need to soak in the baths to soften the skin, then cover yourself in mud and bake in the sun, and then soak in the baths again to wash the mud off. The whole process takes around an hour and would cost you around €60 at a day spa!Finding the mud!It's not immediately obvious where the mud is. In order to find the 'mud wall' you need to head out of the Roman Baths down towards the river. Cross the river - it's not very deep - and head upstream (le
Puerto Duquesa take-away food 2007-05-05 02:05:00 If you don't feel like heading out to eat (like I don't this evening!) then there are plenty of take-away options in Puerto
Duquesa. I'm a huge pizza fan so I will start with my favourite:Paparazzi PizzaOwed by the same chap behind Il Capitano (see Restaurants in Puerto Duquesa), this small take-away pizza outlet is fantastic. You can chose from a range of pizzas by the slice or get one made to your specifications. Although the slices are good, I think getting a whole pizza freshly made is definitely preferable, and I'm fairly confident they could feed at least 3 or 4 people. A delivery service is offered although I always tend to go down to the marina to collect it myself to ensure that it doesn't get cold on the way home (I can drive faster when I'm hungry than a delivery driver!).ChineseThere are three Chinese restaurants in Puerto Duquesa and they vary in quality. I forget the names of them and which ones are good so I will save making any comments about them. However, they
La Menorah restaurant 2007-05-05 01:55:00 Some good friends of mine reminded me about this excellent restaurant
no more than a 10 minute drive from Puerto Duquesa. To get there, you simply head towards Estepona until you get to the main roundabout on the main road. Go all the way round the roundabout so you are coming back towards Puerto Duquesa and its the second exit on the right (the restaurant has yellow awnings and is in a small commercial area (Arena Beach) where there is also an excellent modern art gallery).This is a typically Spanish place, albeit with a slight Basque influence, and the effusive owner and manager makes you feel very at home. If you dine early, there are likely to be a number of other English people in the restaurant, but go a little later, say 9 or 10pm, and the place is full of local Spanish people chattering away creating a nice continental atmosphere. The decor is smart and unpretentious and you can sit outside on the patio in the summer, although it is quite close to the main road so inside may be
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