The Costa del Sol to Malaga

October 30, 2023

Some days we get to go down

The hotel breakfast this morning was different, and really good...hot ham and cheese sandwiches on a crusty roll. That should easily get us to lunchtime.

It's cool and misty as we continue west on the A-402 on a gently falling grade, passing fields of lettuce, cabbage and zucchini. We roll through Ventas de Zafarraya admiring the tile work on the houses. After our visit to the Alhambra, I have more appreciation for the Moorish legacy in this region.

Morning mist falls over the mountains to the south

I like the tile work on the houses in this town. Each one is unique. Wish I'd taken more pictures here, as so often happens.

Leaving Ventas de Zafarraya there's a tantalizing little rise up under a bridge that feels like a gate. What could be on the other side?

The real fun starts as the valley opens below us to the south. The mist has lifted enough that the Mediterranean is just barely visible 15 miles away. Over the next eight miles we fall almost 2,400 feet down the swoopy road. I have to stop a few times on the way to take it all in.

Goodness, what beautiful country this is.

There's a sliver of the sea on the horizon, right of center.

Another seven miles of easy riding and we're at the post office in Velez-Malaga, finally unloading the baggage that we're mailing ahead to Sevilla. For $28 we'll drop almost 13 pounds between us. The bikes feel noticeably peppier. Weight is not such an issue on today's easy cruise, but I'll be glad not to be carrying the extra stuff when we start back up toward Ronda in a few days.

My bags look almost skinny now. Barry is sporting the warm jersey he found in Mallorca. I love the orange.

From here it's just a few miles more to the Costa del Sol where we turn west. Traffic settles down as we get clear of Torre Del Mar. The road is flat and smooth and the sea sparkles in the sunlight.

There's plenty of time for a nice lunch at Cafe Matilda in Benajarafe. I bet this place is hopping during the season. Today we get a table on the beach and all kinds of attention from the staff.

After lunch the route weaves on and off the main road on bike paths and side roads. With about 10 miles to go it swings back down to the beach on a gravel path. The path continues all the way to Malaga. The surface varies, from gravel to pavement to bumpy pavers and sand at one point. It's all good, there's no hurry.

Bit of a hike through the sand where the road washed out

From the beach at Rincon de la Victoria we see a cliff ahead and figure that's it for the bike path. No, wait. There's a tunnel through the rock, actually a series of tunnels that connect this beach with the next one on the other side.

The tunnels were built in 1908 for a train that ran from Malaga to Zafarraya, which is pretty much our route for the day. During the Spanish Civil War in 1937 one of them served as a bomb shelter.

In Malaga the path gets more squirrely and confusing but it's still preferable to the main road. We're on it until the last mile when we turn north and ride to our lodging in the center of the city. It looks like a fun area to stay for the next couple of days.

What a delightful day it's been, full of surprises.

Heart

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Today: 46 miles, 882 feet of ascent

For the tour: 698 miles, 43340 feet of ascent

Today's ride: 46 miles (74 km)
Total: 708 miles (1,139 km)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	8
Comment on this entry	Comment	4

Paula MacMannI do enjoy being an armchair traveler on your journey. What an amazing time.
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6 months ago

Janice BranhamTo Paula MacMannReally glad to have you along Paula!
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6 months ago

Kathleen ClassenWe are already discussing next year, and I am becoming addicted to cycling where it is warm, and this looks wonderful!
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6 months ago

Janice BranhamMalaga and the Costa del Sol are lovely in late October. Looks cooler in the higher elevations ahead of us though.
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6 months ago