Thinking about a luxury break in Spain? Find out how staying in a luxury hotel in Spanish cities can be affordable.

Don’t just think of a Spain as a cheap package holiday destination – beyond the well know holiday spots are magical cities such as Granada and Seville.

The Costa del Sol was developed in the late 1960′s to attract millions of holiday makers to the sunshine coast (Costa del Sol). Huge hotel complexes and resorts quickly appeared. The beaches and resorts have attracted visitors from all of Europe and now people are beginning to explore further afield.

Visitors are now exploring Spanish cities sightseeing, enjoying the lifestyle and culture that Spain has to offer.

Malaga and costa del sol are a splendid destinations. If you can get a reasonable deal on your air fare and find cheap car hire, Spain can be enjoyed even more by being able to afford to stay in luxury up market hotels.

Flights to Malaga are readily available from almost all regional UK airprts and due to the saturation of airlines, cheap flights are common. At the airport car rental companies are falling over themselves to offer deals and usually you can negotiate a better price than the advertised tarrifs – most likely getting a better class of car for the same price as economy hire cars.

With the combination of arriving in Malaga and the freedom of a car you easily visit two amazing cities in Andalucia – Seville and Granada – both boasting amazing buildings and architecture. Road links are excellent and more and more boutique hotels and spa resorts are being developed to welcome you.

Luxury hotels in Spain

Luxury hotels in Spain are often fantastic value. Spain is a country that realises the importance of provided exceptinal valuefor money and giving tourists a veryhig standard of accomodation.

Seville Hotels

By far and away the Alfonso xiii – attracting wealthy visitors – the site has information in arabic – http://www.hotel-alfonsoxiii.com/arabic2.htm but worth trying to grab a bargain night if you have already found a smart but inexpensive hotelsuch as Confortel Puerta de Triana

Granada Hotels

Abades Nevada Palace – has a state-of-the-art design, innovative facilities and details that help to make it unique in Granada. The Abades Nevada Palacehotel is a couple of miles out of the city centre and offers double rooms at bargain prices which more than covers taxi fares.

Spain > Costa del Sol

The best way to explore the Costa del Sol is by car, as this allows you the freedom to visit the different towns and villages as and when you want, without needing to rely on public transport. Car hire in Spain is cheap and available at all the airports.

Here is a guide to just some of the cultural and historical attractions surrounding Costa del Sol that you can visit during your holiday:

Malaga

The city of Malaga should be the first stop for any culture lover on a holiday on the Costa del Sol. Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga in 1881 and you can visit the house in which he was born, the Casa Natal de Picasso, which is situated in the Plaza del Merced. The three-storey building contains personal items belonging to the Picasso family together with examples of Picasso’s prints, ceramics and graphic art. There is also a large collection of works by other contemporary artists.

A few minutes walk from the Casa Natal de Picasso is the Picasso Museum (Museo Picasso Málaga), which opened in 2003. It is housed in the 16th century Palacio de Buenavista and has twelve permanent exhibition halls where you can see paintings, drawings, sculptures and ceramics by Picasso. The museum also holds regular temporary exhibitions. If you’re a history buff, you’ll also be in for a treat on the lower ground floor, as you’ll be able to see the preserved Roman and Phoenician ruins discovered when the museum was in construction.

Other Costa del Sol attractions that you can see if you stop off in Malaga during your Costa del Sol holiday include the Alcazaba, Malaga’s historic fortress, and the 14th century Gibralfaro Castle.

If you are interested in architecture, make sure that you make time to visit Fuengirola. Getting around Costa del sol is easy -  Fuengirola and is about 30 minutes’ drive from Malaga and has a rich history and of course the excellent family attraction Fuengirola Zoo

Having been settled in by the Romans, Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Arabs over the centuries, its architecture displays many influences and archaeologists have discovered some fascinating ruins and artefacts there. The most famous artefact to have been discovered in Fuengirola is a Roman sculpture known as the “Venus of Fuengirola”. You can see this, along with many other artefacts, in the town’s Museum of History (Museo de Historia).

You can also drive to the Castillo de Sohail, on the edge of the town. This now restored castle dates back to the 11th century and is now open to the public. It is also used as a location for theatrical performances and festivals.

Car Hire in Spain

Barcelona

Barcelona is famous because of its links with Gaudi, its museums, its shops and its nightlife, and is a great place for a holiday or short break. However, if you hire a car when you are in Barcelona, you can also visit some of the great attractions that lie outside of the city. Here we make suggestions to get the most out of your Car Hire -  Barcelona

Barcelona to the Monastery of Montserrat

If you’re on a car hire holiday in Barcelona, you can take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city by jumping in your hire car and driving to Montserrat, one of the highest mountains in the Prelitoral Catalana range. The mountain is named after its jagged appearance, with Montserrat translating as “Saw-toothed Mountain” or “Serrated Mountain”, and one of its main attractions is the Monestir de Montserrat (Monastery of Montserrat).

Driving from Barcelona to Montserrat

It will take you about 90 minutes to drive to Montserrat from Barcelona in your hire car. To get there, head out of Barcelona on the Avinguda Diagonal and take the B-23 motorway. Take the A2 motorway and leave at the Manresa exit. Take the C-55 to Monistrol de Montserrat and then either park your hire car there and take the cable car or railway to the sanctuary, or take the BP-1103 to Montserrat. There is limited parking available at the sanctuary.

The Monastery of Montserrat

The Monastery of Montserrat was founded by Olbia (the Abbot of Ripal and Bishop of Vic) in 1025 in order to mark the location where the religious icon of Our Lady of Montserrat (also known as La Moreneta, or “the Dark One”), now the Patron Saint of Catalonia, was discovered.

Legend has it that this statue of the Virgin Mary was brought to Montserrat by St. Peter and hidden in a cave. It was discovered by shepherds in 880, following a series of visions, and although the Bishop of Manresa ordered that it should be taken to Manresa, it became too heavy to carry as soon as anyone attempted to move it. He took this as a sign that the Virgin Mary did not wish the statue to be moved, and so ordered a chapel to be built to honour her.

The statue currently housed in the shrine in the monastery’s basilica is a 12th century Romanesque carving.

You can take a tour of the monastery’s Open Air Museum using the audio-guides and maps available. There are four routes available: the first will take you around the monastery’s most significant buildings, including the basilica; the second will take you along the path that pilgrims used to use to reach Montserrat; the third will take you to the Holy Grotto where Our Lady of Montserrat was discovered; and the fourth will take you on a tour of some of the monastery’s buildings and enable you to see a number of monuments.

You can also visit the Museum of Montserrat, which includes six permanent art collections; see the interactive “Inside Montserrat” exhibition; visit the Montserrat Library, which houses more than 300,000 books and manuscripts; take a break from your hire car with a trip on one of the two funicular railways; or hike in the surrounding area, which is a designated nature park.

Hiring a Car in Spain

You can arrange car hire in Spain for your holiday, or visit easyCar.com, online low cost car hire specialist. easyCar has car hire offices in more than 60 countries, including Spain, and you can find low cost car hire at Spanish airports.