Local Information
Things to Do

At Papudo you can be as energetic or relaxed as you wish, enjoying a good book under a shady palm tree and watching the gecko lizards, or packing in some activity, perhaps enjoying a three day horse trek up to Ronda or boat trips dolphin or whale watching off Gibraltar?
During the summer some of the world’s top polo players are drawn to the green pitches of nearby Sotogrande. Entrance to polo matches is free and it makes for a supremely different outing, sipping the drink of your choice and watching top class horse sport.
Papudo is a paradise for bird watchers, with the Spring and Autumn migrations and nightingales nesting in the garden and singing from April till June. The lucky few might catch sight of an eagle on the drive to Ronda, and certainly the huge wingspan of Spain’s rare vultures
There are beautiful beaches at Torreguadiaro and Sotogrande with sailing, wind and kite surfing and other water sports available. Tarifa – a lovely old seaside town famous for its surf – is about an hour’s drive.
Places to see
We always recommend a visit to the picturesque Andalucian white villages such as Gaucin, the famous ancient town of Ronda, Jerez da la Frontera for the bodegas and famous riding school, Gibraltar’s rocky British colony with boats trip to see dolphins and whales and even North Africa. All are within easy reach.
Estepona, Sotogrande and Sabanillas all have Sunday markets and Wednesdays see the large general street markets in Estepona and La Linea.
Malaga old town has many historic buildings great tapas bars , Picasso museum and gallery and lush botanical gardens. Great shops and a beach right in the city centre.
Dining out & Andalucian food
If you value fresh food, you are in the right place. This is an abundant growing area for fruit, vegetables and meat, all of which are on local menus or available for you to buy.
Succulent Spanish tomatoes and the local bread are on sale at ‘the kiosk’ in nearby Secadero alongside a beautiful array of fruit and vegetables. Excellent supermarkets in San Martin del Tesorillo will make up the full picnic, if that’s your aim.
Feel free to have a barbecue in the old courtyard, in our special barbecue area.
Our local restaurants offer an excellent range of food and excellent Spanish beer wines – and this is a country where eating out does not cost a fortune.
Try the old square in nearby San Martin del Tesorillo for an atmospheric evening, where you will find a typical Spanish restaurant with pavement tables and some delicious tapas with an abundance of local seafood.
If boat and people watching is your thing, the marina at nearby Sotogrande has a number of restaurants giving a stunning backdrop of expensive boats against the resort’s Moorish architecture
Weather
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It can be extremely hot in summer, when we find the shady courtyards and palm trees at Papudo particularly popular. Temperatures can reach 40 degrees centigrade in high summer, a time for air conditioned cars (usually standard hire feature), plenty of sun screen and a dip in the pool or visit to the beach.
For a view of AndalucÃa in full greenery, spring is a great time to visit. Wild flowers abound, the mountains are green with foliage and it’s a great time to go walking or riding. With luck, the days are warm (around 25 degrees centigrade) but the evenings manageably cooler.
Hiring a car
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Car hire is easily organised in advance of your visit. Malaga and Gibraltar airports have a big choice of car hire companies offering vehicles large and small.
Word of advice. Most companies now charge for a full tank of fuel on collection, and ask you to bring it back as close to empty as possible.
And a warning. What appears the cheapest rental option sometimes means you are held up in a huge queue of others who have chosen similarly - and do check the small print on internet offers. You may think insurance is included, but that can be just third party, and you can be charged extra insurance on collection.