Take Part in the Marbella 4Days Walking Experience
If you love to walk and travel, then why not combine the two with Southern Spain’s four day
walking challenge - Marbella 4Days Walking?
From the 13th to the 16th of October 2016, the sixth annual walking event will be held in Andalucia
and thousands of people from all over the world will be travelling to sunny Marbella to take part.
Participating in Marbella 4Days Walking is a very special experience – it’s so much more than just a
walk! You will enjoy four days of walking alongside participants from all over the world and make
new friends under sunny skies. There’s a wonderful atmosphere of comradery, team spirit and
positivity that you may have experienced during the famous Nijmegen four-day walk, which makes
even the toughest hill a pleasure.
By day you can choose a distance of either 20 or 30 kilometres and walk carefully planned trails
along the coast, through lovely towns and in the stunning countryside around Marbella. After a day
of hiking, rest your weary feet and relax in our finishing area. There’s a bar to enjoy a well-deserved
drink and a snack, plus a variety of musical performances, so you can share stories and listen to great
live music right by the sea. In the evening there are dance and music performances in the charming
setting of Marbella’s Old Town, including the world famous flamenco music and dancing of course.
If that sounds like fun, but you’re not sure what to do afterwards, why not head off and explore the
region? Andalucia is a fly & drive paradise, with well-known cities such as Seville, Granada and
Cordoba within just two hour’s drive of Marbella. There are many packages available from travel
agents if you don’t want to plan and organize, but Andalusia is also ideal to explore on your own. If
you’d like any advice on visiting these cultural gems, our Marbella 4Days Walking Experience
coordinator can assist you, so please don’t hesitate to ask.
There’s also a lot to explore and enjoy even closer to Marbella, including stunning countryside, lots
of culture, history and delicious local gastronomy. Here are a few highlights.
Ronda and its spectacular Gorge
Within an hour's drive from Marbella is Ronda, a town with a rich history that is known for its
beautiful location perched on a ravine which splits the old and new parts of the town. The
spectacular bridge spanning this impressive gorge is Puente Tajo and the views are stunning, as long
as you’re not afraid of heights. Ronda is also known for one of the oldest and finest bull rings,
bullfights, rustic mountain gastronomy including Rabo de Toro (oxtail) of course, as well as its many
wine producers and bodegas. Ronda makes an excellent day trip from Marbella.
Pinsapo Pine Forests
Ronda is located in the Sierra de las Nieves, a protected nature reserve with stunning scenery and
picturesque white villages. Within this lovely area are forests of amazing Pinsapo trees, a species of
pine tree which grow as high as thirty meters tall. These trees are very rare and forests such as these
are only to be found in a few places in the world. You can explore this lovely region via numerous
hiking trails.
The Caminito del Rey, a must for any walker
Especially for a hiker, a visit to the spectacular Caminito del Rey (King’s path) in El Chorro is a must!
The El Chorro gorge (La Garganta del Chorro) is a breathtaking place with a recently reconstructed
path clinging to the gorge’s huge rock face, hundreds of meters high. There are nearly three
kilometres of pathways on the rock face, as well as nearly eight kilometres of beautiful hiking
through the forest and along scenic tracks. The Caminito del Rey takes between three and four hours
to complete.
'El Chorro' can be translated as the "spurt" because the water moves at high speed through the
narrow ravine. The height difference between the two artificial reservoirs on either side of the gorge
was a unique opportunity to produce hydroelectric power, an almost revolutionary concept in that
time! The King’s path was built between 1901 and 1905 to supply material and manpower to build
the new power plants. The pass got its name 'Caminito del Rey' or “King's path” when King Alfonso
XIII walked the path and officially opened the power plant in 1921. This is becoming recognised of
one of the top active tourism options in the region and is very popular, so book your slot before you
arrive.
Antequera, the city of 36 churches
A little further north is Antequera, a beautiful old town with lots of history and culture, including an
amazing 36 churches. Slightly out of town is the Dolomen of Menga, an ancient burial site which is
one of the largest known megalithic structures in Europe. Some graves date back more than 4000
years and are in very good condition.
Near Antequera is 'El Torcal': a very impressive area of natural beauty where shapes and figures
have been carved into the karst landscape by erosion. There are several beautiful walking trails
through the park, where you can admire this distinctive scenery.
Málaga, one of the world’s finest cities
People traveling to the Costa del Sol to participate in Marbella 4Days Walking should not miss the
chance to visit the wonderful city of Malaga. This vibrant city has seen great changes over recent
years and been transformed into a cultural and gastronomic jewel. There are new walkways, bicycle
paths and pedestrian zones in the centre and a wonderful new port development with great bars,
restaurants, cafes and shopping.
Culture lovers have an amazing variety of museums and art galleries to choose from. Malaga is the
birthplace of Pablo Picasso, and as well as visiting his old house on the Plaza Merced, you can admire
a huge collection of his works in the magnificent Picasso museum, tucked away and the old part of
the city. Also well worth a visit is the Centro de Arte Contemporaneo (CAC), where many important
modern art exhibitions are held. A new highlight is the recently opened Pompidou Centre Malaga, a
glass cube showcasing seventy works from the famous Centre Pompidou collection in Paris.
The old historic centre of Malaga is a pleasure to stroll through, with narrow streets lined with bars,
restaurants and shops leading you from square to square. You will feel immersed in a wonderful and
relaxing Mediterranean atmosphere. Overlooking the city at a height of 130 meters are the
impressive towers and walls of the Gibralfaro castle and beneath them the remains of the Alcazaba
fortress. At the foot of the Alcazaba is one of the oldest relics from the Roman period; the wellpreserved amphitheatre.
Muelle Uno is a beautiful new port development which in opened in late 2011. Here you can enjoy
the vast array of funky shops and then settle down at one of the many restaurants, including the
exceptional restaurant of Malaga’s only Michelin starred Chef, Jose Carlos Garcia. This is just one
area where you can enjoy great food; Málaga is bursting with hundreds of buzzing tapas bars and
restaurants. It is famous for its 'espetos', grilled sardines which are mainly served on the seafront
and prepared in small boats on the beach. Other delicacies include Boquerones en Vinagre
(anchovies in vinegar), gazpacho (cold tomato soup), fried almonds and of course Málaga Dulce, a
sweet dessert wine made from the Moscatel grape.
In short, being part of the very special Marbella 4Days Walking experience gives you the opportunity
to take part in a wonderful four-day hike and explore the beautiful, diverse region. The combination
of walking and exploring the impressive interior of Andalucia is unique is sure to make your trip a
memorable one!
For more information about the full Marbella 4Days Walking experience and your options for travel
you please contact our Experience Manager, Mrs. Elvire Boitelle by emailing:
[email protected] quoting the reference Experience
To participate in Marbella 4Days Walking please reserve your place on our website:
www.marbella4dayswalking.com or call 0034 639 084 869