How about yoga and walking holidays in Andalucia?

A friend of ours, Kate McHardy, is teaching Yoga classes at the Hotel Molino del Santo in Benaojan, Andalucia, Spain, just outside Ronda, and I thought it could be a good thing for me to join this yoga class in order to stay supple. And... I love it! She is such a great teacher and I feel so energised after each yoga sessions. It is a very round practise, which not only gives you a good work out but is also very relaxing and centering.

I am so delighted with these yoga classes, that I thought it could be a good idea to offer a yoga and walking holiday in Andalucia this August to start with... The hotel Bandolero would be a great venue for it since David and Ivan have now a lovely spacious Art gallery / workshop room upstairs with French windows leading onto the terrace, looking over the swimming pool.

So, we are now working on a yoga and walking holiday package with kate and David and Ivan and we should have it advertised on our website shortly.

Let us know what you think about a yoga and walking holiday in Andalucia. Is it a good idea? Is there anything that we should include in particular?

We look forward to hearing your thoughts on this.

Relaxing break in andalucia, Spain

It is now getting rather hot in our Genal Valley, Andalucia, and the walking season is winding down now. We have been busy though walking with another delightful guest, Barbara, who joined us for a Relaxing break in Andalucia.

We went walking in the morning to different white villages of the Genal Valley (Alpandeire where we had great views over Morocco, Cartajima and Parauta) and, as Barbara was very fit, we also walked in the stunning Biosphere Reserve of la Sierra de las Nieves where we walked up a steep footpath through the indigenous Pinsapo pines, stopping to take in the views and the flowers still in bloom. After about a 400 m climb, our effors were rewarded by the superb views over Ronda, San Pedro (Costa del Sol), the Genal valley and its white villages and Torrecilla (the highest peak in the National park at over 1900 meters). We then meandered down a wider track and stopped to have a picnic half way down while enjoying the views. We went to see afterwards, the impressive 26 meters high Pinsapo de las Escalateras nearby.

Barbara also enjoyed some of the wellbeing activities on offer and the complementary natural soaps and bath salts which are handmade in Andalucia and sold in Ronda in the Andalucia Soap Campany shop owned by Sara, a friend of ours, situated Calle Sevilla 23. David, actually kindly gave to Barbara these lovely natural products that he has available in the hotel and this made us decide to make it part of our Relaxing Break packages. It will be indeed great for our future guests to enjoy beautiful walks and then relaxing massages or natural face-lifting massages, etc... followed by a lovely bath with natural handmade salts...

Thank you once again Barbara for your kindness and generosity and for the lovely time we had in your company.

We have also decided to have now a minimum number of 2 bookings for our Relaxing breaks so that our guests don't feel too lonely in the evenings in the hotel Bandolero, when it is quiet, as was the case with Barbara.

We are not scheduling any walking holidays now until september but our Relaxing Breaks in Andalucia, Spain are available throughout the Summer. It is in fact an ideal time as you can also make the most of the hotel swimming pool! Click on the following link if you would like to find out more about our Relaxing breaks in Andalucia.

Photos of flowers in Andalucia, Spain - early May

Here are a few photos of flowers we encountered on some of our walks in the Alto Genal, Andalucia, Southern Spain, which were taken by Helen Boyton, early May. She kindly gave us the permision to post them here. The Serrania de Ronda is indeed spectacular in Spring with its incredible variety of wild flowers. This year, early May was exceptionnally great for wild flowers. Contrary to what most people would expect from Andalucia, the Genal valley is very lush in Spring with its forest of Sweet Chestnut trees doning their new fresh green leaves and its wild flowers growing in meadows in more exposed areas or adding some accents of colours under the dapple shade of Oak and Sweet Chestnut woodlands. If you love wild flowers, April and May are the time to visit this non touristic area of Andalucia.













Grey-Leaved Sunrose

White-Leaved Bugloss



Viper's Grass



White Cistus