There is something special about the Costa del Sol during the winter months. The majority of tourists have gone home, the Christmas lights are festooned through the streets and the towns are decorated with colourful nativity displays.

But the best part for me is the cooler weather, and how lucky have we been this year? We enjoyed the sunniest October on record, and November and Early December has seen clear blue skies and crisp, cool evenings. Perfect!
Whether you are a fan of the great outdoors or prefer to spend your leisure time in the shopping centre or cinema, there are plenty of things to see and do in Andalucia and the Costa del Sol during winter.

Marbella to Ronda
Last year we enjoyed a long weekend in Ronda before Christmas and had the most fabulous time. Just an hour by car from Marbella and Puerto Banus, Ronda is well worth exploring when most of the tourists have gone home. Having arrived in this historical town on Saturday at midday, it was lively and bustling with locals going about their business. Remember if you are visiting Ronda in winter to take a thick jacket or coat as the winter weather can be a lot colder than it is on the coast. Likewise in summer it is much warmer.

We explored the town and marvelled at the famous Ronda Gorge, before taking a trip around the Bandit Museum and on to the bullring, which is the oldest in Spain, and still represents ornate and intricate decoration from a bygone age. Visitors can stroll around the museum and take a full tour of the bullring. Ronda is well known for being the birthplace of many famous bullfighters. Antonio Ordoñez was one of Ronda´s most famous bullfighting sons.  Born in the town in 1932, he made his first public appearance as a bullfighter in 1948 and in 1951, aged just 19, he fought in Madrid. In a glittering career, Ordoñez faced over 1000 bulls. He finally retired in 1968, having fought over 60 bullfights in that year alone.

To enjoy the best views from Ronda, you can either look over the imposing Gorge, or take a stroll down to the fabulous viewpoint beside the Parador de Ronda, beside the open air auditorium.  As I looked over the plains surrounding Ronda, I could understand why this was once ideal terrain for bandits to roam.

Roaming the Ronda tapas bars
At lunchtime we did a tour of the tapas bars in town. Most of the best tapas bars in Ronda are situated around Church Square (take one of the narrow streets upwards on the other side of the bullring) and you will find plenty of great bars and cafés). Our favourite is the Venencia, which has a sister restaurant in Marbella, and offers a fantastic range of tasty food at amazing prices.  We ordered tapas of seafood salad, Manchego cheese, Serrano ham, lentil stew, octopus salad and warm Spanish omelette, plus four beers and the bill came to €11.50. In other words, lunch for 4 for under €15.  Try doing that in Marbella or Puerto Banus.
Wherever you go in Ronda you will feel as if you are really experiencing old Spain (apart from the numerous gift shops on the main road perhaps). The people are warm and friendly, the food is delicious and cheap and the whole atmosphere, particularly in winter is warm and welcoming.

Hotel Molino del Puente, Ronda
We stayed last year at the superb Hotel Molino del Puente, which is a converted olive mill on the Ronda-Seville Road. Situated just ten minutes past Ronda, it is set by a stream, and offers visitors a wonderful setting. With just ten bedrooms, you can enjoy excellent service at this family run hotel, and superb food. If it´s on the menu, try the rack of lamb or the fillet of sea bass which is literally the best we have eaten anywhere in Spain.

The room are spacious with satellite TV and the bathrooms boast Moroccan baths (for 2) with rustic furniture and decoration. The restaurant is elegant and stylish, and a real fire is lit in the centre of the room in winter to give visitors a warm glow (or was that the Rioja?)  All in all a fabulous place to stay, and there´s also a swimming pool for travellers who visit during the warmer months. www.hotelmolinodelpuente.com

On our way back from Ronda last year we drove back in what can only be described as a snow storm. It only lasted ten minutes, until we descended slightly further down the mountain, but the snow had settled on the hilltops all around, and it was absolutely beautiful. Local children were making the most of the unexpected bonus of snow and sledging down the hillsides on everything from sheets of tarpaulin to tea trays!

The Sierra Nevada and winter sports Spain
If you enjoy winter sports, there is no better place to visit than the Sierra Nevada. Situated near Granada and boasting some of the best ski slopes in Spain, this is a must for more adventurous visitors to the Costa. Sierra Nevada is just a two hour drive from Marbella, and offers great facilities for the kids. Whether you choose to stay in Granada, and visit the incredible Alhambra Palace, or reserve a room in the Sierra Nevada, you will not be disappointed. Our family tend to go for a day at a time, as most of us live on the Costa del Sol and it´s an easy drive up and down, giving you a full day if you leave early in the morning. Whether you are a novice or an experienced skier, you can enjoy the facilities at the Sierra Nevada, and feel safe in the knowledge that the children are being looked after in one of the ski schools or crèches. For more information check out www.sierranevada.co.uk

El Refugio de Juanar, Marbella
Staying a bit closer to home, El Refugio de Juanar, at Ojen, near Marbella is another wonderful place to visit during wintertime. This nature reserve sits high above Marbella, but takes just 15 minutes to reach by car from the town centre. Surrounded by flora and fauna, visitors can walk through the mountains to the viewpoint overlooking Marbella. On clear days you will be able to see across the Mediterranean Sea to the African coast of Morocco before you. The rock of Gibraltar stands out towards the south west. If you look east you might be able to see the snowy summit of Sierra Nevada ski resort that is in Granada province. If you are feeling fit, follow the signs for the Juanar Mountain, with its cross at the top. We climbed this a few years ago and it took about 2 hours – but don´t attempt it if you are unfit as it gets very steep near the top.

Cruz means cross in Spanish. There is a cross on the top of this mountain, hence its name. There is a legend that a fishing boat got lost in thick fog, and the men onboard had no idea in which direction to head towards the beach. The fog cleared for a second and one of the men saw the tip of the Juanar Mountain. This saved their lives as they managed to head home. In gratitude they planted a big black steel cross up on top of the Juanar Mountain, which is now known as the “Cross of Juanar”. There is a pilgrimage up the mountain once a year and mass is said under the cross.

After a good walk, there is no better place to relax than the El Refugio de Juanar Hotel, with its roaring log fires and comfortable sofas. If you want to stay over, room rates are very reasonable and the menu features plenty of local dishes including seasonal game, partridge, rabbit and pheasant and some delicious fish and vegetarian dishes. For more information, take a look at www.juanar.com

The Salon Varietes Fuengirola
If you are looking for something more homely during wintertime on the Costa del Sol, you can find plenty of restaurants and bars serving special dishes for the cooler months, including stews, casseroles and hot mulled wine to add to the winter feel in southern Spain. Many British visitors to the Costa del Sol at Christmas are surprised and delighted to discover the Salon Varietes in Fuengirola hosts a pantomime every December, and this year´s show is The Christmas Stocking. Check out the website for more details of other upcoming productions: www.salonvarietestheatre.com
Spanish style Christmas

The majority of Spanish people celebrate Christmas with their families on Christmas Eve, before going to Midnight Mass. Although Santa Claus is popular with Spanish kids, it is the massive Three Kings Celebration which really counts on the 6th January. This is when the children get their presents, supposedly from the Three Kings who parade through the streets on the evening of the 5th January to bring gifts. This is a procession well worth seeing, and whether you have children or not, you will enjoy the colourful parade of floats that winds around the streets of every major town, as the kings throw sweets to onlookers.