location OF MANILVA ON THE COSTA DEL SOL
Situated just south of Sabinillas and Estepona, two thriving villages that have also thus far managed to duck the tourist radar, Manilva is about a half hour north along the coast from the Gibraltar Airport and just under an hour south from the slightly larger Malaga Airport.
Although it is located along the Costa del Sol which has (since the expansion of Spanish Tourism early on in the twentieth century) always been a popular tourist hotspot, it has escaped any significant notice, making it a quiet and charming destination in the midst of the hubbub of costal tourism.
Overview of Manilva
If you have ever been to some of the popular costal holiday destinations in some parts of Spain, you will have seen the garish and unattractive high rise construction that characterises many of these areas. One of the most charming aspects of the traditional town of Manilva is the fact that this type of construction is nearly non-existent. This small town retains its original and truly Spanish character.
As of yet, Manilva is mostly an undiscovered destination as far as the tour companies of the area are concerned, making it a great place for a holiday or investment.
The full time residents in Manilva make their living on an economy based on agriculture and fishing, and are only now starting to realize their village's potential for mainstream tourism. The agriculture of the area is composed mainly of crops grown near the area's river bed and valleys. Grapes make up a majority of the harvest and are used to make the area's sweet wines which are usually drunk new-made as they age quite badly.
Simple and unaffected, Manilva is often missed by the masses of tourists as they head up or down the coast, as it is located off the main motorway (A7). The village has a fascinating history, and still preserves some incredibly well preserved Roman Baths as well as an Aqueduct.
It is easy to reach Manilva from Malaga Airport . Simply turn off the N340 (another name for the A7 motorway) at the Kilometer Marker 145 and take the A377. This will take you straight up to the tourist office which inhabits an old estate called Villa Matilde which is surrounded by lush semi-tropical vegetation.
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