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La
Cala, formerly a sleepy fishing village set between Fuengirola
and Calahonda on the Costa del Sol has become a popular destination
for both tourists and residents of the local area. Less than
25 minutes form Malaga airport and only 50 minutes from Gibraltar
La Cala is ideally situated to enjoy the best of the Costa del
Sol. However, now is probably the time to stop referring to
it as "a former sleepy fishing village" because it
is far from that, in fact, with the recent start of the huge
La Cala resort urbanization once you cross over the carreterra
you will find two of the biggest developments on the coast which
stretch back at least three kilometers into the country side.
The saving grace for the "original" La Cala is that
it is "protected" by the N340 which sweeps round this
part of the coast ensuring that this growing area although increasing
in size day by day will always retain its village mentality
on the shore side of the road so that although new is meeting
old they will in effect be kept separate. Anyone wishing to
buy property here will find La Cala to be as traditional as
you can get on the coast and in truth
can be described as the only really traditional Spanish coastal
town between Marbella and Fuengirola. Over the last few years
more and more restaurants, bars and shops have opened in this
quaint "village." and like most coastal areas on the
Costa del Sol La Cala boasts a lovely beach which is serviced
by a selection of restaurants and bars. There is a wide selection
of eating establishments including Indians, Thai, Chinese, French,
British and of course traditional Spanish. With a number of
bars around the area you will never be short of something to
do if socializing is your thing.
There is a selection of schools in the area to choose from,
both Spanish and international, the Costa del Sol hospital is
less than 15 minutes away, Fuengirola is only 10 minutes which
is home to the new Myramar shopping centre so all in all everything
you will need is close at hand. On the shore side of the carreterra
finding property in La Cala is not always easy as this is a
very popular place to buy and prices reflect this although with
the growth here it is probably as good as any where to invest.
It is also a key gateway to the Coast's "New Golf Valley",
a flourishing golfing haven comprising the long-established
and popular Mijas Golf, the already mentioned La Cala Resort,
and several new courses highlighted by the widely acclaimed
Santana Golf. Then there is the Mijas Hippodrome, one of only
two racecourses operating in Andalucía and now establishing
itself as a major rock/pop concert venue with such stars as
Elton John, Lenny Kravitz and Rod Stewart, to name but a few,
appearing there this year. The Hipodromo is situated just a
few kilometres from La Cala, which is one of its two coastal
access points. Although thriving with growth, La Cala has been
able to retain an authentic village atmosphere; "real"
Spanish people living a "real" Spanish lifestyle -
and are mostly happy to share it with the many foreigners who
have settled in the area.. They are also delighted to share
their time-honoured passion for the sea, and all the gastronomic
delicacies it provides. Over the centuries, through Phoenician,
Greek, Roman and Arab-influenced eras in Mijas, fishing has
tended to be overshadowed by other more important economic activities
- essentially agriculture and mining. In La Cala, however, local
fishermen's almost artesian methods have not only survived the
changing times brought about by a massive influx of tourists
but, in fact, been a major reason for the town's ongoing popularity.
As already said there is a local school and a number of bars
and restaurants to choose from. There are also a number of shops,
hairdressing and beauty salons, internet cafes, estate agents,
a public library, cultural centre and a selection of health
centres with translation service. Even the local police are
encouraged to learn a second language. La Cala is ideally situated
for those who need a sense of real Spain whilst having all the
benefits of an international location catered for. With easy
access to main towns, roads and airports plus the on going developments
around the area this is a great area to invest in or to live.


[This article is owned by Costa Life Magazine and is reproduced
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