Weather
This year (2004), from January to April, the weather
averaged 70d. The weather was warmer in February than in April. Overall, the weather was cooler than in previous years.
When the sun goes down or you are in the shade, there can be quite a change
in temperature.
Currency
The winter is off season in Spain so the crowd is
older and the cost of everything is lower. The exchange rate this winter was very poor for the dollar. On average, .80C to the dollar. Merchants do still tend to 'round up' from the old Peseta. The Euro is much easier for Americans as the coins and bills are very similar to Dollars.
Getting around
I would not recommend renting a car unless walking
is not possible. Plazas and non-car areas abound in Torremolinos and other
Spanish cities. We would walk around for 3 or 4 hours before returning
to our apartment for lunch. Travel to other towns along the Costa del Sol
is possible by bus and train. The busses are usually crowded but run on
time. The trains run on time, are clean, but no longer play classical music.
Train stops are announced in Spanish and English.
Getting there
We now book our own flight, and have an apartment
we rent through a local agent. Many of the bars and resturant owners act as agents for condo owners and rates during the winter can be very attractive. If you are looking for a true Spanish experience, check out Casa Suecia at the foot of the steps in the Bajondillo section. For several years, we used a travel group called Grand
Circle Travel. While we have absolutely no connection to Grand
Circle, we feel confident in recommending them especially for a short visit.
Grand Circle offers excellent packages to Spain. The toll free # is 1-
800-248-3737