Segelabenteuer im Juni: Von Almerimar bis Gibraltar

Sailing adventure in June:

From Almerimar to Gibraltar

Text: Christian / Pictures & short films: Carola

Arrival in Almerimar - a place for more than just a stopover

Almerimar, a marina on the western Mediterranean coast that many long-distance sailors know at least from hearsay. In recent years, we have also seen a number of photos and films of other sailors who have made a stopover here or even overtaken their boat.

Excited, we turn around the harbour pier and immediately recognise the striking, lighthouse-like building of the marina office. We moor alongside, I check in and, with a map in hand, we set off in search of our berth. Everything goes smoothly.

The marina itself is part of an artificial village with a finger-shaped harbour basin, surrounded by buildings with restaurants, shops and service providers.

The complex is a little dated, but has a certain charm. Everything is within easy walking distance and we quickly felt at home.

Nearby, we meet a friendly Swiss sailing couple with whom we get on well straight away. We learn that there is an active ‘liveaboard community’ here in winter.

The week here flies by. We now realise that Almerimar is a good place for boat work. The only downside is that the piers are open to the public, which would prevent us from leaving the boat unattended here for any length of time.

The Marina Office

Our berth

Marina Almerimar

There are endless beaches here

View of the ‘sea of plastic’ - as far as the eye can see - fruit and vegetable plantations

Evening mood

Motril - a warm welcome and old bicycles

We set off early in the morning on 8 June, our next destination is Motril. With little wind, we motor comfortably along the coast. We reach the marina in the late afternoon.

What a welcome! Four people are ready and waiting to help us dock, even the boss greets us personally. We have rarely been welcomed so warmly.

The marina is a family business, which is immediately apparent. We feel welcome and use Motril as a starting point for short discovery tours.

At the marina, we realise that bicycles can be hired free of charge. Curious, we open the old shipping container and see a row of rather old bikes. We choose the best two, pump up the tyres and set off somewhat sceptically towards Salobreña.

The small town stretches up the hill from the sea. We soon realise that the historic alleyways are at the top of the hill and that there's nothing we can do on our rickety bikes. So we leave the bikes behind and explore the winding alleyways on foot, visit the old castle and enjoy the fantastic view over the coast.

Dolphins join us on the way to Motril

After arriving in Motril, we stretched our legs

Bike tour at Whitsun

Salobrena is already in sight on the hill

Salobrena

Many pretty alleyways with wonderful flowers line the way

Everything here is very well maintained

View over Salobrena / Path to the Castillo

Castillo de Salobrena

Another coastal town we visit is Almunecar. However, we ‘conquer’ it with the hire car ☺️.

Unexpected strong winds hit us one night

Welcome to Almunecar

Castillo de San Miguel

El Majuelo Botanical Park

Behind us the ‘Rocks of San Cristobal’

In the alleyways of Almunecar

Granada - a day trip to the Alhambra

At the top of our to-do list: the famous Alhambra in Granada. We drive inland in the hire car. City air is good after the time on the boat. In Granada, we stroll through the beautiful old town towards the Alhambra - full of anticipation.

But when we reach the top, we are disillusioned: all tickets are sold out. And that for weeks. The disappointment is deep because we had hoped to get a ticket spontaneously on site.

Nevertheless, the freely accessible parts of the complex are impressive. Tired from sightseeing, we return to the boat in the evening.

"The Alhambra is a world-famous Moorish palace and fortress complex in Granada, which was built in the 13th and 14th centuries. It impresses with its Islamic architecture, ornate stucco decorations and extensive gardens. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most visited sights in Spain."

The cloths provide shade while shopping

Cathedral of Granada

A very impressive cathedral

Outside the cathedral

Granada and the Alhambra

Behind us the Alhambra

We are excited

We are in the publicly accessible area of the Alhambra

Hammam

Theatre

Before that, we were on the other side and had a view of the Alhambra

After many impressions we leave the Alhambra

There are many old buildings to marvel at

Short break in the park

Strolling through the souks of Granada

Marbella - more than just a celebrity destination

We continue on to Marbella, once again with little wind, but our engine brings us reliably to our destination. We only knew Marbella from hearsay and start our exploration with very low expectations. We are all the more surprised: Yes, it is touristy, but at the same time charming and well-kept.

We were particularly fond of the old town centre with its narrow streets. A real highlight. What Mallorca can do, Marbella can obviously do too.

Setting off for Marbella - visibility is limited

And again, dolphins are our constant companions

Marbella ahead

Colourful benches and a fountain in a beautiful park

Flower pots adorn the wall

Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de la Encarnacion (ehemalige Moschee)

In the old town

Plaza de los Naranjos

Many green plants line the small alleyways

Bullfighting Arena

We look forward to a dinner with flamenco

Flamenco-Show

Marbella has a certain charm

We really liked it here

Gibraltar at last - arriving in two worlds

On 19 June, the time has come: we can see the outline of the famous Rock of Gibraltar in the distance.

Dolphins greet us in numbers we have never experienced before.

We wind our way through countless tankers and container ships and call at the marina on the Spanish side in La Línea, saving us the trouble of clearing in.

Our mooring offers a fantastic view of the ‘monkey rock’. It feels like a stage finish for us, almost like a small arrival.

We cross the border on foot and suddenly find ourselves in Great Britain. The architecture, the road signs, red telephone boxes and British pubs: everything seems strange and familiar at the same time.

On the way back, we stop by Morrisons and even find our favourite Tim Tam chocolate biscuits from Australia. Morrisons is a large British supermarket chain. We happily head back on board.

Dolphins - we watch countless 🐬🐬 off Gibraltar

When there's not much to do on the boat

"Rock of Gibraltar" - we are happy

Many freighters are anchored here

Our berth with a view of the ‘monkey rock’

Take a walk to Great Britain

On the famous Gibraltar landing strip

Impressions of the town

very british

Our much-loved Tim Tams are available here in the Morrisons

These houseboats can be booked for holiday stays (on the Spanish side)

A visit to the rock - with cable car and cheeky monkeys

Two days later, we cross the border again, this time to explore the rock. In the late afternoon heat, we struggle up the mountain on foot, only to be told at the entrance that the nature park is closing soon. The entrance fee of around 30 euros per person is not worth it for a short visit.

Instead, we take the cable car to the top in comfort. The view is stunning and the cheeky Barbary macaques provide entertainment.

We make the descent on foot, passing several sights and enjoying beautiful views of Gibraltar and the sea. We make our way down the wooded slope to the town in the evening sun. We quickly realise that the shops in Gibraltar close early, while the Spanish side is only just coming to life.

How a simple border fence can separate two cultures.

In the evening we enjoy a classic fish and chips and fall into bed exhausted.

Nothing is too hard for us

Sacred Heart Church

Union Jack Steps

Bumpy hiking trail

The aerial cableway is a much easier way to get up high

Once at the top, the view is phenomenal

Climbers

Small panoramic view

The monkeys feel at home here

A photo with the monkey as a souvenir

The higher, the better the view - we can see as far as Africa

This mate was very photogenic

It's clear who's the boss here

Windsor Suspension Bridge

A trip to Tarifa - two seas, two worlds

But Gibraltar is not our final destination. We want to go to the sea, to the Atlantic coast. We take the hire car to Tarifa, the southernmost point in Europe. The view across the strait to Africa is impressive, Morocco seems close enough to touch.

Tarifa is connected to a small island by a causeway that literally separates the Mediterranean from the Atlantic. It's hard to believe, but you can see and feel the difference: the choppy Alborán Sea on the left and the long Atlantic waves on the right.

Ferries run from Tarifa to Tangier. Curious, we visit the ferry terminal and find out about the options for a day trip to the Moroccan coastal city.

We then stroll through the beautiful old town centre with its picturesque alleyways. On the way, we discover the best ice cream we have ever tasted in Spain and perhaps even in Italy.

We end the evening in the charming coastal town of Zahara de los Atunes, a tip from Caro's sister. We love the Atlantic coast. If only it weren't for the orcas...

"Tarifa is the southernmost city on the European mainland and is located directly on the Strait of Gibraltar. Known as a hotspot for windsurfers and kitesurfers, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic meet here. The old town with its Moorish flair attracts many travellers. There are regular ferries from the harbour to Tangier in Morocco, just 14 kilometres away."

Tarifa

Beautiful to look at

Castillo de Guzman el Bueno

Plaza de Santa Maria

Caro tries to estimate how heavy the knight's armour is

Between two oceans

We enjoy the view of the Atlantic

For orientation - Atlantic

Mediterranean Sea

Sculpture - Africa and Europe shake hands

Cheerfully we continue through Tarifa

When visiting Tarifa, we recommend this gelateria

Soooo many colourful parasols

Cooling down in the Atlantic is a must

Zahara de los Atunes

These tapas are very tasty

Remains of a castillo

A fascinating light spreads out

Spanish sounds

We don't want to miss the sunset over the Atlantic

A very nice day with many impressions comes to an end

One last view of the African coast at night

Ronda - a town on the mountain, divided by a gorge, connected by a stone bridge

After all that water, this time we are drawn to the mountainous inland, our destination: Ronda. The town is impressively situated on a 750 metre high rocky plateau in the Andalusian province of Málaga and is divided by the spectacular El Tajo gorge. The two parts of the city are connected by the Puente Nuevo, a monumental stone bridge from the 18th century, which is also the city's landmark.

We first walk through the 15th century new town, past lovingly restored old buildings, to the bridge and are amazed by the sweeping views over the surrounding countryside.

On the other side, we reach the old town, whose origins date back to Moorish times. There we visit the historic church and climb the narrow staircase to the church tower, the view over the roofs of the old buildings is impressive.

A detour to Ronda is definitely worthwhile: the town is charming, steeped in history and, as it seems to us, not yet overrun by tourists. A relaxed excursion with lots of historic buildings and great views.