Costa del Sol

Direct summer trains between Malaga and Barcelona launched

Published

8 hours ago

July 3, 2026

admin

Rail passengers who fancy a change of scenery for the weekend away from the Costa del Sol with minimal hassle, can now travel direct between Malaga and Barcelona without the need to change trains in a new seasonal service for the summer with Ouigo.

New weekend route for summer 2026

This direct connection has limitations and operates only on Friday through to Monday between July 20 and September 6, with a few additional exceptions on July 24, 26 and 31 July and August 2. Tickets for the route are already available through Ouigo’s official website and app.

Newly released journeys will take just under seven hours, calling at Zaragoza, Madrid and Cordoba along the way. Northbound trains depart Barcelona-Sants at 7:35am, reaching Zaragoza at 9:07am, Madrid at 11:05am, Cordoba at 1:25pm and Malaga at 2:31pm. With southbound services leaving Malaga at 4:50pm, arriving in Cordoba at 5:44pm, Madrid at 7:42pm, Zaragoza at 9:47pm and finally Barcelona at 11:56pm.

Responding to high demand for the Costa del Sol traveller

Growing summer demand for southern Spain has driven the expansion, which follows the full reopening of rail infrastructure in Andalucia. Rail operator Renfe already runs year-round direct services on this same corridor, so Ouigo’s move brings fresh competition to a popular route.

Four years of growth in Spain

Since entering the Spanish market in 2021, Ouigo has carried more than 23 million passengers and invested over €700 million, now employing more than 460 permanent staff and running 16 trains across 15 destinations.

Research from consultancy Afi credits Ouigo’s arrival with cutting average ticket prices by a huge 40%, opening up high-speed rail to travellers who previously said they found it unaffordable. One in four Ouigo passengers had never used high-speed rail before the company launched, and 85% say they now travel more often since competition arrived on Spain’s railways.

For more information, times and booking, visit the official website

Related Topics:Costa del Sol direct rail Malaga to Barcelona Ouigo Rail services summer routes

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Alhaurin el Grande and Coin launch historic 1.5 million kilo season for premium tomato

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18th-Century Spanish warship wreck identified off coast in San Pedro

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Alhaurin El Grande

Alhaurin el Grande and Coin launch historic 1.5 million kilo season for premium tomato

Published

3 hours ago

July 3, 2026

admin

Farmers and food producers in Alhaurin el Grande and Coin have officially launched the historic 2026 harvest of the region’s most famous gourmet vegetable. The Tomate Huevo Toro. Recent rainfall has finally brought an end to a punishing dry spell across the Guadalhorce Valley, clearing the way for an incredible 1.5 million kilograms of this luxury crop to hit local markets this summer.

Known affectionately to locals as the “King of the Orchard,” a variety of heirloom tomato is massive in size, has a rich meaty texture, and rugged, heart-like shape appearance.

A bumper crop for Andalucian farmers

Growers estimate that roughly 230,000 individual plants have been cultivated across traditional bancales, the stepped, terraced plots carved into the regional hillsides.

The official summer campaign kicked off with a special tour of a heritage orchard in Alhaurin el Grande, where town mayor Anthony Bermudez praised local families for safeguarding the traditional agricultural landscape. This heritage farming method relies entirely on a labour-intensive encañado system, where farmers hand-build structures out of wild river reeds to support the immense weight of the plants. Even though the outdoor weather conditions mean the harvest is arriving slightly later than usual, agricultural experts confirm the quality is exceptional, reinforcing its reputation as one of the most exclusive tomato varieties in the world.

Creative cold soups celebrate the launch

Following the farm tour in Alhaurin el Grande, the foody festivities moved over to the neighbouring Coin Agro-food Market. Top local chefs gathered to showcase diverse interpretations of gazpacho. Dishes ranged from a rustic, hand-crushed gazpacho majao blended with fresh seasonal fruit, to more modern, contemporary variations using strawberries and local goat’s cheese.

Another traditional favourite was porra, a much thicker, creamier cousin of gazpacho originating from nearby Antequera. Unlike drinkable gazpacho, porra is a dense puree created by pounding sourdough bread, fresh garlic, and extra virgin olive oil together, which is eaten with a spoon and typically garnished with hard-boiled egg and cured Spanish ham.

Summer events for food lovers

More than 2,000 local families depend heavily on this single seasonal harvest, which proudly carries the Sabor a Malaga (Taste of Malaga) regional quality brand. International residents and visiting food lovers can follow a month-long gastronomic restaurant route running across the province from July 31 to August 31.

Key dates for tomato fan’s diaries include a cultural evening on July 23 at the Antonio Gala House Museum in Alhaurin el Grande, followed by a charity golf tournament at Alhaurin Golf on the final Saturday of July. The seasonal festivities will conclude in Coin with the Verbena Tomatera, open-air summer street festival on August 13 and 14, and then the cherry on the cake, the famous annual tomato auction on August 15 in the town’s Parque de San Agustin, where last year’s event saw a small box of tomatoes sold for a record €18,000.

archaeologists

18th-Century Spanish warship wreck identified off coast in San Pedro

Published

9 hours ago

July 3, 2026

admin

Underwater archaeologists in Andalucia have successfully linked a historic shipwreck off the coast of San Pedro de Alcantara to the Fernando, a Spanish Royal Navy ship of the line that sank during a violent storm in 1760.

Experts from the Centre for Underwater Archaeology, a branch of the Andalucian Institute of Historical Heritage (IAPH), led the investigation, which provides a major breakthrough for Spanish maritime history. Initial theories suggested the remains belonged to French vessels lost in 1705 during the Battle of Punta Cabrita, but new structural and archival evidence points directly to the ill-fated Spanish vessel.

Crucial clues on the sea bed

Resting at a shallow depth near the incredible, Placer de las Bovedas reef, the 65-metre-long wreck has exposed critical clues regarding its true identity. Heavy coastal currents shifting the seabed sediment, exposed a robust timber framework with high-density frames and distinct iron fastenings characteristic of 18th-century Spanish shipbuilding.

Divers focusing on the stern section located the post as well as iron components belonging to the rudder. Historical logbooks note that the Fernando suffered severe steering failure during a gale just before running aground, validating the physical damage found on site. Heavy artillery pieces scattered around the site also pre-date the Spanish Artillery Regulations of 1765, neatly matching the timeline of the 1760 disaster.

British design techniques

Construction records show that the Fernando was built at the Esteiro shipyard in Ferrol between 1750 and 1751. King Ferdinand VI, along with the Marquis of Ensenada and scientist Jorge Juan, commissioned the vessel as part of an ambitious programme to modernise the Spanish fleet by incorporating advanced British design techniques.

Gun ports measuring 1.10 metres wide by 0.85 metres high confirm the vessel was a heavily armed warship designed for major naval combat. Additional structural supports, including angled hull braces, mirror the British-influenced architectural blueprints used during this experimental phase of Bourbon naval engineering.

Creating a 3-D blueprint

Marine tech teams captured more than 3,000 underwater photographs to build a highly detailed three-dimensional model and orthophotograph of the entire site. This digital map helps researchers track the orientation of the debris field, plan targeted excavation trenches, and monitor structural erosion caused by winter storms and human activity.

Future phases of the project will involve dendroarchaeological and isotopic testing of the wood. Analysing these timber samples will help scientists determine the exact tree species used, the felling dates, and the geographical origin of the timber used in Ferrol. Local institutions, including the Spanish Navy, the University of Malaga, and the Marbella City Council, continue to support the ongoing preservation effort.

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Cancer Charity Gala And Golf Tournament

Published

10 hours ago

July 3, 2026

Lucy Ramnought

Marbella biggest charity weekend against cancer returns with a golf tournament and a landmark 41st gala dinner. Organised by the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC), the double bill will bring together hundreds of residents, businesses and institutions on Friday, July 31 and Saturday, August 1, with every euro raised going towards free support programmes for cancer patients and their families.

Council backs “essential” local charity

Social rights councillor Isabel Cintado praised AECC’s work as vital to the community. She highlighted the year-round efforts of staff and volunteers who provide emotional support, social assistance and specialist resources all free of charge, urging residents to get involved since every contribution helps.

AECC Marbella president Santiago Gomez-Villares noted that funds raised from the event sustain services benefiting hundreds of families annually. Last year, the local branch supported 462 patients and 135 relatives, delivering 2,318 care sessions, 847 psycho-oncology sessions for 290 patients, and 732 oncological physiotherapy sessions for 171 users, as well as social support for 127 people.

Politician Borja Semper to collect ‘The Fighter’ award

This year will be the 41st gala, and is among Spain’s oldest charity dinners. The goal is to attempt to draw more than 600 guests at Finca de la Concepcion. National PP deputy Borja Semper will receive the association’s ‘The Fighter’ award, recognising his role in normalising conversations around cancer and giving hope through his own testimony. Hosts Eva Ruiz and Poty Castillo return for another year, with performances from Efecto Mariposa and The Vintage Experience, plus a traditional raffle and charity auction. Comedian Federico de Juan joins the event to assist with the auction.

Golf tournament gathers 120 players at Las Brisas

Proceedings kick off a day earlier at Real Club de Golf Las Brisas, where 120 players will compete in a Better Ball Pairs Stableford format on July 31. Entry costs €130 with a shared buggy for non-members, or €30 without one for club members, participants receive a welcome pack and trophies made from recycled plastic via the Ecomarb sustainability project.

If you would like to participate in this incredible event, tickets and tournament entries can be booked by calling 952 776 800, weekdays from 9am to 2pm.