San Pedro De Alcantara

Holidays to San Pedro de Alcantara hand you Blue Flag sands, seafood restaurants, and a taster of traditional Spanish life.

Two-faced town

San Pedro de Alcantara – or San Pedro, for short – is anchored in the west of the Costa del Sol, about 10 kilometres from Marbella. It’s got a bit of a split personality – along the beachfront, it’s all hotels, cafés and souvenir shops, while the town centre is more like traditional Spain, with sieasta, tapas bars lining narrow backstreets and a big weekly market.

Sands

The town plays host to a 5-kilometre stretch of sand. It’s split into 2 beaches – Playa San Pedro and Playa Cortijo Blanco. Both are backed by a wide, palm-freckled prom, where you’ll find plenty of places to grab lunch or a snack.

Roman ruins

Although this neck of the woods isn’t known for its historical ruins, there are a few standout sights nearby, including the remains of a Roman bathhouse and a 1st-century Roman villa. There’s also an impressive 6th-century basilica. You’ll need a guide to see them – you can book one at the tourist office in town.

What’s nearby

There are loads of daytripping options from San Pedro. Within an hour you can be craning your neck at Gibraltar’s rock, padding around Mijas – a button-cute pueblo blanco – or touring the historical town of Ronda. And if you’re up for venturing a bit further afield, Seville, Granada and Morocco are all in reach.