Spa – European Traveler

3 Countries, 2 Ski Resorts, 1 Week in Europe

Wishing you had planned a getaway this past spring break? It’s not too early to start planning for next year, and to think big with a European adventure!

By Alison Ramsey

Stateside spring break destinations abound, but consider using that week of vacation time to explore three German-language European countries—Switzerland, Austria, and Germany—all easily reachable from each other by train. The Eurail Global Pass allows travelers to seamlessly cross country borders by rail using a single scannable QR code pass in the app. It’s a fantastic opportunity to maximize your time abroad and visit multiple countries all in one overseas trip.

Eurail train travel is scenic and comfortable, and the well-designed Eurail app makes it easy to view train schedules and plan your trip.

Time in the mountains is essential if you’re headed to the Alpine countries of Switzerland and Austria. Downhill skiing in the Alps can be exhilarating, great exercise, and a fun social activity—as proven by the millions of visitors to throng ski resorts like Davos Klosters in Switzerland and St. Anton am Arlberg in Austria each year. Both destinations are part of the Best of the Alps organization’s carefully curated collection of classic mountain resorts and offer excellent ski schools.

A 2.5-hour train ride from the Zürich Airport, the 13,000-inhabitant Alpine village of Davos is the highest city in Switzerland, at 5,147 feet above sea level. Its Ski School Davos, part of the Swiss Ski and Snowboard School, is the biggest and oldest ski school in the country. Students here can learn from patient, professional instructors, who focus on safety and ensure basic skills are mastered before introducing more difficult maneuvers or terrain. Experienced skiers have 157 miles of ski trails on 81 different slopes to explore over five separate ski areas, including the iconic Parsenn skiing and hiking area, famous for its wide pistes and long runs.

Private and group lessons are offered at Ski School Davos, with ski equipment rental available at Top Secret Ski & Snowboard Shop, directly across the street from Bolgen Plaza.

The Alps are inviting even to those not wearing skis. For a fun take on tobogganing, try sledging down the 2.2-mile Rinerhorn run in Davos. Take the ski lift to the top and pilot your wooden sledge down the steep and curving 33-bend slope—one of the most challenging sledging runs around—braking with knees bent and feet flat on the snow and changing direction by shifting weight and pulling the steering rope. It’s like high-speed Mario Kart in the mountains!

Rinerhorn has slopes for skiers and sledgers.

If you’re staying at the comfy mountain chalet Hotel Waldhuus in Davos, be sure to spend time in the large indoor pool and experience the Switzerland sauna lifestyle in their bio sauna, herbal sauna, or new Finnish sauna. Usually co-ed and textile-free, sauna visitors in Switzerland use towels simply for hygiene purposes—not as a cover-up, but to sit on so sweat doesn’t touch the wood. Sauna usage is linked to many health benefits and can lower blood pressure, improve cardiovascular health and circulation, reduce soreness after exercise, promote muscle recovery, stimulate immune system support, reduce stress, and eliminate toxins. A swim and sauna session after a full day of activity feels physically and mentally healing, especially in a clean and well-maintained facility.

Unwind in Hotel Waldhuus’ comfortable accommodations with terrific spa facilities, and try the delicious tiramisu and enormous fresh breakfast spread in the Waldhuus Restaurant.

For a taste of the Austrian Alps, a 3.5-hour train ride brings you to St. Anton am Arlberg, Austria, where you can make your home base the classy Hotel Schwarzer Adler. Here, white-glove dinner service offers perfectly flavored and artfully plated meat and vegan dishes, homemade comfort foods including butter Spätzle (egg noodle pasta), and delectable desserts like “chocolate 5 ways,” with Austrian wines for pairing. You can swim in the outdoor sky pool under the pure mountain air or unwind indoors in the relaxation room, saunas, or sparkling indoor pool. Treat yourself to a spa package from the massage menu or simply sip an espresso on your hotel room balcony with a view of snowy peaks and a soundtrack of church bells and birdsong.

The Schwarzer Adler Hotel provides luxurious dining experiences and relaxation outlets.

Skischule Arlberg is the award-winning largest ski school in Austria, founded by Hannes Schneider, the father of the modern “Arlberg technique” skiing style. Before Schneider’s development of this forward semi-squatting posture, the trend was to stand erect with rigid knees, a position derived from Nordic or cross-country skiing, which wasn’t a practical stance for the steep Tyrolian terrain. Ski instructors at Skischule Arlberg keep lessons fun and stress-free, moving at the students’ pace and providing encouragement without pushing too far beyond current comfort levels. For those unaccustomed to ski life, it’s an excellent introduction to what many Alpine locals grow up learning from a young age.

Ski School Arlberg prepares skiers to achieve their athletic goals.

An incredible highlight of St. Anton—no skis needed—is up on the very peak of Valluga, at 9,222 miles above sea level. Ride the “Galzigbahn” ski lift to the first mountain station, where you can snack at the Galzig Restaurant, shop in the ski store, and watch athletes descend the slopes. Then ascend with the “Vallugabahn I” lift through fog and clouds to the Vallugagrat station and the Valluga View Restaurant. One more ride in the small “Vallugabahn II” cable car brings you to the pinnacle lookout point—a circular railed platform open to the intense sun and whipping wind, with breathtaking views of snow-covered Alps in every direction. You have a clear panorama from Lake Constance to Switzerland and the Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany. From here, you can see the extraordinary beauty of the glacier-carved gorges as well as the splendid organization of the ski resort, with numerous lifts in motion, skiers gracefully carving patterns into the snow, and sky-high facilities with everything you might need for your day in the heights.

Unbeatable Valluga views are a highlight of St. Anton am Arlberg.

Don’t leave the Alps without an après-ski experience! St. Anton am Arlberg holds many opportunities to unwind and let loose after a day of athletics. You can party hard with club music and tasty drinks at any number of après-ski huts, or partake in a casual post-ski meal at the rustic Sennhütte restaurant right on the slopes—its entrance marked by an enormous pair of Lederhosen. Either ski down the hill right to the restaurant or take a free bus trip there from the town center and hike up the WunderWanderWeg (wonder walking way) pathway from the bus stop. The back patio balcony affords an outstanding view into the mountains—a brilliant backdrop for sampling Käsespätzle (thick cheesy noodles topped with crispy fried onions), Schnitzel and Pommes (fried meat cutlets and French fries), and gulping a refreshing beer or Skiwasser (“ski water”—an alcohol-free blend of raspberry syrup, lemon juice, and water or seltzer).

Giant lederhosen and the WunderWanderWeg lead the way to Sennhütte.

Any beer fans or German-language–lovers know that Bavaria is a nearby European destination worth visiting, so travel by Eurail from St. Anton 3.5 hours northeast and you’ll end up in Munich, Germany. A short walk from the Munich main train station through a Mediterranean district brings you to the fresh and inviting greenery-filled lobby of the KOOS Hotel. A prime location near Karlsplatz bus and streetcar stops, the KOOS Hotel is also within easy walking distance of the Altstadt, Munich’s medieval old town. KOOS Hotel’s vegan-friendly personal care products in the rooms and numerous vegetarian and vegan breakfast selections are a welcome perk for those with specific preferences and dietary needs. The hotel is also a role model for sustainability and is entirely paperless, with a digital check-in process and novel phone-activated room entry in lieu of a room key. This family- and dog-friendly haven near the city center has all you need for your stay, including an in-room washing machine and clothesline for freshening up travel clothes.

Environmental consideration and convenience are key at KOOS Hotel.

If you’re looking to buy some “new-to-you” threads, consider a walk to Holareidulijö traditional Bavarian clothing store. Affable and knowledgeable shop owner, Michaela Klein, lovingly restores and resells used Dirndl, Lederhosen, hats, vests, and myriad Bavarian accessories and jewelry, while offering an assortment of new shirts and socks to match her wares. During Oktoberfest season, Klein’s store and the extra garage unit in back are packed with shoppers searching rows of racks for colorful festival outfits and drinking the free beer she offers during her busiest weeks.

Holareidulijö is a treasure trove of authentic, high-quality refurbished Trachten.

For a fantastic meal and some Augustiner beer or a selection from about 160 different wines, head to Xaver’s—a stylish restaurant and brew pub with a warm wood interior and a mix of small and large tables for date night or Stammtisch (“regulars’ table,” where friends recurrently gather to eat, drink, and socialize). Here, young and old alike are drawn to the restaurant motto’s “refreshingly traditional” vibe that features fun and friendly staff clad in traditional Bavarian costume (including genial owner Xaver himself, a sommelier and one of several restaurant-owning brothers). The menu features classic Bavarian dishes reimagined with a fresh take using locally farmed ingredients, as well as innovative entrees that change every six weeks. The lively music and cheerful atmosphere make you want to come back and be part of the scene— same time next week.

With a fresh take on Old World style, Xaver’s serves locally grown foods, Augustiner beer, and wines galore.

Spend a sunny day walking through the English Gardens to see brave wet-suited surfers on the man-made river waves and stop at the Biergarten am Chinesischen Turm (beer garden at the Chinese tower) for a fresh-baked pretzel and a mug of beer, Maracuja (passion fruit) juice with water, or Johannisbeere (black currant) juice with water. Kids can play on the jungle gym while adults chat and people-watch, all while listening to the lively oompah band playing from the second level of the tower.

On a nice day, the English Gardens fills with picnickers, volleyball players, surfers, and groups of friends.

For a dose of education, head to the Deutsches Museum, one of the world’s largest natural science and technology museums. Through hands-on experiments and interactive exhibits, explore the physics of light and sound, observe chemical reactions, and learn about human body physiology. An enormous aviation center and historic airplane hangar allow visitors to climb into cockpits and pilot model airplanes. In the Musical Instruments exhibition, try your hand at playing the theremin—an electronic musical instrument played by placing hands in the air between two antennas that sense the hands’ positions and control frequency and volume.

Deutsches Museum interactive exhibits make learning fun.

After two nights in each city—Davos, Switzerland; St. Anton am Arlberg, Austria; and Munich, Germany—a flight out of Munich Airport concludes an adventure exploring towns in three different countries all within one week. Thanks to Eurail’s flexible Global Pass, it is a fantastic way to get a taste of multiple countries with just one set of airline flights!

Eurail offers speedy and smooth transportation, and window seats to beautiful scenery.

Looking for more ski opportunities? Visit bestofthealps.com to learn more about top ski resorts that help define and cultivate Alpine culture. Best of the Alps is a collection of 9 Alpine resorts that showcase mountain village magic and charm in Switzerland, Austria, France, and Italy. For more than 30 years, the Best of the Alps organization has encouraged exploration of the cultures, communities, traditions, natural wonders, and distinctions of these remarkable Alpine destinations: Chamonix-Mont-Blanc and Megève in France; Cortina d’Ampezzo and Courmayeur in Italy; Crans-Montana and Davos Klosters in Switzerland; and Kitzbühel, Lech Zürs am Arlberg, and St. Anton am Arlberg in Austria.

Afloat on the Rhine and Moselle

A dream river voyage on the Scenic Opal spotlights cozy towns in the heart of Europe

By Randy Mink

With its half-timbered houses, tangle of cobbled alleyways and picture-perfect castle perched on a crag high above the market square, the German village of Cochem struck me as something plucked from a medieval fairy tale.

Almost too good to be true, the Moselle River town of 5,500 was one of several stops on “Charming Castles & Vineyards of the Rhine & Moselle,” a seven-night cruise itinerary offered by Scenic, an Australia-based company with 12 luxury river ships in Europe. My brother and I were aboard the 163-passenger Scenic Opal, our floating hotel for the week.

Happily, in Cochem and some other ports of call, the historic town centers lay just steps from the ship’s gangway. I love being in the middle of everything within minutes of disembarking.

Clockwise: The Moselle River town of Cochem, Germany, as seen from hilltop Reichsburg Castle. (Photo credit: German National Tourist Board)
Reichsburg Castle looms high above the Moselle River town of Cochem. (Larry Mink Photo)
Cochem charms visitors with its ancient, half-timbered buildings. (Randy Mink Photo)

Because of my ancestry and the fact that my first trip to Europe was a summer German language program in Austria, I’ve always had an affinity for German-speaking countries. Until this cruise, however, I had never been to the Rhine or Moselle valleys.

It was the Moselle’s inclusion that steered me to the itinerary, as not all Rhine cruises venture to this narrower, slower-moving, more intimate tributary, which twists and turns more than 100 picturesque miles between the German cities of Trier and Koblenz. Many Rhine journeys spend time in the more industrial stretches to the north.

I also liked this particular circuit because it touched four countries. Besides shore excursions in Germany, Scenic offered tours in France and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The cruise ended in Basel, Switzerland, where we stayed two nights in a hotel before flying home.

The Rhine travels nearly 800 miles from the Swiss Alps to Rotterdam on the North Sea, forming the border of southwestern Germany and eastern France. From the Vosges Mountains, the Moselle flows through northeastern France and Luxembourg to Germany, joining the Rhine at Koblenz, our first port after embarking the day before at Mainz, a city of 200,000 about 40 minutes from the Frankfurt airport.

Both waterways dish up a passing parade of vineyard-covered slopes, hilltop castles and idyllic towns with gabled houses, church steeples and leafy riverside promenades—an eye-popping feast for those of us who thronged the railings or drank it in from deck chairs. Steady streams of barges, sightseeing boats and pleasure craft also kept us engaged. One afternoon on the Moselle, the Scenic Opal went through three locks, the first one upon leaving Koblenz for the pretty Moselle Valley, my favorite part of the trip.

Koblenz: At the Confluence

In Koblenz I opted for a ship-arranged walking tour but easily could have wandered on my own. The colorful squares and alleys of Old Town, a largely pedestrianized shopping zone with plenty of cafes and bakeries, were a short walk from our berth at the beautifully landscaped Rhine Promenade. (My brother chose the e-biking excursion, exploring on one of the ship’s electrically assisted bicycles.)

The park-like river walk led to Deutsches Eck, or German Corner, the point where the mighty Rhine meets little sister Moselle. Lording over the tip of land is a monumental equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I (1797-1888), first emperor of the New German Empire. Destroyed in World War II and replaced in 1993 after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the statue now represents German unity. Nearby stand three concrete slabs from the infamous wall and text about life under Communism in East Germany. Overlooking the confluence is Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, a massive complex reached by cable car from the promenade.

Clockwise (Randy Mink Photos): An equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I, the first emperor of the New German Empire, overlooks the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers in Koblenz, Germany. The meeting point is called Deutsches Eck, or German Corner.
Scenic Opal passengers explore Koblenz, Germany, on a guided bike tour.
Tempting bakeries and cafes are just a few blocks from cruise ships’ Rhine River berths.

Little Luxembourg

From our next stop, the Moselle Valley town of Bernkastel, we took a morning excursion to Luxembourg City, an hour-and-a-half away. Our guided ramble through the capital city’s oldest quarter, famed for the stone bastions and battlements rising above dramatic ravines, focused on the shop-filled pedestrian zone and included panoramic lookout points. After the tour my brother and I relaxed over hot chocolate at the Chocolate House, snaring an outdoor table across from the Grand Ducal Palace, where we earlier had snapped pictures of the soldiers on guard duty. Passengers who didn’t sign up for Luxembourg could choose to visit a Bernkastel winery and sample the valley’s renowned Rieslings.

1: The imposing Grand Ducal Palace captivates river cruise passengers on the Luxembourg City shore excursion. (Photo credit: LFT/Christian Millen)
2: Soldiers stand guard at the Grand Ducal Palace. (Randy Mink Photo)
3: Ancient fortifications charm visitors to Luxembourg City, a shore excursion option from the Moselle River town of Bernkastel, Germany. (Photo credit: LFT/Alfonso Sagueiro)
4: Stunning panoramas abound in Luxembourg City. (Randy Mink Photo)

Moselle Crowd-Pleasers: Bernkastel & Cochem

After lunch on the Scenic Opal, moored across the bridge from Bernkastel, we explored the storybook German town. Its riverfront facade didn’t look unusually quaint, but as we probed deeper into the web of little streets, the place just kept getting cuter and cuter. I wanted to photograph every square, crooked lane and antique building in my path, and slip into every wine tavern. Had we more time, I would have hiked up to Landshut Castle, frequented centuries ago by the territorial lords of Trier. Built in 1277 and in partial decay since 1692, it houses a restaurant and cafe.

Left: The fairy-tale town of Bernkastel is a popular stop on Moselle River cruises in Germany. (Photo credit: German National Tourist Board)
Right: Landshut Castle, dating back to 1277, overlooks Bernkastel. (Randy Mink Photo)

In the evening, we all boarded buses for Trier, where Scenic had arranged a private classical concert staged amid the Gothic grandeur of the 13th century Liebfrauenkirche. Riding through Germany’s oldest city to reach the church, we grabbed glimpses of the famous Porta Nigra, the best-preserved Roman city gate north of the Alps.

Scenic Opal passengers attended a private classical concert at the 13th century Liebfrauenkirche in Trier, Germany. (Randy Mink Photo)

In Cochem, the hub of the Middle Moselle, our excursion featured a visit to Reichsburg Castle. From its lofty vantage point we enjoyed sweeping views of the river, the steep vineyard abutting the castle grounds and a skyline dominated by the onion-dome spire of St. Martin Church. Dating from the 11th century, Reichsburg was restored in the late 1800s by a wealthy Berliner who created an idealized version of a medieval stronghold. Although not architecturally faithful, it certainly gives Cochem a photogenic landmark, and three-fourths of the main tower is original. Mounted animal heads, suits of armor and period furniture set the mood inside. Afterwards, our walking tour of Cochem showcased its compact central square, Baroque town hall and ancient town gates.

Clockwise (Photo credits: German National Tourist Board): Cochem’s Reichsburg Castle has all the trappings of a rustic baronial estate.
The Middle Ages come alive on tours of Reichsburg Castle.
Reichsburg Castle and the onion-dome spire of St. Martin Church frame this view of the Moselle River town of Cochem, Germany.

On the Romantic Rhine

Next we traveled the 32 miles from Cochem back to Koblenz, where our ship overnighted in order to get in position for a morning journey to Rüdesheim that would spotlight the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, or Rhine Gorge, the river’s most castle-studded corridor. This would be our big day, the one we’d been waiting for.

As we looked out from the breezy top deck, it was castle after castle, many of them, romantically, in various states of ruin. Some crowned distant summits, others rose straight from the shore. Vine-ribboned hillsides and timeless villages seemed to be waiting around every bend.

As we learned from the cruise director’s narration and from Tailormade (the Scenic smartphone app), some of the fortresses have been repurposed as museums, restaurants, hotels or private residences. Castle Stahlek in Bacharach, now a youth hostel, once served as a Nazi indoctrination center and military hospital during World War II. (The app’s commentary also came in handy for exploring ashore and helped us identify the towns and landmarks we passed while cruising.)

In Rüdesheim, a tourist-packed village crammed with wine taverns and souvenir shops, we hiked through vineyards to Niederwald Monument, a grandiose memorial that commemorates the 1871 founding of the German Empire after the end of the Franco-Prussian War. Our uphill trek was challenging, the cable car ride down a lot more fun.

Left: It’s an uphill trek for Scenic Opal passengers who choose to walk to the hilltop Niederwald Monument high above Rüdesheim. (Randy Mink Photo)
Right: Shore excursions in the Rhine River town of Rüdesheim visit the Niederwald Monument, a grandiose memorial that celebrates the 1871 founding of the German Empire after the end of the Franco-Prussian War. (Photo credit: German Tourist Board)

Forays into France

Heading south on the Rhine, the Scenic Opal tied up at two more German towns. From Rastatt we were torn between a tour to the German spa town of Baden-Baden and one to Strasbourg, capital of France’s Alsace, a region that historically has flipped back and forth between German and French control. In Breisach, our last port of call before Basel, we had to weigh Colmar, Alsace’s most beautiful town, against Freiburg, a Black Forest gem renowned for its medieval Old Town.

Since we had seen plenty of Germany, we went all in for Alsace and enjoyed walking tours of Strasbourg and Colmar, both with cozy, traffic-free historic cores chockablock with pastel, flower-laden, Hansel-and-Gretel houses. It’s just that touch of fairy-tale fantasy we needed to put a happily-ever-after ending to our trip through the enchanting heart of Europe—the Europe of our dreams.

Left: The Cathedral of Notre-Dame, a towering landmark cast in red sandstone, dominates this view of Strasbourg’s historic core. (Randy Mink Photo)
Right: Rheinstein Castle, near the German town of Trechtingshausen, is one of many medieval castles that captivates Rhine River cruise passengers. (Photo credit: German National Tourist Board)

To read about the Scenic Opal luxury river ship, including its accommodations and dining experiences, please visit https://europeantraveler.net/2023/10/19/cruising-through-the-heart-of-europe/

Falling for Casares

Ancient baths in a dramatic location

By Susan MacCallum-Whitcomb
Photos courtesy Costa Del Sol Tourism

Sometimes it helps to follow your nose.

For days we’d heard rumors about ancient baths located just below Casares, in southeastern Spain. But reliable information was hard to come by. The tourist brochures made only passing reference to them, and even the directions that we finally did get were vague to say the least: head down the mountain and through the quarry, turn onto the foot path, then walk toward the water. Precisely how far we should go and which of the half-hidden paths we should take remained a mystery, though.

So on we plodded in Andalusia’s autumnal sunshine dodging killer cacti and recalcitrant donkeys, until we smelt it — the sulfurous pool that first brought the area a measure of fame more than 2,000 years before.

According to legend, Julius Caesar stumbled upon this same spot in 61 BC, when he was merely a provincial administrator with a nasty skin condition, and was so impressed by the pool’s medicinal properties that he became a frequent visitor. The Roman-built structure that encloses it (known as Baños de la Hedionda) is a simple dome with a sheltering wall around the perimeter. Rising about eight feet above ground level, it is broken only by two low arches through which you enter directly into the water by way of either a rough wooden ladder or a stone ramp. Taking the plunge can be unnerving. Darkness makes the depth of the pool difficult to determine, and two subterranean vaults add to the sense of foreboding.

WATER IS DIVINE

Caesar, however, was absolutely right: the water is divine and warm enough for swimming well into the fall. For him, its healing power seemed miraculous. For us, on the other hand, the real miracle was that the baños—despite their proximity to the Costa del Sol, one of Europe’s most congested tourist strips—have no signs, lines or admission fees. In short, they’ve yet to be invaded by the hordes of vacationers who have overrun the Mediterranean coast from Malaga to Algeciras. The same can also be said of Casares, the pueblo blanco or “white village” reputedly named for Caesar that overlooks the baths. And it, too, can seem rather daunting at first.

In part that’s because of its dramatic location: set 1,425 feet up in the Sierra Bermeja Mountains, Casares’ sugar-cube buildings perch precariously on twin plateaus and tumble into the deep crevice between. But it is also because of the quiet. You see, the village is a study in serenity, which is unsettling for those who’ve come to equate holidays with site-filled itineraries and Amazing Race-style activities.

The truth is that, save for the late afternoon (when children take to the soccer field) or dusk (when adults tread the cobbled pedestrian-only streets on their nightly paseo) sounds here are as muted as the almond blossoms that enliven the landscape, which is precisely why Casares is a perfect place to rediscover the lost art of lounging.
The first step, literally, is to stroll over to Plaza España where you can browse shops bordering the square and watch locals play pétanque beside a centuries-old fountain. Afterwards, you might putter about in Casares’ small ethno-history museum or pay homage to Blas Infante, the “Father of Andalusian Nationalism,” at his restored birthplace.

SATISFY YOUR HUNGER
Next, having satisfied your curiosity, you can concentrate on satisfying your hunger. It’s a pleasant prospect considering Casareño eateries dish up simple fare prepared with Andalusian flare. Specialties include morcilla de chivo sausages and artisanal goat cheese accompanied by dense brown bread. Hearty soups are harvest-time favorites, and game (most notably rabbit rolled in wild herbs) is popular in season.

If you’d like to enjoy these with a side order of scenery, the best bet for dining is Bodeguita de en Medio, which has a rooftop terrace offering views of the ruins that stand guard over the village. The very presence of these, of course, proves life in Casares hasn’t always been quite so peaceful. Its strategic position made it a popular hideout for bandoleros in the 19th century. Before that it was favored stop for armed forces, from the earliest Iberians through to the French who attempted a takeover during the Napoleonic Wars. Those who succeeded left an indelible mark that earned Casares recognition as a National Historic-Artistic Site in 1978, and their legacy is nowhere more apparent than at this isolated spot.

Fortified by the Romans, it was further developed by Moors who gained control of the region in 711. By the 13th century, they’d erected a castle on the seemingly impregnable promontory. Within a few hundred years, Queen Isabella’s Christian soldiers had put an end to Arab domination, and the Encarnación church was built atop it. Now that, too, is an empty shell, and the evocatively decaying structure reaches heavenward with a different purpose: aerials have been attached to it to improve television reception! Contemporary life has brought other changes as well. The climb to the ruins admittedly remains steep. The sweeping views – up to the mountains, down to the sea and across to the northernmost reaches of Africa – are as magnificent as ever.

ROCK OF GIBRALTAR
But while the ancients could only gaze out and imagine these distant locales, today’s visitors can easily reach them. Estepona, the closest of the Mediterranean resort towns, is just 25 minutes east by car, and a morning’s drive west through the clouds will take you to Ronda, the stunning gorge-straddling city that has been dubbed the “Birthplace of Bullfighting.” The iconic Rock of Gibraltar, situated an hour south, promises Barbary Apes plus a quick taste of the British Empire. Even Tangier — Morocco’s infamous, undeniably exotic port city — is accessible to early risers, thanks to the packaged daytrips sold all along the seaboard.

Closer to home, Paraje Natural de Sierra Crestellina now beckons ramblers, and diehard duffers are welcome to hit a few balls at a new area golf course. Remember, though, the true beauty of this place is that you don’t have to break a sweat to enjoy it. When you allow yourself to fully surrender to Casares’ laconic spell, simply sitting on a deck chair can provide ample entertainment. It’s easy enough, after all, to idle away hours watching farmers tend the olive and cork groves below, or marveling at the belled goats that graze at impossible heights on the rocky outcroppings above. Once you’ve had your fill of that, you can always soak up the atmosphere in Baños de la Hedionda. Trust me, the water’s fine…

The Fine Print: If relaxing is your primary goal, choosing where to stay is as important as deciding where to go. So while you can bed down in a basic room Hotel Casares for about €60 a night, renting a vacation home is a more restful, and budget-friendly, alternative. We booked ours through Just Casares, a local company which lists traditional white-washed townhouses starting at €300 per week in autumn. Those off-season rates kick in September 1, even though the village hosts two favorite ferias (or fairs) during that month: one honoring La Virgen del Rosario, the other El Cristo. These run respectively the first Saturday in September and over a long weekend in mid-September to coincide with the end of the summer harvest.