TOURIST HELICOPTER ON THE COSTA DEL SOL
A helicopter will give ten minute long tourist trips along the Costa del Sol giving visitors the chance to enjoy the view from above the sea between Torremolinos and Fuengirola. The recreational flights along the Málaga province coastline will cost 10,000 ptas per person. The helicopter will be based in the Benalmádena sports marina and will operate between noon and 3pm making a total of ten trips each day. This attractive initiative intends to offer the unique chance for many to travel in a helicopter - something which has not been on offer in Spain until now. The travellers will enjoy the intense sensation of flying over the blue waters of the Mediterranean and get a real bird’s eye view of the Costa del Sol.

DE PUNTA A CABO
This year the visitors to beaches in Andalucía will have new options when it comes to sport in their free time. The first ‘De Punto a Cabo’ circuit places numerous activities at their disposal, ranging from traditional aerobics or jet skis to sports such as football, basketball or badminton on the beach. The circuit will cover the six coastal provinces of Andalucía. The tourism and sports department of the Junta de Andalucía and the Athenea sports centre have signed the agreement which makes this great sporting event possible. It starts on July 28 on the beach in La Herradura in Granada, and will end in Rincón de la Victoria in Málaga on August 26

RESTORATION OF DOORS IN THE ALBAICÍN
The traditional district of Granada, the Albaicín is getting its old Arab doors back thanks to a restoration programme started by the Junta de Andalucía. The idea is to return the historic value to some of the most interesting places in the district and to revitalise the area. The budget for the project is 100 million pesetas with which the old Arco de las Pesas will be restored together with Las Puertas de Monaita and Fajaluza as well as 400 metres of the old arab walls. Thanks to the idea tourists will once again enjoy an unbeatable historic legacy.

EL CANTAL
Residents of Rincón de la Victoría, in Málaga, are calling for the area of El Cantal to be declared of official cultural interest, and in this way are opposing the construction of a real estate development in the area of some 500 homes. They say that the existence of the archaeological remains of exceptional interest in the high part of El Cantal justifies their position. The local residents association claims that the provincial government’s catalogue of local caves says there is scientific evidence to show the presence of undiscovered remains of great interest. They also defend the area as one of natural filtration and say the labyrinth of caves cover an area of more than 20,000 metres. An active natural space dating from Jurassic times and with the presence of stalactites and stalagmites.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

MÁLAGA FAIR
It’s less than a month before the Málaga Fair opens its doors. The fairground at Cortijo de Torres expects to play host to more than 5 million visitors between the 11th and the 19th of August. A colourful and open fair where the visitor feels integrated from the first moment, given that all the ‘caseta’ marquees are free entry and open to all. During the day the fair is one of the most genuine displays of the Málaga personality - most people dressed in typical flamenco dress, riders and carriages decorated full of colour in the party held in the historic city centre. At night in the fairground the music, wine and fun continue into the early hours making a party that is difficult to imagine for those who do not know it.

FLAMINGO LAGOON - FUENTE DE PIEDRA
The Fuente de Piedra nature reserve in the province of Málaga is a paradise in pink, where flamingos nest. This landscape has become of international importance, with around 4,000 birds in the most important flamingo colony in the Western Mediterranean. The 14,000 breeding pairs which live in the area represent 52% of the total of all the colonies. During the year the waders make their nests in mud on the network of dykes and groynes. And in the summer we can witness the birth and growth of the chicks. Two good reasons to visit the Fuente de Piedra Lagoon - contemplate the spectacular landscape and admire the graceful waders.

ALMUÑECAR TOURIST PROMOTION
The Almuñécar municipal tourist board has opened a tourism promotion department which includes the taking on of an expert with training and experience in the sector. Nearly 18 years after the municipal tourist board was created to promote Almuñécar and La Herradura, only now is there a promotion department as such. The initiative is designed to promote and improve the quality of the services for tourists offered in the municipality so that those who visit the Granada coast have an even higher level of satisfaction.

GARCIA LORCA HOUSE MUSEUM
This summer offers us the opportunity of enjoying an unbeatable place to mett and have fun for both young and old. The Federico García Lorca house museum, which was the summer residence of the poet and dramatist, is offering dance, theatre and children’s puppet spectaculars during the month of July. It is a permanent homage to Federico García Lorca who, through the museum, keeps his figure alive. The museum also helps to promote the extensive literary legend left by the poet and dramatist from Fuentevaqueros.

AGENDA JULY 24 - 31 2001

‘Stills of a colonial dream - the graphic work of Hernández Sanjuán’ is the title of the exhibition on Equatorial Guinea which remains open until Friday July 27 in the Centro de Investigaciones Etnológicas Ángel Ganivet in Granada.

The Itálica International Dance Festival, which takes place on the Montería Patio in the Seville Alcázar ends this weekend the 28 and 29 of July, with the performance of the Andaluza dance company.

Between Friday 27 and Sunday 29 of this month, Punta Umbía in Huelva plays host to the national Prawn and Shellfish Fair.

The Función Pública company perform ‘Cinema Terror’ by Antonio Meliveo on the municipal stage ‘Eduardo Ocón’ in the Málaga Paseo del Parque from Thursday 26 to Saturday 28.

OBK, Rosendo and José Mercé perform on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 of this month in the second City of Lucena Viruta Rock Festival in Córdoba.

The second Costa Tropical Canoe crossing is held on Sunday July 29 in Almuñecar, Granada.

Algodonales, in the Cádiz Sierra, celebrates the fiestas in honour of their patron saints Santiago and Santa Ana from Thursday 26 to Sunday 29 July.

In Almería province the group M-Clan performs on Thursday August 2 in the Cristo Rey college in Vélez Rubio and on Saturday 11 in the Vera municipal sports hall.

The fiestas in Olivar take place between Thursday 27 and Sunday 29 July in the Jaén municipality of Guarromán.

The popular Velá of Santiago and Santa Ana of Triana takes place from Thursday 27 to Sunday 29 of this month in this typical area of Seville.

Friday August 3, Victor Manuel and Ana Belén arrive at the Martín Carpena Sports Hall in Málaga with their tour ‘Dos en la carretera’

Sunday 29th, the last in July sees the fiestas of La Alcadesa in the Huelva town of Puerto Moral. It’s the popular name for their patron saint - la Virgen de la Cabeza.

Saturday 28 of this month, Gaucín in Málaga organises the 5th ‘Valle del Genal’ Flamenco festival which has performances by Chano Lobato and Rancapino among others.

Luz Casal gives a concert in the José María Pemán theatre in Cádiz on Saturday July 28.

The tenth edition of the ‘Va de Calle’ international street theatre festival is held in the Granada province town of Loja between Thursday 27 and Sunday 29 of July.