Guide to Marbella and surroundings Costa del Sol sl. Founded 1995

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Marbella Design Academy
Guide to Marbella and surroundings
Costa del Sol sl.
Founded 1995

• Welcome to new students
• Spain is different
• Marbella, The City
• Maps of
• Andalucia
• Marbella and surroundings
• Down-Town Marbella
• What to do
• Where to stay
• What to see
• Transportation
• Need to know
• How to get a student VISA
• How to get a NIE number
• Health insurance
• Useful phone and address
• Students council and network

Info about courses www.designschool.com
Phone to the Director Helle Byrn 609 59 48 85
Text and Design by Gualberto Cerron Copy
right Marbella Design Academy Costa del Sol sl.
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Welcome to new Students
By Director Helle Byrn
Dear new Students Your teachers, old students a
nd I welcome you to our Marbella Design
Academy-Costa del Sol Located in our big new purp
ose built facility in Monda, 200m from the
village and 15km from the international jet-set
city of Marbella. We offer you courses at
University/Bachelor level with the latest
computer programs incorporated in your tuition
from the 1st year of study. When you graduate you
will be a professional designer at level with the
best designers in the World of today.
We offer you beautiful surroundings at the
academy and here you will have an unforgettable
student life and make friends with students
coming from all over the World. That we have
students from all over the World is fantastic and
we all can benefit and learn from them. We have
Students from many different cultural, religious
and ethnic back grounds. We are looking forwar
d to working together with you and to make your
chosen profession a success. We have a really go
od program for your education. Please check your
agenda regularly to keep your self up to date
with projects, subjects, presentations and other
events. Our school is special in that we are no
t too big, so we can give each student the
necessary teacher attention in a 1 to 1 tuition.
At the Marbella Design Academy you are not just a
number. At our Academy you exist as a person in
your own rights. It is really important for us to
develop each of you students as an independent
and professional designer while still keeping
your own personality intact. Yours Helle Byr
n. Director
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Spain is different
Welcome to Spain, the country known for the sun,
its amazing beaches, flamenco, paella, sangria
and bullfighting. All this is part of the most
common topics you hear about Spain all the time.
And it is true, they belong to the culture of the
country, a culture which is one of the oldest and
strongest in Europe, a culture which is now a
part of you and your life. The Spanish way of l
ife is somewhat slower than the rest of Europe,
especially in the south. This may be seen as
lazy, but when the Spanish work, they work hard.
They have adapted to the weather and play hard
too. It is quite common for life to begin when
the sun goes down, especially in the summer. They
are a very happy people who enjoy life to the
full. They love music, dance and food.
We can all learn a lot of the way Spanish people
live there lives, especially Spanish people from
Andalucia. Spanish people have first priority in
having a good time together with their families
and friends. In general do they work to live and
not live to work. Spanish people and their life
style has been announced to be the happiest in
Europe. We who have been here for a long time ce
rtainly believe in this. Siestas and Fiestas ar
e of great importance. As a foreigner you may
feel there are Fiestas all the time. If there is
not a Fiesta in one Town or village there is in
another. Most Spanish people take holidays during
the Fiesta in their home town. Then they all
party, dance and sing in the streets. Old people,
young people and kids in a wonderful unity. From
the early morning during the entire night for a
whole week. The food also has an important role
in the Spanish life style.
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Before going to work at 10.00, they start their
day with toasted bread with olive oil, smashed
tomatoes and salt, combined with a glass of
orange juice made from freshly squeezed oranges
that have matured on the trees and in the sun.
The coffee you can get in different variations.
Café Solo-Café Americano-Café con leche-Café
Sombra or Café Nube. Stronger down to coffee
almost white. For lunch around 14.00 is when mo
st Spanish people are eating their main meal.
Normally they are going home and eating lunch
together with their families in the Siesta time
between 14.00 and 17.00. This time is a sacred
time. Try to avoid calling people in those hours
- it is considered bad taste. Before going to
work again at 17.00 they take a nap. This is
especially a good idea in the summer time where
temperature during those hours can climb to more
than 40º Celsius. From 17.00 to 20.00 the Spani
sh people are at work again. No stress here. What
they do not manage today will they manage
tomorrow or next week. This can sometimes be
difficult to deal with if you are brought up in a
culture where the working hours are the most
important. In reality we can learn something here
. Why be so stressed? Does it matter really that
things take a longer time? Is it not more
important to enjoy life? Spanish life has chan
ged dramatically over recent years and many of
the strict religious customs are giving way to
more modern ways. However, many old customs and
traditions have not faded. Handshaking is the
customary form of greeting and kisses on both
cheeks is normal. If invited to a private home, a
small gift is appreciated. Away from the holiday
resorts beachwear should be confined to beach or
poolside and shirts should always be worn in
public places and on public transport. Smoking is
widely accepted, even in banks and shops but not
on public transport.
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Tapas are a small dish you eat before or after
your main dish. Tapas means lid because the Tapas
is served on a small plate normally put on top of
the glass with your drink. Hence the name. No
restaurant without Tapas, which you can find in
many different variations. In the evenings can
you see the Spanish families promenading at Paseo
Maritimo with their entire family. Especially in
the summer time the Spanish people come out of
their houses to enjoy the cooler temperature.
The night is long in Spain. You will find people
out and around during the entire night.
Discothèques open normally around 12.00 / 1.00 in
the night and are open to the next morning. Take
care of who you deal with and do not go out
without the company of friends.
Spanish men tend to maintain eye contact with fe
males for longer, although this does not mean
anything. Please also give yourself the self di
scipline to only go out in week-ends. You cannot
possibly concentrate at school if you come
directly from Disco. Enjoy your life here and the
Spanish life style.
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Marbella, The City 
Marbella is the choice of the rich and famous.
The resort is large and stylish, with around 28km
of beaches. Set against the stunning backdrop of
the "La Concha" mountain Marbella is a mixture of
old and new, with stylish apartments lining the
seafront while typical Andalusian houses are to
be found along the picturesque alleys of
Marbella's Old Town. A favourite area to visit
is the beautiful Plaza de los Naranjos in the
Old Quarter, meaning Orange Square" it is aptly
named and especially beautiful when the orange
blossoms are in bloom. It's also surrounded by
restaurants and cafés making it a perfect place
to unwind and watch the world go by.
Marbella's main boulevard is home to many stylish
boutiques and shops, while the gardens at "Parque
de la Alameda" make a nice place to sit and
relax, dedicated to the artist Salvador Dali,
there are copies of his sculptures along it's
length and leading down to the promenade. The
"Parque de la Constitución's" own little
ampitheatre is the venue for outdoor productions
during the summer months. Marbella's marina is
neither as famous nor as glamorous as it's
better known sister, Puerto Banus, but the Marina
Marbella area is the place to find fresh fish,
with it's live fish market providing many of the
restaurants in the area with their fish. The
Paseo Maritimo borders the sandy beaches and
stretches from Marbella right along to Puerto
Banus. As one leaves the center of Marbella hea
ding west one travels along the famous "Golden
Mile", so called for the palatial beach front
villas that make the area some of the most
expensive real state in Europe.
     
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The "Golden Mile" is also home to the Marbella
Club Hotel, founded in the 1950's, the five star
luxury hotel founded Marbella's reputation as a
playground for the rich and famous. Nowadays
celebrities and dignities include the likes of
King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, who has a summer
palace and mosque on the Golden Mile.
Marbella county covers a total area of 114.3 sq
km and 26 km along the coast. It comprises
several important urban sites Marbella, San
Pedro de Alcántara, Puerto Banús, Nueva Andalucia
and Las Chapas, as well as several suburbs.
According to 1998 data, the population amounted
to 98,377 voting people, although it is estimated
to grow over 105,000 during the current year
2001. Marbella is surrounded by Estepona,
Benahavís, Istán, Ojén and Mijas.
Marbella's citizens enjoy a unique microclimate,
which renders an average temperature of 18ºC
throughout the year. It only rains occasionally
in November and March (the rain being
insignificant the rest of the year), the wind
blows frequently from the East and the weather is
sunny more than 320 days a year.
Marbella is close by to major cities and legenda
ry cultural centres Malaga, Cádiz, Granada,
Seville and via the port of Algeciras almost
borders with Africa. The town of Marbella enjoy
s a comprehensive communication net work. By
road, N 340, Mediterranean highway and Costa del
Sol A-7 motorway (Granada, Cordoba, Cadiz and
Seville are just an hour and a half distance
using the highway). By plane with the
International Airport Pablo Ruiz Picasso, only 45
km away from Marbella. By train, with the station
in Malaga City. By boat, thanks to its renowned
yacht clubs.
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Maps
Map of Marbella and Surroundings
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Map of Andalucia
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What to do
Language schools
If your are planning to learn Spanish while you
live in Spain, there are plenty of languages
schools around. Most of them are private and fee
s are very different from one place to another,
so contact the school or the students council to
help you finding the right place and price.  
INSTITUTO INTERNACIONAL DE IDIOMASC/ Los
Almendros, s/n29600 MarbellaTel. 34 - 952 82
21 91E-mail info_at_iiischools.com
 
 
INSTITUTO DE IDIOMAS GEOS, S.A.Valentuñana, 4 -
Edificio AMI, Gal. Comercial29600 MarbellaTel.
34 - 952 86 76 01 - Fax 34 - 952 82 42 94
SPANISH LANGUAGE CENTERAvda. Ricardo Soriano, 36
Ed.Maria III. 3ª Planta29600 MarbellaTel. 34
- 952 90 15 76 - Fax 34 - 952 86 56 20
 
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MARBELLA LANGUAGE ACADEMYAvda. Ramon y Cajal,
s/n OF- 129600 MarbellaTel. 34 - 952 82 31 22

 
IDIOMARBELLAVazquez Clavel, 2529600
MarbellaTel. 34 - 952 82 11 41
 
INLINGUA IDIOMASAvda. Ricardo Soriano, 4 -
2º29600 MarbellaTel. 34 - 952 21 57 52
 
LINGUAFONAvda. Ricardo Soriano, 2129600
MarbellaTel. 34 - 952 82 82 96
 
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You can also apply for the public Official School
of Languages, which is free of charge
 
Escuela Oficial de IdiomasHuerta de los
Cristales, 729600 MarbellaTel
(95)2777739director_at_eoimarbella.tk
http//www.eoimarbella.tk/ 
Find a job?
It is easy to find a job in Marbella, but take
care of you are not committing yourself to more
work than you can handle alongside your study. A
part time job 20 hours weekly is paid 500 per
mouth approximately, which is ok compare to a
normal salary in Spain. Some local newspapers ha
ve plenty of job offers, here are the web sites
of some of them  
http//www.surinenglish.com/index.php
http//www.friday-ad.es/Welcome.htm
http//www.untrabajo.com/buscador.php
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Fitness
If what you want is to keep yourself in shape,
Marbella has quite a few activities to offer.
 
ATENASBarquilla, 129600 MarbellaTel. 34 -
952 77 62 40
 
CEDEMAR, S.A.Pintor Pacheco29600 MarbellaTel.
34 - 952 77 43 94
 
CENTRO DEPORTIVO EL FUERTEAvda. El Fuerte29600
MarbellaTel. 34 - 952 86 16 24 - Fax 34 -
952 82 44 11E-mail hotel-elfuerte_at_hotel-elfuerte
.es  
GIMNASIO ESTADIOTrav. Huerta de los
Cristales29600 MarbellaTel. 34 - 952 82 82 17

 
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GIMNASIO MODY SPORTAvda. del Trapiche, 2829600
MarbellaTel. 34 - 952 82 76 56
 
GIMNASIO FENIXTorre 9, Loc.2 (Frente al
Juzgado)29600 MarbellaTel. 34 - 952 82 38 97

 
MEDITERA, PILATES STUDIOJacinto Benavente, 17 -
3º A29600 MarbellaTel. 34 - 952 76 50 04
 
OXIGENO Fitness La Cañada, Autovía Salida
Ojén, Marbella 29600, 952 903 864
Info_at_oxigenofitness.com
    
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Horse riding
CLUB HIPICO ELVIRIAUrb. El Platero.
Elviria29600 MarbellaTel. 34 - 952 83-52-72
 
MASCOTA HIPICA.S.L.CN-340, Km. 179La Carolina
Park Comerciales29600 MarbellaTel. 34 - 952
77 32 34
 
LOS MONTEROS RIDING SCHOOLUrb. Golf Rio
Real29600 MarbellaTel. 34 - 952 77 06 75
 
SUSANA PLATZ Finca de la Dehesilla 29110 Monda
Tel. 34 - 952 11 23 63
EQUITACION EL JINETECarretera La Cala Golf,
Venta El Jinete, km 4,529670 Mijas-CostaTel.
34 - 629 84 88 76 - Fax 34 - 952 11 94
52E-mail eljinete_at_andalusier.com  
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Tennis
MANOLO SANTANA RACQUETS CLUBCtra. de Istan,
Km.229600 MarbellaTel. 34 - 952 77 85 80 -
Fax 34 - 952 86 54 87E-mail
racquetsclub_at_royalwd.com
PUENTE ROMANOHotel Puente Romano. Ctra.N-340,
Km.177,529600 MarbellaTel. 34 - 952 82 09 00
- Fax 34 - 952 77 57 66E-mail
hotel_at_puenteromano.com
CLUB NUEVA ALCANTARACtra.N-340, Km.171,529670
San Pedro de AlcantaraTel. 34 - 952 78 83 15 -
Fax 34 - 952 78 77 86E-mail
cdnuevaalcantara_at_marbella.net  
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Other Activities
CABLESKI AQUAESKI, S.L. Urb. Las Medranas
29670 San Pedro de Alcantara Tel. 34 - 952 78
82 37
CLUB MARITIMO MARBELLAPaseo Maritimo29600
MarbellaTel. 34 - 952 77 25 04
 
FUNNY BEACHCtra.N-340, Km.18429600 Marbella
EastTel. 34 952-82-33-59E-mail
funny_at_arrakis.es
 
LETS FETZ SAILING, S.L.Avda. Marques del Duero,
7629670 San Pedro de AlcantaraTel. 34 - 670
64 24 62 - Fax 34 - 952 83 94 14E-mail
ursula_at_cronos-computer.com  
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Cinemas
Be aware that most cinemas show films in
Spanish. Some of them have one or two movies a we
ek where films are shown in original version.
 
MARBELLA
GRANDES REPOSICIONES (V.O.)Instituto "Río
Verde"Calle Notario Luis Oliver29600 Marbella
MULTICINES LA CAÑADACentro Comercial La
Cañada29600 MarbellaInformación y venta
telefónica 902 33 32 31SALA MARBELLANotario
Luis Oliver, s/n29600 Marbella
CINE CLUB BUÑUELInstituto "Río Verde"Calle Not
ario Luis Oliver29600 Marbella
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PUERTO BANÚS
COMPLEJO CINEMATOGRÁFICO GRAN MARBELLAPaseo
Rivera, S/NPuerto Banús29660 MarbellaTel. 34
- 952 81 00 77 / 952 81 88 11Teléfono de
reservas de entradas 952 816 421
 
 
SAN PEDRO DE ALCÁNTARA
 
 
CINE CLUB BUÑUELCasa de la JuventudPasaje de la
Libertad29670 San Pedro de Alcántara GRANDES
REPOSICIONES (V.O.)Casa de la JuventudPasaje de
la Libertad29670 San Pedro de Alcántara
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Where to stay
Finding an apartment in Monda or Marbella it is
not difficult from September, when the summer
season is over. When you rent long term, apartm
ents must decrease their prices.
The Academy recommend you to delay renting an
apartment until your arrival. It is much cheaper
and better that you actually see what you are
renting and where. You will have plenty of
apartments to choose among and they are all
furnished. When you rent them only agree to pay 1
month deposit in advance. Anyway, In Monda the
average price for a town house with 4 to 5 room
is 550 and for a small villa with a big garden
600 per month. In Marbella the average price for
a room will be somewhere between 300 and 400
per month. An studio about 500 to 600 and 3room
apt. about 600 per month. To help you looking
for a place to stay, please see our hostel page
on our website http//www.designschool.com/admiss
ion_hostels.php  
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What to See
Malaga
From Nerja to Manilva, this Spanish province on
the Mediterranean is distinguished by its
wonderful climate and first class facilities,
making it an attraction for tourists from all
over the world. Thanks to its gentle climate, w
ith 320 days of sun a year, this stretch of
Mediterranean coast in southern Andalusia has for
years been an ideal holiday spot. Apart from its
broad beaches, there are magnificent tourist
facilities, and the hotels and restaurants - as
well as sporting installations and entertainment
spots - are continually being improved. The
capital, Málaga, was first a Phoenician colony
and later came under the control of the Greeks,
Carthaginians, Visigoths, Arabs and Christians.
Today it is a maritime city rich in culture, som
e of whose remains are on view at the
Archeological Museum. The friendly people and
wonderful climate also encourage a stroll through
the old walls and the remains of the Muslim
palaces of the Alcazaba fortress through its
gardens next to the sea - they are adorned with
palm and orange trees and jacaranda - and on to
discover the house where Picasso was born, there
on the wide, lively Plaza de la Merced. Or take
in the view of the city from the top of the
Gibralfaro Castle.  
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The Alcazaba - The kings' palace, Alcazaba, which
was built starting in 11th century, is Málaga's
most important building of the Moorish epoch. In
its interior you may visit the very interesting
Archaeological Museum. The Cathedral - After c
onquering Málaga from the Moors, the Catholic
Kings ordered in 1528 to build a cathedral over
the original mosque. Construction was not
finished until 1728, and the façade is mainly of
this later period. Among the highlights are the
chapels, Capilla Mayor and Capilla del Sagrado
Corazón, and the beautiful choir-stalls.
Picasso Museum - Palacio de Buena Vista, Calle S
an Agustín. New museum with works from all
periods in its permanent collection. This museum
is very close to the house were Picasso was born,
in Plaza de la Merced. For more information on
the museum visit www.museopicassomalaga.org
Castillo de Gibralfaro - Originally it was palace
built probably by Phoenicians, but in 14th
century Moorish Caliph Yasuf I had built over it
the fortress which is conserved until today. Two
of its towers are connected by ducts with the
Alcazaba.      
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Monda
In 45BC, the Roman civil war, which had been
raging between the forces of Pompei and those of
Julius Caesar, was brought to an end in Caesar's
favour at the Battle of Munda. The site of the
Roman Spanish town of Munda is open to some
doubt, but there are those, not least the
inhabitants of Monda itself, who look at the
similarity of names and declare that Munda and
Monda are one and the same. It is highly unlik
ely, but Monda likes the story and clings
tenaciously to it. It is a tiny town with a popu
lation of less than two thousand, beyond Ojén
along the C-337 road, crouching in a mountain
valley at a height of 1200ft. A few years ago it
was a much-favoured drop-out spot for hippies
without the inclination or energy to reach
Marrakech or India. These have now largely
disappeared and left Monda to its own devices,
perhaps because the recently built road linking
it to Marbella, and the rapidly developing
suburbs have made it too accessible and
bourgeois. Its dominant feature, which the appr
oaching visitor can hardly miss, is the castle
which stands above it. Architecturally the castle
actually an hotel - is an acquired taste which
many may not wish to acquire, but inside it is
sumptuously decorated in Moorish style and offers
superb accommodation and cuisine.
It has a long history. The site was originally o
ccupied by an Ibero-Roman fortified enclosure
established in the 3rd-1st Centuries BC by the
Romans for use by the indigenous Iberian
population and to protect the road to the more
important town of Coín. When the Romans left it
fell into decline and remained neglected until
the Moors came along and used the spot to build a
fortress.
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Monda fell to the Christian reconquerors in 1485
, but the fortress remained more or less intact
until 1570 when, after an abortive Arab uprising,
it was demolished. The Christians did not
consider Monda important enough to warrant a new
castle of their own, and the ruins were left to
rot. They were ignored for over 400 years until,
in the mid-1970s, a German aristocrat bought what
little was left and began an ambitious
re-building project. Eventually he tired of what
he considered endless Spanish bureaucracy and
sold out to a group of determined English
entrepreneurs who completed the work and opened
the place as a luxury hotel. When visiting Mo
nda you are in real Spain and Monda is only 20
min away from the busy coast. Monda is the villag
e where you will find the Marbella Design Academy
Costa del Sol in our beautiful new building, only
100m away from the highway down to Marbella and
only 200m away from Monda. We hope that our
students will choose to stay in Monda. Monda has
many things to offer our students. A healthy
freetime with many activities to do in the
stunning surrounding nature. Many restaurants,
discos and a personal village life.
The Marbella Design Academy has a Bus Service to
and from Marbella and the Academy
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Transportation
Getting around in Marbella is very easy,
basically you can walk everywhere. Despite this,
many buses cross the city constantly from one end
to the other on their way to different
destinations. Be very patient with the timetable,
no bus comes on time!!! If you are thinking about
getting to see more of Andalucia, and you
should, then there are two transportation
companies that can take anywhere you go,
Autobuses Portillo and Autobuses Urbanos del
Ayuntamiento de Marbella. The buses are good,
have air-conditioning and it is very cheap to go
by bus. Price example You can go to Tarifa, by
bus for 7. (Tarifa is situated at the Atlantic
coast and is a worldwide known paradise for
surfers). http//www.ctsa-portillo.com/
http//www.marbella.es/marbella/o
pencms/site/
web/marbella/transportes/busurbanos
Bus Station Marbella's Bus Station, a modern an
d ample functional building located in the
northern part of town (avenida del Trapiche,
s/n), has 14 platforms, shopping area,
restaurant, a large waiting hall, coffee shop,
souvenirs counter and leisure room.
Beside the station you will also find a petrol
station with supermarket, a taxi rank and a
parking for private vehicles.
The coaches link the station with the city centr
e, as well as with Málaga, Torremolinos,
Benalmádena Costa, Fuengirola, Coín, Monda,
Guaro, Ojén, San Pedro de Alcántara, Ronda,
Estepona, Sabinillas, Guadiaro, San Roque, La
Línea, Algeciras, Cádiz, Jerez, Sevilla,
Gibraltar, Almería, Granada, Córdoba, Madrid,
Valencia, France, Belgium, Holland, Lisbon, Nice
and Morocco.
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Marbella Bus StationAv. del Trapiche, s/n /
Tel. 952.764.400 / 401 / 402
San Pedro Alcántara Bus StationAv. Luis
Braille, s/n / Tel. 952.781.396
Railways Services RENFE Information Reservati
ons / Tel. 902.240.202 Málaga Train Station T
el. 952.360.202 Fuengirola Train Station Tel.
952.478.540
Aerial Services Aeropuerto de MalagaSwitchboard
/ Tel. 952.048.484 / 404Arrivals / Tel.
952.048.838 / 844Departures / Tel. 952.048.804
/ 842 / 848 Aeropuerto de GibraltarInformation
/ Tel. 956.773.026British Airways / Tel.
956.744.737Monarch / Tel. 956.747.477
27
Need to know
There is some paper work to get done and a few
practical things to take care of when moving to
Spain. How to get a student VISA When you ar
rive with your student Visa and a D written in
your passport, you have 3 months to to go to the
Police station in Marbella to obtain your student
visa for the entire academic year. ( Next year,
as a 2nd year student, is it easier for you to
renew your student visa for the next academic
year). You will need your existing visa, your p
assport, 2 photos, a copy of your rental receipt
from the hostal or wherever you stay, the
confirming letter from the Academy and a copy
from a bank in Marbella, which shows that you
have a bank account here. You will also need a
copy of your medical insurance. If you do not
have any the Academy can recommend the insurance
company, SANITAS, they have a special offer for
students coming from Marbella Design Academy.
 
 
28
SANITAS Avda. Ramón y CajalComplejo Sacio, L
ocal 3-4 4-629600 marbella Tel. [phone]
- Fax [phone] http//www.isanitas.com/web
sanitas/ing/index.html
Are you a European citizen, then you do not need
a student visa, but we recommend that you aply
for a NIE number (personal identity number)
NIE Numbers are needed to
Applying for a business permit
Applying for a driving license in Spain or for an
international license Applying for a mortgage or
other type of loan. Buying or selling property i
n Spain Buying a vehicle Employment Inherit anc
e of assets in Spain Insuring Property Opening a
bank account Signing onto the national Social S
ecurity Health plan  
29
How to get your NIE  
The application process is quite easy. Go to your
local National Police Station, to the Departmento
de Extranjeros (Foreigners Department) and ask
for the NIE application form. The following
documents must be submitted to the police station
to obtain a NIE number   Co
mpleted and signed original application and a
photocopy copy (Original returned)
  Passport and photocopy  
Address in Spain (you can use a friend's)
  Additionally they will ask you why
you want the NIE number, possible answers are
"to open a
bank account" or to "to buy property.
You are not contacted when the NIE is ready, so
it is up to you to periodically check if it is
ready. Start asking a month after you have
dropped off the application. The process takes
four to six weeks, then you will be issued a NIE
number, which you collect from the police
station. The NIE document is received is an
officially stamped, A4 size document, bearing
your name, date of birth and your NIE number.
Keep track of this NIE registration, as differen
t bureaucratic processes require the original
document. Always turn in photocopies - Keep the
original in a safe place.  
30
Car Matters
To answer the main question No, officially you
can not drive a foreign plated car in Spain
forever. The maximum time of use per annum is 6
months and the other 6 months you need to park
the car in a garage. When you are from the EU y
ou can drive in Spain on your foreign driving
license without an international driving license.
Non-EU members are the only ones who have real
advantage points when they purchase a car on
tourist plates and stay as a non-resident. You do
not have to pay the 16 IVA (VAT) and neither do
you have to pay the Spanish special vehicle
registration tax of 12 . Nice saving of 28.
Europeans can avoid paying the 12 special vehic
le registration tax as Spain is the only country
in Europe that has this tax. When buying your car
all you have to do is request this and the car
will be fitted with a tourist plate, rather then
a full Spanish plate. You will have to renew this
plate every year, which will cost you
approximately 150. You can repeat this as many
years as you want. Buying a car on Spanish plat
es can save a lot of complications and has
certain advantages, such as easy to resell and
payment in Spanish currency. The rules are that
you have to have a residency or own a property or
be able to present a certificado de
empadronamiento (certificate to show that you are
a registered inhabitant of the community).
If all you want is to rent a car, be aware you h
ave to be at least 21 years old, otherwise you
cant get insurance.  
31
Health care and safety
As a citizen of the European Union you are
entitled to free medical and hospital care for
the first month, please check with your embassy
of your home country. You will need your European
Health Card (EHC) We recommend you to have a
privet health insurance. The school can help you
find a doctor if you need one.
Please note that private Doctors and hospitals i
n Spain do not accept the European Health Card.
If you require private healthcare you must ensure
that you have an adequate insurance policy or
pay your own bills at the time.
In Spain, medication and prescriptions are obtai
ned at pharmacies which can be distinguished by
the green cross. The phone number to ring in case
of emergencies is 112 and is free to call in the
whole of Spain.  
32
Spanish food
There is much more to Spain than paella, the fla
menco, and bullfights. Spain enjoys a vastly
diffuse and dramatic gastronomic heritage.
Traditional Spanish cooking draws on European
impressions from the north, Moorish influences
from the south and and also from the Americas and
the Far East thanks to early explorers
ingredients. According to the Sunday magazine of
the New York Times, Barcelona has this year
dethroned Paris as the food capital to place
itself at the forefront of experimental cuisine.
Spain is said to be the new source of Europes
most exciting wine and food. It is not known for
it's elegance nor for its bakery/pastry goods but
rather for its rustic approach to the Spanish
passion of food. Eating in Spain is not only
addictive it represents a way of life.  
Shopping in spain
The busy commercial centers such as La Cañada,
Miramar, Plaza Mayor and all of them placed in
Malaga will not be so different to shopping at
home with large, busy department stores offering
all manner of goods. The shops in all these
places will also be well used to tourists and
many will be able to speak English, French,
German and a few other languages.
If you decide to go shopping in areas a bit more
off the beaten track dont expect many to speak
your native language and expect big variations in
prices. Shopping in Costa del Sol can be quite a
pleasurable pursuit if you have plenty of time
and dont mind mixing it up with a bit of
meandering in the coffee shops or bars for
drinks and tapas.  
33
Opening Hours
Shops generally open at 10am and close at 2pm for
siesta, reopening between 5pm to 8pm (in many
cases till 9). A lot of the big stores including
the hypermarkets and department stores will stay
open all day until 22.00h. Most stores are closed
on Sunday and on fiesta days (which there are a
lot of)  
National Holidays  
January 1. New Year. January 6. Epiphany. March
25, Good Friday.August 15. Assumption of the
Virgin.October 12. El Pilar.November 1. All
Saint's Day.December 6. Spanish Constitution
Day.December 8. Immaculate Conception.  
Markets
Open air markets are usually open in the mornings
from 0900 until 1400 and sell a wide variety of
products including vegetables, flowers, clothes,
shoes, linen, pottery, arts and crafts from local
artists, domestic goods, carpets and jewellery.
Centro Plaza in Puerto Banus every Saturday.  
34
Making payments
Be aware that often you have to pay quite a high
commission when you take out money from a cash
machine, better collect the money at the bank.
Credit cards are widely accepted in Spain.
Cheques are not. The currency is the euro
although everywhere you go you will find people
still talking in pesetas and then trying to
convert to euros. When you withdraw money from
the bank try not to let them give you 500 euro
notes as most shops refuse to accept them.
Visitors can claim back the IVA (VAT) added to
all purchases except food, drink, motor vehicles,
and medicines.  
35
Useful phone numbers and addresses
Local PoliceEmergency Tel. 1092Monda 952 45
01 38 / 699 420 719 Police Emergency 062 /952 45
01 38 Marbella Juan de la Cierva, s/n / Tel. 9
52.899.900San Pedro Marqués de Estella, s/n /
Tel. 952.783.099 / 316Benahavís Av. Andalucía,
2 / Tel. 952.855.544 / 609.520.404
National PoliceEmergency Tel. 1091Av. Arias
de Velasco, 25 / Tel. 952.762.600
Fire BrigadeEmergency Tel. 952.774.349Centr
alita Tel. 952.772.112 Red CrossServicio T
errestre Tel. 952.774.534Servicio Marítimo
Tel. 952.859.034 Medical EmergencyEmergency
Tel. 1061 Helicopteros Sanitarios (Servicio
Médico 24 h) Tel. 952.811.818