San Pedro de Alcántara
Encyclopedia
Costa del Sol
The Costa del Sol is a region in the south of Spain, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, comprising the coastal towns and communities along the Mediterranean coastline of the Málaga province. The Costa del Sol is situated between two lesser known costas: Costa de la Luz and Costa Tropical...
coastal road the N340/A7 as well as the new toll motorway the AP7, 10 km west of Marbella
Marbella
Marbella is a town in Andalusia, Spain. It is situated on the Mediterranean Sea, in the province of Málaga, beneath the La Concha mountain. In 2000 the city had 98,823 inhabitants, in 2004, 116,234, in 2010 approximately 135,000....
in Andalucia, Southern Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
It is easily accessed from either Málaga
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
or Cádiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
and via the C339 from Sevilla and Ronda
Ronda
Ronda is a city in Spanish province of Málaga. It is located about West from the city of Málaga, within the autonomous community of Andalusia. Its population is approximately 35,000 inhabitants.-History:...
. The nearest airports of Málaga
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
and Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
are both within an hour's drive.
It is situated in the fertile plain of the same name, Vega de San Pedro Alcántara, a broad stretch of coastal lowland surrounded in a semicircle by rugged hills. On the East the Sierra Blanca
Sierra Blanca
Sierra Blanca is a range of volcanic mountains in Lincoln and Otero counties of south-central New Mexico. The range is about from north to south and wide, and is dominated by Sierra Blanca Peak, whose highest point is at...
of Marbella
Marbella
Marbella is a town in Andalusia, Spain. It is situated on the Mediterranean Sea, in the province of Málaga, beneath the La Concha mountain. In 2000 the city had 98,823 inhabitants, in 2004, 116,234, in 2010 approximately 135,000....
, dominated by its highest peak Pico del Astonar (1.270 m.) better known locally as "La Concha
La Concha
The Crown Plaza Key West - La Concha, more commonly known as the La Concha, is a hotel and the tallest building in downtown Key West, Florida, United States. It was completed in 1926....
" (The Shell) because of its resemblance to a fluted sea shell when viewed from the west. To the North, there is the Sierra del Real or El Real del Duque, the Sierra de las Nieves
Sierra de las Nieves
The Sierra de las Nieves natural park is located in the hills behind Marbella and to the east of the road to Ronda from the Costa del Sol in Andalucia in Southern Spain....
and those of Tolox
Tolox
Tolox is a village and municipality in the province of Málaga, Andalusia, southern Spain. The municipality has a population of 2,317 . It is situated in the centre of the Sierra de las Nieves Nature Park, at the foot of Sierra Blanca and Sierra Parda. In addition to La Torrecilla Peak , there...
, on the West of the town the Monte Mayor and, finally, closing the mountain line the Sierra Bermeja
Sierra Bermeja
Sierra Bermeja is a mountain range in southwestern Puerto Rico. It covers the area from the Laguna Cartegena to the north, to the Caribbean Sea to the south. From the Boqueron Forest to the west, to La Parguera to the east. It consists of a combination of volcanic rocks, completely crossed by...
.
As you enter San Pedro, through the entrance arch from the Cádiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
direction, you find what is probably the most typical Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
town left on the Costa del Sol
Costa del Sol
The Costa del Sol is a region in the south of Spain, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, comprising the coastal towns and communities along the Mediterranean coastline of the Málaga province. The Costa del Sol is situated between two lesser known costas: Costa de la Luz and Costa Tropical...
, kept very clean with a central shopping area, quiet parks and squares and beautiful gardens. Turn right off the main road to the Nueva Alcántara area and you reach the very long, newly constructed promenade and the long, wide beaches, where there are many new developments taking shape.
Modern Culture
The culture of San Pedro reflects the greater regional culture of southern Spain. However, because of its location on a fertile plain, the local cuisine is rich and features greater use of abundant local crops.San Pedro has the last summer fair (feria) in Andalucia which takes place during the week of the 19th October,
and lasts four days. On the penultimate day of the fair, a bull fight is held in celebration of Iberian culture.
Traditionally, young debutante women who attend the bull fight wear pink blouses. If a bullfighter succeeds in quickly slaughtering a bull, the young women toss monogrammed handkerchiefs into the ring in the hopes that the bullfighter will call on them afterwards.
Unlike most modern Spanish bullfights where much of the meat from slaughtered bulls is donated to charity, the carcasses of bulls which are slain during this fight are cremated in a bonfire at the end of the day. This ritual mirrors the pagan ceremonies performed by ancient Iberians.