Spanish Life
Two killed in Marbella Hotel Horror
Two men were killed this morning in a well known Marbella hotel, in what appears to be a tragic accident. One victim fell from the seventh floor balcony of the Gran Melia Don Pepe and landed on the second man, who was drinking on the terrace below. Emergency services were alerted to the accident…
Woman detained after hit and run tragedy
A woman was been detained following the hit and run death of Marbella sportsman Mario Zumaquero on Sunday. The 44-year-old was struck by a vehicle at approximately 6.50am on Sunday as he cycled on the A-7 close to Diana Park. The driver failed to stop at the scene and although witnesses quickly called the emergency services, they were unable to save Zumaquero. The accident provoked outrage…
British Embassy to hold Facebook Q&A this Wednesday on new residency document for UK nationals
The Spanish Government has launched a new residency document for UK nationals who are protected by the Withdrawal Agreement – the Tarjeta de identidad de extranjero or TIE. This means some changes to the appointments process and that anyone registering from now on will be issued with the biometric TIE card, rather than the current green paper document. Spain is one of the first EU countries…
Police seek driver after fatal hit-and-run
Well-known Marbella cyclist Mario Zumaquero was killed in a hit-and-run accident on Sunday morning. Zumaquero (pictured) was training at 6.40am when he was struck by what is believed to be a Mercedes. The accident happened at km 167 on the A7, close to Diana Park. Several witnesses saw the car strike Zumaquero without stopping. The emergency services were quickly on the scene but were unable…
Something for the Weekend? ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ by Delia Owens
Alicia Duggan of The Bookshop with her latest review. This beautifully written debut novel by Delia Owens is part murder mystery, part coming of age novel but mostly a story of survival and hope. Kya lives in the marshlands of North Carolina. When she is six her mother walks out on the family leaving Kya with her brother, who leaves soon after, and her alcoholic and often violent father who…
England scraps quarantine for arrivals from Spain
Travellers from more than 50 countries including France, Italy and Spain can stop self-isolating on arrival in England from July 10, the UK government has confirmed. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will each announce their own separate rules depending on how they work in England. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the change, which reverses a two-week quarantine policy imposed in June,…
Marbella increases grant to Triple A
Marbella animal charity Triple A finally has reason to celebrate Marbella Town Hall this week reinforced its commitment to Triple A with an annual grant of 80,000 euros, and also announced a project to update the facilities. Mayor Ángeles Muñoz signed the annual collaboration agreement with the president of the group, Bettina Pietsch, on Tuesday. This increases aid for maintenance expenses by…
Marbella launches real time app for beaches
Marbella Town Hall has launched PlayasApp, a real time App that lets the public know the occupancy of the municipality's beaches. Marbella's 27 kilometres of coastline are home to 26 beaches totaling430,000 square metres. Under the new social distancing guidelines, the total capacity allowed is 85,000 people, and the new app will advise you on the occupancy of each beach, as well as local…
UK set to give green light to Spanish holidays on Monday
Brace yourselves. It looks like, this time, the British really are coming! Britons will be able to go on summer holidays abroad as the UK government prepares to announce that people travelling to certain countries will no longer be required to self-isolate for 14 days upon returning to the UK. Ministers are poised to clear the way for trips to France, Greece and Spain after confirming the…
Coronavirus – Over 3000 penalties issued in Marbella during State of Alarm
Marbella handed out over 3000 penalties for breaches of the State of Alarm. That was the finding of the final meeting of Marbella's Security Coordination Commission for Covid-19. The Commission highlighted that breaches during the confinement resulted in 3,200 penalties being issued, and that local police and fire officials carried out more than 13,000 interventions. There were also almost…
No Juan’s Land
One of the biggest nights of the summer has been cancelled this year. Noche de San Juan is traditionally held on the evening of June 23, when leaping over bonfires on the beach and taking your first dip in the sea, while dressed in white, is meant to absolve you of your sins. The purifying nature of the festival has been somewhat neglected over the past few years, with recent celebrations…
Sunday Morning Mutterings – The lighter side of Lockdown
By the time you read this, Spain will have bravely stepped into the ‘New Normal’. To be honest, I have had enough trouble adjusting to the ‘Old Normal’ since the mid-80s, but I blame that on moving from Stoke-on-Trent to Marbella without a suitable quarantine period. Although the lockdown period did impose significant restrictions on each and every one of us, there were some lighter moments.…
It’s the Wheel Deal for San Pedro!
Look out London Eye. Marbella has plans to erect its own observation wheel - not on the South Bank but in San Pedro. The revolutionary tourist attraction was announced on Thursday by Marbella Town Hall. At 50 metres height and with 30 viewing cabins, the wheel will be located on the western end of the Boulevard San Pedro. Due to open next summer, Marbella Mayor Angeles Muñoz, explained that…
Quarantine Quarrel puts Brakes on Brits
Don't pack your bags just yet. Spain may be opening its borders to international tourists on June 21, but British tourists may be forced to quarantine for 14 days on arrival. The impasse comes after Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha González Laya told the BBC that the government was considering maintaining a quarantine period if the British government did not lift the same requirement for…
The British are coming! Spain to open borders to tourists from June 21
It's a small glimmer of hope for summer 2020 in Marbella The British Embassy in Madrid today confirmed that UK tourists will be among those permitted to enter Spanish borders from June 21 After a video conference with the autonomous regions on Sunday (pictured), Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced that it would reopen its borders to most European visitors from June 21, 10 days earlier than…
Sunday Morning Mutterings – It Matters
I didn't watch the video. I didn't need to. The image of George Floyd being 'restrained' was enough. Social Media has fulfilled Marshal McLuhan's prophesy of a Global Village and in recent monts the Internet has been full of videos and photos of black men being killed – for jogging, for reaching for their wallets – for a myriad of reasons. So I knew at once how the video would end. But the…
Staycation Style
If the summer season 2020 is going to remembered for one good thing, it may be for the rise of the "Staycation" As Spain heads into the 'New Normal', the UK still insisting on a two week quarantine for anyone visiting, and no sign of any deal being agreed for UK tourists to be allowed to visit Spain without having to isolate for 14 days, many hotels are looking to the Staycation market -…
Will Spain bar Brits?
Spain may be opening up for foreign tourists from July 1, but at the moment that doesn't include the UK. Discussions for setting up so called 'travel corridors' for British holidaymakers have yet to be scheduled according to the Spanish Foreign Ministry. The bombshell for Brits came as officials said that they were planning on opening up resorts on the Balearic Islands to nearly 11,000 German…
Masks for Marbs
Fashionistas can forget evening dresses or that little black number. It looks like the de rigueur fashion item for summer 2020 in Marbella will be a mask. This fashion heads-up comes after the government said yesterday that face masks will be compulsory in Spain until a coronavirus vaccine is found, with police empowered to hand out fines for non-compliance. Health Minister Salvador Illa…
BREAKING NEWS – Marbella to move to Phase 3 on Monday
Get your motors running and head out on the highway. As long as you stay within the boundaries of Andalucia. The whole province, including Granada and Malaga, will move to Phase 3 on Monday, it was confirmed today. Phase 3 allows movement between provinces, which means that yes, you WILL be allowed to go to Tarifa. Other points include The timetables for taking walks and exercise no…
Search for missing Marbella man continues
The search is still on for missing Marbella man Ruben Cobo Chinchilla. The 38-year-old has not been seen since Tuesday. Ruben is 1.80 m, with an athletic build, green eyes, tattoos and close croped hair. He was last seen on his black scooter , registration 7474 KCM Anyone with information should contact 112, mobiles 642650775 or 649952957 or email sosdesaparecidos@sosdesaparecidos.es.