Sotogrande

sotogrande represents sophistication and tranquillity. Located in the San Roque municipal area, it is only 15 minutes from Gibraltar Airport and one hour from Málaga International.

Sotogrande is one of the most prestigious residential developments in Europe. Thanks to its privacy, the luxurious architecture and the discrete lifestyle, it has been the chosen holiday destination of many well-known celebrities and sports personalities.

Sotogrande is known as a luxury resort destination, but unlike some, it also offers space, open views and being surrounded by gorgeous scenery. With not only miles of sandy beaches, leafy residential areas and some of the most renowned golf courses in Europe, but also open countryside and protected nature.

Areas/Zones

Sotogrande has grown considerably over the years and is split into several zones and areas, which you’ll find below. A quick way to identify which Zone is which, is to look at the street names. For example, all the roads in the Zone A start with the letter A, Zone B roads start with the letter B, while the streets in the Kings & Queens area are named after Spanish Kings & Queens.

Sotogrande Marina
This waterfront location is like a little Venice with its bridges crossing the waterways. This area is the social hub of Sotogrande and contains lots of luxury apartments. It also hosts Sotogrande’s, Sunday Market. This waterside enclave is one of the most prestigious marinas in Spain and has an eclectic mix of restaurants and bars to suit all tastes. The Marina boasts 1382 berths, but tying up your yacht here won’t come cheap with some of the most expensive mooring costs in Europe.
Sotogrande Costa – Kings and Queens area
This is one of the original parts of Sotogrande and is a spacious, leafy area, with many beautiful villas lining the streets. Here you’ll find a tennis club and Real Club de Golf Sotogrande. The properties in this area range from traditional Andalucian villas, to multi-million euro contemporary mansions. Open most of the year and sitting directly on the shoreline, you’ll find Bunker Beach Club. This beach bar is a great place to enjoy a cold drink, amazing Mediterranean cuisine and some stunning views of Africa and the Rock of Gibraltar.
Sotogrande Costa Central
This is where Sotogrande’s main commercial area, Galerias Paniagua, is. You’ll find lots of restaurants, businesses and supermarkets here. It is one of the oldest areas in Sotogrande and includes all of Zone A and Zone B. For a super healthy breakfast or lunch, ‘The Petit Bistro’ is the pick of the bunch with friendly staff and great food. Running parallel to the A7 road you’ll find Centro Commercial Sotomarket, home to a private medical centre and two supermarkets, ‘SuperCor’ and ‘Mercadona’.
Sotogrande Alto
The Alto area is on the other side of the main road (A7) and contains a mix of property types including townhouses, apartments and high-end villas. It’s also home to the Sotogrande Equestrian Centre, the NH Hotel, the Centre Comercial Mar y Sol, the Almenara Hotel & Spa, and the Valderrama golf course. This area includes all of Zone C, Zone D and F.
La Reserva de Sotogrande
This is one of the newest developments in Sotogrande and is a gated residential community set on 400 hectares of land, surrounding the exclusive La Reserva Club. Here, you find high-end apartments, townhouses and villas surrounded beautifully by nature. La Reserva offers it’s residents private access to an 18 hole golf course, a tennis centre and a luxury inland beach club with a stunning freshwater lagoon. Sitting on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean sea, this country-style family club is surrounded by stunning Spanish landscape.

Attractions

The Beach @ La Reserva Club Sotogrande
The first country club to bring the beach to the hills with a complete offering of exclusive amenities for the entire family. At The Beach, La Reserva Club de Sotogrande offers the ultimate and first of a kind environment in which to relax, socialise, dine and soak up the sultry summer ambience in a lagoon setting made for memorable experiences. With an adults pool, restaurant and sports lagoon there is plenty to do to pass the hours away.
Zoo de Castellar
A completely unique and beautiful concept, The Castellar Zoo is an animal rescue centre. It was started in the year 1998 and was opened in 2002. The main aim of the zoo is to aid animals which were seized by the authorities. The zoo provides a safe haven for animals that were the victims of the black market and who were mistreated and uncared for.
Visit Torreguadiaro
A village located on the coast just to the east of Sotogrande. It is a modest little town that has become well known for its beaches, charming cafes and beautiful views.
The Santa Maria Polo Club
The Santa Maria Polo Club is among the best facilities of its kind in Europe. Each year, thousands of visitors descend on the club to watch the finest players in the world compete for the main prize.
Baños de la Hedionda
Experience ancient baths in the middle of nature. The bath is in a white building near a stream where you can bathe in the water and scrub yourself with natural mud.

At the Beach

Sotogrande’s marina has beautiful pedestrian pathways filled with trendy boutiques, boating shops, restaurants, elegant bars, and an ice cream parlour. Built in the late 70s, this marina has become iconic on the coast and offers all the facilities one expects when docking a boat. Sotogrande is not known for intense nightlife. Instead, relaxed, classy bars are in abundance. Many residents and tourists alike enjoy long sumptuous dinners and drinks in the marina.

Next to the marina is one of Sotogrande’s beaches. This beach is stunning and tranquil but be warned – there is virtually no shade or chiringuitos. However Sotogrande’s coast has very varied beaches, all charming in their own way.

Sotogrande’s 12kms of beaches are located close to where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, making the temperature of the sea slightly cooler than the further east along the Costa del Sol. A great prospect at the height of the sizzling Spanish summer!

  • La Cala Chullera: Located at the bottom of the Chullera tower and divided into 2 halves by rocks. It’s sandy, good for diving and fishing.
  • El Cucurucho: A popular family beach good for sunbathing and water sports, with great views of Gibraltar and the marina. With plenty of facilities; sunbeds, swimming pools, bars and a restaurant. It attracts a younger crowd and it’s the favourite beach destination for visiting celebrities who can quite often be seen strolling along the sand.
  • Cala Manilva: Small and fairly rocking seabed, so it’s good for snorkelling.
  • Rada beach: The most popular beach in Estepona, centrally located just a few minutes from the port.
  • San Diego Beach: Situated between the San Diego Urbanisation and the N340, yet on the other side there is a lovely aspect of trees, plus it has lovely soft sand.
  • El Cabrero: Located on the edge of Torreguadiaro with dark sand and a few small stones. It has a lovely view of Sotogrande port.
  • Playa del Puerto Beach: One of Sotogrande’s prettiest beaches located in the port, it has fine grey sand, serving one of the area’s most prestigious developments.

Sports

Sotogrande has it all. Although famous for its golf courses and polo fields, tennis, paddle, and sailing are also in abundance. Sotogrande can offer golf fanatics two of the best courses in Europe (see above) as well as Almenara, a 27-hole course beautiful designed by Dave Thomas, and La Reserva, an 18 hole testing layout by Cabell B. Robinson. Sotogrande is also a paradise for polo lovers. The Santa María Polo Club and the Ayala Polo Club are some of the most established in Sotogrande.