Hiking in Sierra Blanca: Challenging Pico de la Concha

It was a beautiful Sunday morning in December on the Costa del Sol, when my colleague and a dear friend Gina called and asked if I would like to join for a small walk. Without doubting one second, I agreed to go.

Little did I know, that this “small walk” would take us to Pico de la Concha, one of the highest peaks of Sierra Blanca. 3 hours up, 2 hours down.

Sierra Blanca is the mountain decorating the landscape of Marbella on the Costa del Sol in Spain. If you happen to be around and would like to have some sporty activities in the stunning landscape as a change from crowded beaches and touristy city life, a hiking trip up the mountain is not a bad option.

There are many hiking routes at Sierra Blanca and the difficulty varies quite a lot. The 11 km route of La Concha is not the easiest one, so if you are travelling with kids, you might want to choose a little bit shorter and easier track.

A story tells that La Concha got its’ name because it looks like an inverted shell. The Spanish word ‘la concha’ has several meanings, of which some are not suitable for this blog, but one of the meanings is “a shell”.

Pico de la Concha reaches the height of 1,215 meters and the views over the Costa del Sol are absolutely breathtaking. On the way you have a chance to admire some olive trees, the snowy peaks of Sierra Nevada and if you are lucky, also some local wild animals.

On a clear day, you might be able to see Gibraltar and perhaps even the coast of Africa, from the top of La Concha. Even if the weather is a bit cloudy or foggy, you are guaranteed to enjoy the views of Mediterranean Sea sparkling in the sun and the city of Marbella.

What a fantastic place for a lunch break!

Going down was definitely a lot easier than going up. We got so excited about our little hiking trip, that the next Sunday we headed for another track, called Istán-Marbella.

Have you been hiking in Sierra Blanca? What trails would you recommend for an active holiday on the Costa del Sol?

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