Costa del Sol stay

I prefer to travel solo, so when Grand Circle Travel (Boston, MA; 800/221-2610 or www.gct.com) offered their “Classic Costa del Sol” program with no single supplement, I was hooked.

Some say Spain’s Costa del Sol is overdeveloped. I say it is perfect for mature travelers who are looking for an affordable, sunny vacation. For my 2-week trip in December ’04, I stayed in an oceanfront studio in Torremolinos. The kitchenette afforded me a simple but lovely dining experience (the area is known for fresh seafood), and every conceivable variety of foreign cuisine was available nearby.

Exploring wasn’t difficult. Local buses were cheap and simple to navigate. In nearby Málaga I visited the Pablo Picasso Museum. It’s not large and is certainly doable, with a lovely outdoor café and a great bookshop.

I also took a day trip to Gibraltar — fascinating. The Barbary apes were playfully hopping onto our van and onto our backs looking for treats. In St. Michael’s Cave, with stalactites and stalagmites, light shows are held. There’s also the pedestrian walk for shopping and perhaps lunch. It was a memorable day out.

The highlight of the trip was a day in Morocco. After being picked up at my hotel at 5:20 a.m., we all proceeded to the coast for a high-speed hydrofoil ride acrossed the Strait of Gibraltar to Tangier. We did the city tour, then a walking tour, which is where the excitement began as we haggled for unusual items in the Kasbah.

Visiting a carpet showroom was a hoot! Next stop was a perfumery, where cosmetics, lotions and spices were sold.

The boat ride back across the strait as the sun set provided one of those magic moments I will never forget.

I paid $800 plus taxes, a currency surcharge and add-on airfare from my local airport to JFK in New York — a bargain for two weeks in the sun in Spain. (In 2006, Grand Circle Travel’s 15-day “Classic Costa del Sol” trip starts at $1,195. — Editor)

WINNIE SCHALL BAFFA

Leland, NC