Whether you are settled on the coast permanently or here just for a few months to escape the UK winter blues you will need friends! Some people just head down to the nearest bar and within a couple of hours have acquired a brand new set of friends!
However after the initial rush has worn of you may find that some of your instantly acquired best buddies are rather boring-or worse-dodgy (what….dodgy geezers on the Costa del Sol never!).
But as a good back-up to the bar fly saga you could try joining a few clubs and societies and meet some like minded people. The coast is brimming with clubs!
Golf Clubs
The golf club is the obvious place to start. We are over endowed with golf clubs here so you won’t have to go far! Some are more exclusive than others and there are municipal courses around as well which can be a more reasonable option and will also give you more of a chance to meet genuine local people rather than the expats and holiday makers who make most of the crowd at some clubs.
Football Clubs
Football clubs and cycling clubs are to be found in even the smallest villages due to national fanaticism about these two particular sports. There are even British only teams in the local Marbella league!
Horse Riding Clubs
Horses are another Andaluz obsession and “Asociación amigos de caballos” abound .These clubs arrange group rides into the countryside, equestrian exhibitions and social barbecue type days.
Tennis and Cricket
Good tennis clubs are all along the coast and Malaga has a cricket club for those essential Sunday afternoons on the green!
Don’t despair if sport isn’t your thing there is a range of more sedentary type activities too!
Let’s give a run through first;
- jazz appreciation societies
sliming clubs
choirs and orchestras
gardening clubs
university of the third age
theatre and acting societies
poker clubs
photographic clubs
language and language exchange clubs
and just plain no nonsense social clubs!
These latter clubs are a good place to start.
The International Club of Estepona (ICE) is in the Bahia Dorado urbanisation near Estepona and offers friendship, classes, trips, parties and good food. Torremolinos and Fuengirola also have well established social clubs.
The American Club of the Costa del Sol has lots of branches and there is even a good old British Association in Marbella (remnants of the Empire!)
Theatre clubs are very big on the coast and everybody gets dragged along to see at least one amateur production during their time here. Great fun! There is Thespa; the English Speaking Players Association which meets in Fuengirola and TAPAS meets in Alhaurin el Grande. TAPAS puts on several productions a year.
Charity clubs are a very useful way to spend your free time. There are numerous animal rescue charities which raise money to rescue and house abandoned dogs, cats, and horses.
This is less of a problem than it used to be but you still see heartbreaking sights in every town, especially after the summer when puppies get dumped after the long hols. Clubs like The Lions can be found in Marbella and, of course Gibraltar!
Lots of good causes are tackled.
Finally back to the more Spanish clubs – every population in Spain has its “asociación de mujeres” more or less like the WI. All sorts of cultural activities are arranged, dancing, singing, traditional cooking, IT-and you can pick-up Spanish at the same time!
The APAs or PTA s of the local schools are also a great place to make local friends.
