Well, we were. After a good but long, hot summer we were ready for a little break – one that would take us away from crowds, traffic jams and the stresses of work. A lot of people, including those that fly down to Spain for their holidays, say they want to get away from the rat-race, only to end up in a different kind of one. Perhaps it’s the advantage we have in living here that we can firstly call Marbella crowded and stressful, and secondly find our way to beautiful out-of-the-way spots within a few hours of our own doorstep.

Normally, beach holidays are not our thing. In fact, most holidays will see us soaking up a little culture and excitement in a major city or alternatively heading into the mountains for a weekend retreat from modern life. After a summer of dodging the heat, however, the idea of lazing on the beach sounded just right, and where better to do it than the sandy shores of Spain’s southern Atlantic coastline. (more…)

The jeep has come a long way from the simple utility vehicle it once was. The original army jeep, and the early commercial models that followed it, may have been crude and devoid of any comfort, but it was meant to be a workhorse that could go anywhere, not a luxury car. This very clear division of labour was shattered in 1970 with the introduction of the Range Rover. Every bit as revolutionary as the original American Jeep, it was the first to combine luxury and true off-road capability.

For years, the Range Rover stood alone as the ‘Rolls Royce of four-wheel drives’, while the likes of Toyota, Fiat and even Mercedes continued to build conventional, truck-like jeeps. That is, until the early 90s, when a more pampered clientele made the switch and turned the humble jeep into a must-have status symbol. Manufacturers quickly responded to the executives and housewives who had embraced all-wheel drive, and started producing off-roads that were comfortable, opulent and above all, easy to drive. (more…)

Situated about half an hour’s drive west of Marbella, Sotogrande is an exclusive residential area enveloped by both natural greenery and the broad fairways of internationally renowned golf courses such as Valderrama and the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande.

Sotogrande is unique in this region not only for its scale but also for the fact that its development is guided by a single master plan. This rather more American approach of developing one large and spacious resort and residential area is not a coincidence, for Sotogrande is the brainchild of Colonel Joseph McMicking, whose dream it was to create an exclusive resort of international standing here. (more…)

In an issue dedicated to Italy we could not ignore the most famous maker of luxury sports cars in the world. After all, the very name Ferrari is synonymous with speed, power and beauty.

To many, Ferrari’s are the stuff young dreams are made of. Ask an ambitious young man to describe his ultimate goals and they could often best be summed up in the form of a gleaming red bolide from the scuderia in Maranello, for Ferraris symbolise success, ambition and dynamism. These cars simply are brio on wheels. The recently opened Ferrari World in Dubai is a living testament to that.

While lovers of classic cars may debate the merits of different models and eras, the Man of the Moment knows exactly what he wants: a brand new flaming red Ferrari. This means that the latest offering from Maranello is always hotly desired and intensely anticipated, making the launch of a new model just about the biggest news in the motoring world. (more…)