Ever since it became a centre of precision engineering, Switzerland has been synonymous with the highest standards of watch making. It is hardly surprising that the fastidious Swiss should have raised this sector to such high levels of precision and artistry, for as the ultimate perfectionists they have married design and technology to create a delicate art form.
What defines the overused word, iconic? In today’s devalued currency, where everything from a cheeseburger to an overpriced gown can be described as “awesome” and the full panoply of popular culture is “cool” it’s easy to be cynical. In the 1950s Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant were style icons; these days that epithet is awarded to Paris Hilton and David Beckham.
Every region has a city whose historic inheritance has shaped it into a centre of great beauty and interest. In the case of Andalusia, the crown in the jewel is most certainly Seville.
Lacking the more obvious charms of Granada’s fabulous Alhambra, Seville’s monumental cathedral, Córdoba’s eccentric mosque or Jerez’s famous horses, Málaga is regarded by some travel guides as less important than its more glamorous counterparts.
For those with fine cars these can be frustrating times – strict rules, heavy traffic and speed cameras make putting your foot down and enjoying your car complicated. The only solution is to have a racing track at your personal disposal.
When it was ‘discovered’ as an idyllic spot on the European map back in the 1950s and subsequently became the darling of well-to-do visitors from around the world, Marbella was little more than a humble little fishing village on Spain’s southern Mediterranean coast. The good fortune of being located in a particularly attractive part of this sunny coastline has gradually transformed Marbella into the lively modern resort town it is today.
