Medical Emergency on the Costa del Sol Telephone 061

EMERGENCY NUMBERS
Costa del Sol Hospital
952 86 27 48

The main Hospital on the Costa del Sol is called Hospital Costa del Sol.

The Hospitals on the Costa del Sol are very, good. At their best they are the equal of any country in Europe. Spanish medical staff are highly trained and the major hospitals are equipped with the latest diagnostic equipment.Translators are on call, speaking a variety European languages. Many Doctors though speak English.

In addition to the main hospitals on the Costa del Sol, there are small cottage style clinics called ambulatorio. These are usually open 24hrs a day and can be found in most small towns. They are for the "walking wounded" they will put stitches in, change dressings and prescribe antibiotics and the like. There can be long waits as it is first come first serve with the more seriously injured and young children taking precedence.

It is deemed wise for visitors to the Costa del Sol to have holiday health insurance, especially if they aren't covered by a reciprocal health agreement. If you are from any of the E.U. Countries this is an automatic right. You will though need a form to prove your right to health care from their own country. If you come from the United Kingdom, a form E111 will guarantee you a fast and efficient service under the Spanish health service.

To summarize health care on the Costa del Sol is extremely good and most of the larger hospitals even provide translators for foreigners to help them.

There are private hospitals which generally are inferior to the state run hospitals on the Costa del Sol.

Requirement For Driving in Spain

Driving license, car document and insurance must be carried at all times around 25 to 50,000 pesetas should also be carried so that 'on the spot' fines can be paid. Cars can be confiscated if fine is not paid there and then
Seat belts are worn front and back at all times.
Spanish Speed limits:

120 km/h on motorways.
100 km/h on dual carriageways.
90 km/h on single carriageway roads.
50 km/h in towns.
Rules of the road

Drive on the right side of the road
Give way to the left.
Priority is to those already on a roundabout.
If there is a stop sign ...you MUST come to a stop.
Signposts

Signage is generally poor. 'Cambio de Sentido' indicates a a place where you can turn round and go the other way..

Toll Roads.

Malaga to Marbella - Marbella to Estepona

The tolls are reduced in the winter months.

Spanish Driving

Drivers are impatient. A Spanish will sound the horn if you delay a few seconds before starting at a green traffic light.
Never be hurried into moving off quickly at a green traffic light, there are frequently 2 or 3 cars that will jump the lights sometimes even juggernauts and busses.

Do not give way, as you would at home, it will not be appreciated and indeed may lead to misunderstanding which could in turn lead to an accident..

Do not use flashing headlights as an indication of you letting someone out. Spanish drivers use this to mean "Get out of the way... I am not stopping".

Under Spanish law, if you stop at a road to let a car out, or a pedestrian to cross if subsequently the person you indicated to cross had an accident they would be fully entitled to claim that you had given them clearance to move and you could be held liable for any damage or injury.

Motorcycles

Helmets are compulsory on motor bikes at all times. Contrary to what your eyes show you. If driving at night take great care for you will frequently see juveniles on mopeds without lights, or helmets. If you were unlucky enough to hit one of these *Cloaked* bikes the law would likely find against you as a foreigner


FROM MALAGA AIRPORT.
The train station is outside the international terminal. Take the lift in the arrivals hall up to the Departures hall. Walk outside onto the upper level parking area, and turn right. Follow the signs over the footbridge to the train station.malaga City
First train 07.15 then at 45 and 15 minutes past the hour. Last train 23.45 journey time 12 min.

To Fuengirola
First train 06.13 then at 43 and 13 minutes past the hour. Last train 22.43 journey time 29 min.

The train stops in every town and urbanization from malaga to Fuengirola



AIRLINES.
AIR EUROPE Tel: 952 245 606
AIR FRANCE Tel: 952 245 154
ALITALIA Tel: 952 245 214
AVIACO Tel: 952 230 863
BINTER Tel: 952 245 130
BRITISH AIRWAYS Tel: 952 230 623
FINNAIR Tel: 952 231 380
IBERIA Tel: 952 136 166
IBEROJET Tel: 952 240 723
KLM Tel: 952 230 812
KUWAIT AIRWAYS Tel: 952 242 851
LUFTHANSA Tel: 952 245 454
MALAGA GROUND SERVICE Tel: 952 235 028
OASIS Tel: 952 239 498
SABENA Tel: 952 245 714
S.A.R.T. Tel: 952 233 509
S.A.S. Tel: 952 240 268
SERVISAIR Tel: 952 231 954
SERVITOUR Tel: 952 234 871
SGL CORPORATION Tel: 952 234 336
SPANAIR Tel: 952 231 250
SWISSAIR Tel: 952 245 854
VIVA AIR Tel: 952 243 887


BEACH.
Playa de Carvajal


PLACES TO VIST.
Ronda Great place to visit. Doatana National Park Covers 75,000,000 hectares and is one of Europe's largest wetlands. Obviously out of the Costa del Sol but it is amazing. Tarifa Sun sand and WIND, one of the windiest places in Europe, great for wind and para-surfing as well as body boarding and surfing, the sand though can be really painful when picked up with the wind. Has the highest sand dunes in Europe. Sierra Nevada Mountain range near Granada where reasonable ski slopes are open when the weather permits, when there is little snow, the runs are maintained with a large number of snow cannon.

Hours

Perhaps because of the benign climate and the long hours of sunshine in Spain, Spaniards tend to get up later in the morning and stay out later at night than the rest of their European neighbours. Shops and businesses are usually opened from 9 or 9:30 am to 1:30pm and from 4:30 or 5pm to 8 or 8:30pm though it has become more and more common for businesses to stay open through the traditional "siesta" hours.

Business establishments are usually closed for a day and half per week, most often Saturday afternoon and Sunday, while many shops close only on Sunday. In tourist areas, in summer, business hours are often expanded to 10 or 11pm with stores open 7 days a week.

Restaurant hours are quite varied, with the norm being from 1:30 to 3:30pm for lunch and from 8:3' to 11 or 11:30pm for dinner. In summer, these hours are often expanded, with many establishments offering continuous service and still other serving food into the small hours of the night. Bars are usually open all day and close late at night.

In general, the nightlife in Spain is quite intense, and the bars and discotheques stay open long past midnight. In summer, they often stay open past 3 or 4 am. In big cities like Madrid and Barcelona, for example, there are many places that stay open until dawn, even in winter.

Pharmacies

Pharmacy hours are established by each town's City Hall, though such establishments are generally open from 9.30am to 2pm and from 4:30 to 8:00pm.

Besides this set schedule, however, a series of pharmacies are required to remain open on an "on call" basis as well. All pharmaceutical dispensaries provide a list of addresses of the establishments that are "on call" with the nearest ones clearly indicated. This list is also printed in the daily newspapers.

Banks

Bank offices are open for business from 8.30am to 2:30pm Monday through Saturday, except in the summer months when they are closed on Saturday. Some branch offices are open in the afternoon.