The 47th edition of the Volvo World Match Play Championship takes place in the spectacular setting of Finca Cortesin

Costa del Sol, Costa del Golf… and true to its name, the Coast is hosting the only match play event to be held in Europe this season – and one of the most prestigious of tournaments. Just outside Casares, roughly midway between Marbella and Sotogrande, Finca Cortesin has been the home of the Volvo World Match Play Championship since 2009. This year, for the first time in the tournament’s history, not only will half the field be US PGA Tour members, but it’s also the first time that three Spanish players have qualified for the Championship…

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Whatever you might have been thinking of doing this weekend, put it on hold, ‘cos on Saturday 12 May it’s Málaga’s inimitable Noche en Blanco, when the city will entertain you all night long – and all for free, with more than 150 different things to do, places to visit and people to see…

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Only a short drive from the Costa del Sol, Gibraltar’s first ever Fashion Week takes place on The Rock from 19 to 21 April, with a 3-day lineup of exhibitions in the Casemates Galleries plus runway shows in the Tercentenary Hall Courtyard.

Attracting a full house of international fashion buyers, industry movers and shakers and of course socialites and the press, the event is also open to the general public.

Originally scheduled to be opened by Emmanuel Ray, due to ill health it’s now uncertain whether or not the 2011 Fashion Icon of the Year will be well enough to cut the ceremonial ribbon. But with or without him, fashionistas will be delighted to know there’s still an impressive array of designers – both national and international, couture and affordable ready-to-wear – showcasing their autumn/winter 2012/13 collections.

With designers flying in from London, Colombia, Florida and Canada, as well as no shortage of home-grown talent, there’ll be up-to-the-minute collections for women, men and children, plus bohemian vintage and recycled eco fashion, as well as shoes, bags, scarves, jewellery, hair accessories, belts and designer chocolate.

Something for everyone, then!

Advance tickets (costing £10 each) can be purchased online and from Gibraltar Arts & Crafts Shop, T: 350 200 73865. Tickets (£25 each) will also be on sale at the door.

If history is your thing, then you absolutely won’t want to miss the Romanorum Vita exhibition, which opens in Málaga on 24 April and runs until 14 June. Faithfully recreating daily life in a Roman city – and Málaga, or Malaca as it was then known was an integral part of the Roman Empire for more than 200 hundred years – with its life-size Roman villa and street, plus all the authentic sights, sounds and smells of the eating places, laundries, bakeries and public baths, Romanorum Vita is a whole lot more than merely another museum piece…

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Spain’s top tribute band, The Pink Tones – formed in Madrid in 2003 by Álvaro Espinosa, guitar, vocals and theremin; Antonio Fernández, drums and percussion; Nacho Aparicio, keyboard; Cefe Fernández, bass guitar and vocals; and Pipo Rodríguez, sax, guitar and vocals – bring their fabulous ‘Pink Floyd Show 2012’ to Málaga this Saturday where they’ll be playing live at the city’s Sala Paris 15.

Among their sets the Pink Tones will be performing some of Pink Floyd’s greatest hits including Another brick in the wall, Echoes, Shine on you crazy diamond, Money, Atom heart mother, A saucerful of secrets, Coming back to life, Sorrow and more…

The Pink Tones performing at Joy, Madrid

And with lasers, smoke, 4-metre tall inflatable figures, Moog synthesizers and all the other paraphernalia that fans of the legendary British band have come to expect, you’ll be thoroughly immersed for more than 2 hours in ‘the echo of a distant tide’.

Tickets (€22.50 & €55 apiece) are available from El Corte Inglés, Sala Paris 15 and TicketMaster

Sala Paris 15, C/ La Orotava 25 & 27, Polígono San Luis, Málaga

T. 952 038 626

Gig begins at 10pm; doors open at 9pm. Ticket holders must be over 16.

Wondering what to do this weekend? Then how about joining in one of the world’s most spectacular of Carnivals? Right up there with the likes of Rio de Janeiro, New Orleans. Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and, of course, Notting Hill, the Cádiz Carnival is one of the world’s best, and it’s also the biggest and most extravagant anywhere in mainland Spain. It’s only around a 2-hour drive from Marbella. Tempted? Then read on…

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Cats and Withoos: Falling model, Venice

Just eight weeks on from its inaugural ‘Identity’ exhibition, the Red Penguin Gallery’s latest offering – ‘Carnival of the Artists’ – takes its inspiration from the Venice Carnival and runs from 15 February – 21 March.

A visual feast loosely focused on the themes of Carnival, circus, parties and Venice…

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Ever since the CAC Málaga first opened its doors back in 2003, one of its greatest ambitions has been to showcase the works of acclaimed South African artist William Kentridge. So prolific that he seems to be everywhere, major showcases have included the Louvre and New York’s MOMA, while he’s also directed operas at the Scala de Milan and the Big Apple’s Met as well as projecting videos in Venice and at the Cannes Festival. But like they say, all good things come to he who waits, and nine years on, Málaga’s renowned Centre of Contemporary Art at last gets its wish…

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Red Bull's RB8 unveiled at the Jerez Racetrack

Wish I could have posted this on the VIVA blog sooner, but I only found about it today when I was browsing Spanish daily El Mundo while tucking into my lunchtime sandwich.

Better late than never though, because from Tuesday 7 February until Friday 10 February, eleven of the grid’s twelve F1 teams are putting their all-new, lean, mean, racing machines through their paces at the pre-season testing ground in Jerez, ahead of the first fixture on the calendar which takes place in Australia on 18 March. And as most of Europe seems to be blanketed in ice and snow, they couldn’t have chosen a better place…

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One of the many truly amazing things about living on – or visiting – the Costa del Sol, is that it’s one of only a handful of places around the world where in winter you can snowboard or ski on snowy slopes in the morning… and chill out on the beach or by the pool in the afternoon! Yep, it’s only a 2-hour drive to the Sierra Nevada where this Saturday – 28 January – around 50 of the best national and European riders will be taking part in the Bond Sulayr Show 2012, celebrating the opening of the new halfpipe billed as this season’s major attraction at the Snowpark Sulayr.

Measuring 165 metres long, 18 metres wide and with an inclination of 35%, it’s the biggest halfpipe in Spain and will be hosting various official tournaments and competitions, including the Snowboard Junior World Championships taking place in March of this year.

The Snowpark Sulayr halfpipe

Weather permitting, the Bond Sulayr Show 2012 kicks off at 10am in the Montebajo area with various slope style expression sessions as well as a spectacular exhibition you definitely won’t want to miss.

If you haven’t been to the Sierra Nevada – Europe’s southernmost winter sports resort – then you haven’t lived! The main hub, Pradollano (2,100 metres above sea level), has a great alpine feel to it, with plenty of bars, restaurants, hotels, self-catering accommodation and sports and leisure activities, so why not make a weekend of it?

Pradollano - Europe's southernmost winter sports resort