The bullfighter defeats his quarry, bows, and listens to the roar of the crowd as young ladies in pink throw wave after wave of embroidered kerchiefs down into the arena: This is authentic Spain, and this authenticity is at the heart of San Pedro de Alcantara. Situated west of Marbella in Andalucia's 'Costa del Sol', San Pedro de Alcantara, a centuries old town of 26,500, is known for the bullfight that marks the end of its October 'feria' as well as a number of other events and cultural signposts that have made it a preserve of traditional Spain. Located on a fertile plain that runs between Sierra la Blanca, Sierra Nieves and Sierra Bermeja, San Pedro de Alcantara's numerous fine dining establishments also sport cuisines that are highly regarded for their healthy and fresh ingredients as well as adherence to traditional recipes. A midsummer book fair and, as is to be expected of Spain's beautiful southern coast, upscale yachting scene even give both seasonal and yearlong residents a number of ways to spend the warm, bright, and gentle afternoons for which the Costa del Sol is known. When the number of idle hours that can be spent at San Pedro's sandy beaches are also taken into account, the comfort, charm, and even thrill of living in this town of bullfighters and Andalucian ladies becomes too much for an adventurous soul to resist.