Day Tripper

Xara, a female gorilla, reclines lazily in the tall grass, only centimeters away. Crouch down a bit and you can gaze directly into her astonishingly soulful eyes. Later, a dozen curious ring-tailed lemurs surround you; they're so close that some even reach out their small, dexterous hands to touch the sleeve of your T shirt. This is not some remote African campsite but the town of Fuengirola, on Spain's densely developed, tourist-packed Costa del Sol. Once you've achieved the perfect sunburn and eaten your body weight in ice cream, head for Fuengirola Zoo, where amazing encounters like these await you. The...