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Costa del Sol
Trip Planning & Itineraries
Strewn along the seaboard from Málaga almost to Gibraltar, the Costa del Sol stretches like a wall of wedding cakes. Its recipe for success is sunshine, convenient beaches (of gray-brown sand), warm sea, cheap package deals and plenty of nightlife and entertainment.
Spain's Costa del Sol is great for sport lovers, with nearly 40 golf clubs, several busy marinas, tennis courts, riding schools, swimming pools, gyms and beaches offering every imaginable water sport. In July and August it's a very good idea to ring ahead for a room. Outside these peak months, many room rates drop sharply.
Best of Costa del Sol: Top 3 Must-Do Experiences
Best of Costa del Sol: Suggested Itineraries
Stretching along just over 150 kilometres of Malaga province, the Costa del Sol is one of Spain's most popular tourist destinations. It has a great climate year round, excellent beaches and pretty villages, although those along the coast itself have, since the 1950s, mushroomed into crowded holiday resorts. In the midst of it all though, lovely old towns survive, and a trip inland deeper into Andalucia rewards with pretty villages and great scenery. If you love tourist attractions, plenty of nightlife and beaches full of people, head for Malaga and western Costa del Sol; if you prefer a slightly quieter time go east of Malaga where the coastline is less spoiled by tourism. And of course, any trip to Spain would not be complete without eating tapas, watching flamenco dancing, or possibly attending a bullfight.
Day 1: Malaga and the western Costa del Sol
The most famous part of the Costa del Sol is that stretch of coast west of Malaga. Malaga itself houses the Picasso Museum, opened in 2003, making it more than just a beach resort.
Head west and you'll find Marbella, Torremolinos and Fuengirola, towns well developed for the tourist trade with plenty of sand, nightlife and entertainment. Torremolinos began it all back in the 1950s and is a bit of a high-rise jungle of holiday apartments. But it does have the widest and longest beaches on the coast and is also very children friendly. Sea Life Aquarium includes shark feeding and Tivoli World is the costa's biggest amusement park. For nightlife, the huge club Fun Beach at the marina Puerto Doportivo attracts revellers from all along the coast.
A little way along the coast, Fuengirola is a crowded family friendly town with a small old town of narrow streets near the beach. Marbella is the coast's glossiest resort. It has retained a pretty pedestrianised old town with a 16th century town hall. It also has good museums: Museo del Grabado Espanol Contemporaneo and the Museo Bonsai exhibiting Japanese art of miniature trees. To see the how the rich spend their holidays afloat, visit the Puerto Banus marina. Estepona is small town further along the coast which has controlled development and remained a pretty seaside town. The streets are steep but the authentic tapas is worth the climb. Nearby is Selwo Aventura, a wildlife park with over 200 exotic species. At the far west of the Costa is Alcaidesa, a village protected by a strict architectural code. It also has a spectacular golf course and great views to Gibraltar. If you need a break from the beach, take a day to go shopping in Gibraltar - a little piece of England, with tax free prices.
Day 2: East of Malaga and Inland Andalucia
The less developed part of the Costa del Sol stretches each of Malaga. The pick of towns here is Nerja at the eastern end of the Costa del Sol. Almost unspoiled since its days as a fishing village, it has a wonderfully clean beach and is backed by the dramatic Sierra Almijara mountains. For wonderful views of the Mediterranean, head for Nerja's spectacular Balcon de Europa, the "Balcony of Europe", a magnificent promenade along the edge of a towering cliff. Just out of town are famous caves, Cueva de Nerja. There are paintings over 20,000 years old and other pre-historic remains. One cave has been transformed into a concert hall. This year Nerja is celebrating the 50th International Cave Festival.
Away from the coast Andalucia also has much to offer. Pretty little towns like Mijas have lots of craft shops and restaurants in their historic centers, with wonderful views over the sea from mountainous perches. Casares is definitely worth a visit, a lovely white sugar cube town with a medieval fortress overseeing it, you'll find good places to sit and have a drink in the main square, Plaza de Espana. Ronda is located amongst mountainous gorges and has a bullfighting museum. Or head for one of the bigger towns: Granada or Seville. In Granada, visit the Moorish Alhambra Palace, one of the most beautiful architectural marvels in the world. Seville retains much of its Roman and Muslim past in the old Santa Cruz district and also has the largest cathedral in Spain. Cordoba is another fascinating ancient town which used to be capital of Moorish Spain.
Day 3: Further afield: Morocco
One of the great things about the Costa del Sol is its proximity to other fascinating countries and cultures. Africa is just a short hop away across the Mediterranean. Take a trip to Tangier in Morocco - only an hour by fast catamaran. Visit the incredible bazaars and explore the old quarter: the Medina. Or take a longer look at Morocco and visit the cities of Rabat, Fez and Meknes over four days, exploring the history, culture and spectacular architecture of this eye opening country. If you have a little longer, venture to Marrakech and Casablanca as well.
When you have to leave the Costa del Sol, visit Toledo on your way to Madrid. This beautiful fortified medieval city promises to stay in your memory for a very long time.
Best of Costa del Sol: Top 3 Hotels
From USD $103.97
Granada tour of Alhambra & Generalife
Travel to Granada and visit the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of The Alhambra and the gardens of the Generalife.
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