Area
MALAGA
Málaga is the biggest city on the Costa del Sol and the second biggest in Andalucia after Sevilla. The city has a little more than a half-million inhabitants. The city is an important tourist destination, and also big in sectors like construction and technology.
Malaga has a fantastic climate, with very mild winters and hot summers. Malaga enjoys plenty of sun, an average of about 300 days of sunshine and only about 40-50 rainy days.
Malaga has a beautiful old city centre, with a lot of tapas bars, good restaurants and shopping. The area around Calle Marques de Larios is a well-known shopping district. You can enjoy walking through the historic centre and visit some of the monuments such as the cathedral Nuestra Sueña de Encarnacion, Alcazaba or Castillo de Gilbrafaro. If you prefer museums, there are various famous museums like Museo Picasso, Centre Pompidou or Museo Carmen Thyssen.
Malaga is also known for their roofs terraces where you can enjoy the best views of the town.
You can enjoy a walk to the new "Muelle Uno" (Puerto de Malaga), full of popular restaurants and bars. On the other side, Malagueta leads you to a long beach promenade to Pedregalejo or el Palo.
If you like skiing, it only takes about an hour and a half by car to the little villages in the Sierra Nevada, at 2200 meters above sea level. It's an amazing contrast from the coast.
Málaga is for those of you who want a beautiful city where they can mix great shopping, culture, culinary experiences, entertainment while being very close to the beach and enjoying a great climate!
BENALMADENA
In Benalmadena, you can find everything you want. Marina, beach promenade, golf courses, picturesque mountain villages, parks, different attractions, and many bars and restaurants. You are never more than 15 minutes from the airport by car and have excellent bus and train connections. The Benalmadena municipality is divided into 3 main areas:
Arroyo de la Miel
Benalmadena Costa
Benalmadena Pueblo
Arroyo de la Miel is a small charming Spanish town. The local life goes on all year round, and you will find a lot of local Spanish shops, restaurants and tapas bars. You have the train station as well that will take you to the airport, Malaga or Fuengirola. The cost of the train is next to nothing. Here you also find the Tivoli World attraction park, which is very popular for all ages.
Benalmadena Costa is along the coastline. There are lots of beautiful areas close to the sea and amazing beaches. The port of Puerto Marina is the centre of this area. It has a lot of good restaurants, cafés, bars and lively nightlife. Parque de la Paloma is the largest park on the Costa del Sol, with fantastic areas to play, enjoy a picnic and walks in very green surroundings.
Benalmádena Pueblo is a more classic Andalusian whitewashed village. Here you will find lots of gastronomic restaurants on the winding car-free streets. You can enjoy the impressive panoramic views of the Mediterranean. A typical Spanish white village.
Benalmadena is for those of you who want to live close to everything. Just 15 minutes from Malaga or Fuengirola, the beach or Marina, golf courses and a wide choice of good restaurants. The connection by bus or train also makes it attractive.
FUENGIROLA
Fuengirola is a small town (around 80000 inhabitants) whose main attraction is the 8-kilometre long promenade by the sea with fine sandy beaches and many good quality restaurants, from international cuisine to local seafood restaurants. Here you will see a mix of Spanish, Scandinavians, British and other northern Europeans.
Since 2020 it's been considered a "Big Town" by the Spanish authorities.
Fuengirola is also a town with an international touch while still being very Spanish at the same time. Fuengirola has a nice, all year round buzz that suits all ages. Located only 20 minutes from the airport. It has good communication via train to the airport, Malaga city and if you want to continue to Marbella, there is a great bus service.
Fuengirola is divided in 3 parts, the center, los Boliches and Torreblanca/Carvajal. The centre and Los Boliches has a nice vibe and has a mini Malaga feel, with some narrow alleyways full of cozy restaurants, tapas bars, and small local shops. In Los Boliches, you will also find a Swedish school and a Finnish school in Los Pacos.
Torreblanca and Carvajal are a bit calmer, but you will still find a lot of good restaurants.
Fuengirola is good for those who want to be near everything, want a small town with a vibrant atmosphere for all ages. Good shopping, lots of tapas and good restaurants, beautiful beaches and culture and a Spanish atmosphere all year long.
MIJAS COSTA
Mijas is one of the largest municipalities in terms of land, making it the largest municipality on the Costa del Sol. It offers beautiful landscapes with several international golf courses and many horse farms with nice hiking trails.
Las Lagunas is the most Spanish district, and it sits together with the city of Fuengirola. On the coast, you will also enjoy the kilometre-long sandy beaches. The Mijas costa is between Fuengirola and Marbella.
Mijas Pueblo is a beautiful whitewashed village up in the mountain, with an unbeatable view of both the sea and the beautiful green surroundings. La Cala de Mijas is a small fishing village. Along the coastline, Mijas Costa, with areas such as El Faro, Chaparral, Miraflores, Riviera del Sol and Calahonda, are trendy places for Swedes and British. In addition, several local centres mean that you are always close to at least a handful of bars and restaurants.
The Mijas Costa has an extended wooden bridge promenade between la Cala de Mijas and Marbella, making it a beautiful and unique route for pedestrians and cyclists.
Mijas Costa is for those of you who want local centres with restaurants and bars, close to nature, golf courses or the several kilometres of long sandy beaches, but at the same time not too far from a larger town.
MARBELLA
Marbella is the Costa del Sol metropolis known for luxury, jet-setters, celebrities, and an almost Hollywood glamour. Still, there are also plenty of ordinary people to see, and you can enjoy southern Spain’s answer to St-Tropez. Puerto Banús, known for its exclusive bars and nightclubs, small luxury shops and a big jetty in the port.
The charming city of Marbella and its historic town centre (The area around Plaza de Los Naranjos), with great shops, cozy restaurants and a promenade that now stretches along The Golden Mile (between Marbella and Puerto Banus) all the way to San Pedro. The nightlife, the famous beach clubs and well-known restaurants attract many to Marbella. Above the port of Puerto Banús is Nueva Andalucia, also known as the Gulf Valley or the Beverly Hills of Costa del Sol, with many beautiful urbanizations and well-known golf clubs.
On the east coast of Marbella, you can find many golf courses and Cabopino with a beautiful little port with small restaurants, very nice beaches that stretch all the way to Marbella, and the famous beach club Nikki Beach in Elviria, which make this side of Marbella very cozy and gives it something special.
Marbella is for those of you who like elegance, good restaurants and shops, nightlife, golf, mountains, beaches and a Spanish atmosphere.
SAN PEDRO DE ALCANTARA
San Pedro de Alcantara is a cozy little Spanish town just 10 kilometres west from all the glitz and glamour of Marbella. An ancient farming community, once famous for sugar cane.
A pleasant walk from the centre of town to the beachfront down Avenida del Marques del Duero, an attractive wide avenue flanked by palm trees. From there you can stroll to the Paseo Maritimo, where you will find excellent chiringuitos (beachside restaurants) with fresh seafood.
San Pedro de Alcantara is for you, if you want the Spanish atmosphere with tapas and cozy restaurants. It's close to Marbella, but it's quieter, while still being close to the sea and other amenities.
ESTEPONA
Estepona is a charming little town with an Andalusian style. It is about 50 minutes by car from the airport. Estepona is a popular tourist area but much calmer than the other towns on the coast. Here you can get away from the hustle and bustle and unwind. In the old town, you will find a great Spanish atmosphere and can walk in many of the pedestrian streets while enjoying the small bars, restaurants and the Andalusian style of the town. The town has recently invested in local culture and has a couple of nice museums and the Orchidarium, the biggest Botanical garden in Europe.
Estepona also has a local fishing port where they have daily fish auctions. Here you can find a lot of nice cafes and seafood restaurants. The coastline from San Pedro to Estepona is called the New Golden Mile and is 23km long, where you can take a nice walk along the coast and enjoy the views of Gibraltar. The perfect place to be if you are looking for a calm atmosphere but at the same time has everything you need nearby.
Estepona is for those who want a Spanish, little town atmosphere, no stress and quietness and close to the sea and mountains.