The Costa del Sol lies on the edge of Europe in southern Spain, yet the coast is very accessible, especially thanks to the major airport in Málaga.

By air on your own

The Costa del Sol is best accessed by plane via the large Málaga AGP International Airport, which lies roughly in the middle of the coast. Directly from the airport, the best way to reach Málaga and the resorts of Benalmádena, Fuengirola or Torremolinos is by rail, which stops at the terminal.

Many airlines fly to Málaga from all over Europe, including all the low-cost airlines. For a more detailed description, see the Málaga guidebook.

An interesting option for air travel on the Costa del Sol is to fly to the exotic Gibraltar Airport, which is crossed by roads and a pedestrian walkway. This airport can only be reached from London and other British cities.

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By Land

If you're heading to the Costa del Sol from other Spanish regions, then you have a wide range of transport options by land in addition to air.

It's easy to get to Málaga by train from Madrid or Córdoba, where the high-speed railway runs. There are also direct trains to Granada and Seville, but buses are quicker and cheaper. Ideally, buy tickets as far in advance as possible and only through the official Spanish Railways website renfe.com.

The Costa del Sol is the quickest place to get to by bus from the rest of the Spanish coast. For example, from Almería, Granada, Alicante, Seville or Valencia you will most often use Alsa, while travelling south to Algeciras and Gibraltar (La Línea) you will travel with Avanza.