City

By far the largest city on the Costa del Sol, Málaga is the natural centre of the region and the whole of southern Andalusia. Málaga serves as an ideal place to stay if you want to take trips along the coast or even into the interior of Spain. Due to its importance, we have also compiled a detailed guide to Málaga. Málaga is also likely to be your first contact with the Costa del Sol, as it is here that Málaga AGP Airport, the main gateway to…

Resort, Sandy beach, Cable car, Temple

The popular resort of Benalmádena on the Costa del Sol, together with the neighbouring towns of Torremolinos and Fuengirola, forms one large holiday zone, offering endless urban beaches, as well as trips to romantic villages in the mountains, sightseeing and other attractions. [btn "Best beach resorts - Benalmádena" https://www.booking.com/city/es/benalmadena.en.html?aid=2380460;label=p-costadelsol-benalmadena] Compared to the other resorts on…

Resort, Sandy beach

Next to Marbella, Fuengirola is the most popular resort on the Costa del Sol. Unlike Marbella, however, it boasts, in addition to more than 8 km of beaches, significantly more interesting sights and attractions, as well as a connection to the railway, which takes you directly from the centre of Fuengirola to Málaga Airport and the centre of Málaga. [btn "Best beach resorts - Fuengirola" https://www.booking.com/city/es/fuengirola.en.html?aid…

Resort, Sandy beach

Marbella is the second largest town on the Costa del Sol and the most important beach resort in the area. Although it often has the stigma of being a luxury resort for the rich, you'll find plenty of classic restaurants and reasonably priced shops. [btn "Best beach resorts - Marbella" https://www.booking.com/city/es/marbella.en.html?aid=2380460;label=p-costadelsol-marbella] Thanks to its extensive tourist infrastructure, Marbella is widely…

Resort, Sandy beach, Lookout

Nerja is the most important resort on the Costa del Sol east of Málaga. Unlike the resorts on the west coast, Nerja is not littered with concrete resort complexes and hotels, but its environment is much more natural. The town sits on a cliff above the sea and at the foot of the photogenic Sierra Almijara mountain range. [btn "Best beach resorts - Nerja" https://www.booking.com/city/es/nerja.en.html?aid=2380460;label=p-costadelsol-nerja] Nerja…

Resort, Sandy beach

Estepona is a lively town and resort in the western part of the Costa del Sol. Unlike the larger neighbouring resort of Marbella, Estepona not only attracts visitors to its sandy beaches, but also to its beautiful historic centre full of typical Andalusian white houses, or to hikes in the Sierra Bermeja mountains with peaks over 1,400 metres high. [btn "Best beach resorts - Estepona" https://www.booking.com/city/es/estepona.en.html?aid=2380460…

Resort, Sandy beach, Water Park

Torremolinos is the nearest major resort to Málaga Airport and a popular holiday destination on the Costa del Sol. Torremolinos' meteoric rise as a tourist centre took off in the mid-1920s, with celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando and Ava Gardner visiting the town. Today, Torremolinos is a modern city with beaches and several attractions. [btn "Best beach resorts - Torremolinos" https://www.booking.com/city/es/torremolinos.en.html…

Resort, Sandy beach, Water Park

Torre del Mar is one of the main tourist destinations on the Costa del Sol, east of Málaga and close to Nerja. Torre del Mar is a modern resort, mostly with hotel complexes that were built here in the late 1990s. [btn "Best beach resorts - Torre del Mar" https://www.booking.com/city/es/torre-del-mar.en.html?aid=2380460;label=p-costadelsol-torremar] The town is a popular destination for shorter holidays and also for travellers looking to save a…

Resort, Sandy beach

A small, quiet resort in the western part of the Costa del Sol, where the strip of big resorts ends, this is the idyllic La Duquesa, which, in addition to its beautiful manicured beaches, boasts excellent golf courses. [btn "Best beach resorts - Duquesa" https://www.booking.com/city/es/manilva.en.html?aid=2380460;label=p-costadelsol-duquesa] Beaches and swimming La Duquesa has a beautiful flat coastline with a photogenic backdrop of mountains…

Fortress, Tourist town

The pleasant, historic town of Vélez-Málaga, known locally as "Vélez", is a popular destination for trips from Málaga or the nearby resorts of Torre del Mar or Nerja. As its centre is about 5 km from the sea, it is not as popular and therefore has a more authentic feel. [btn "Romantic hotels in the city centre" https://www.booking.com/city/es/velez.en.html?aid=2380460;label=p-costadelsol-velez] Immerse yourself in the beautiful and peaceful…

Village

Mijas is a mountain town towering above the resorts of Benalmádena and Fuengirola and a very popular place for excursions from the sea. Mijas is nestled into the slopes of the Sierra de Mijas and is one of the typical examples of Andalusian towns. Take a half-day trip here, let the narrow streets winding up and down and the typical white houses that are as much a part of Andalusia as the constant sunshine. From many points in the town, you'll…

Village

The pitorestic village on the slopes of the Sierra Tejeda is a popular spot for excursions from the nearby resort of Nerja. If you want to experience the authentic atmosphere of a typical Andalusian village with whitewashed houses, steep streets and breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea in the background, then head here from Nerja. The ideal time to visit Frigiliana is in the afternoon, when it's not so hot and the sunsets are great to…

Castle

On the southern outskirts of Fuengirola, the medieval defensive castle of Sohail rises on a small hill above the sea and is one of Fuengirola's main sights and tourist attractions. [btn "Top 5 hotels in Fuengirola" https://www.booking.com/city/es/fuengirola.en.html?aid=2380460;label=p-costadelsol-sohail] The castle was built as a defensive fortress to strengthen the coastal defences of the then Emirate of Córdoba. It was built in 956 AD by the…

Mountain

The Sierra de Mijas is a popular place for hiking, rising to heights of over 1,100 metres above sea level above the resorts of Benalmádena and Fuengirola, and one of the starting points for hiking is the town of Mijas, after which the mountain is named. One of the most popular routes in the mountain range is the 15km ridge from the top of the cable car from Benalmádena over the mountain tops, with a final descent to the village of Mijas, from…

Mountain

Marbella is overlooked by the Sierra Blanca, whose mountains rise to over 1,200 metres. The mountain slopes, valleys and ridges are criss-crossed with dozens of kilometres of marked hiking trails, ideal for a break from beach holidays. The trails start right in Marbella on its northern edge and climb steeply upwards. It's not worth attempting the hike without sturdy footwear, but you'll be rewarded with breathtaking views of the Mediterranean…

Village

Andalusia is famous for its beautiful villages with whitewashed houses that shine against the brown and green mountains. Almost every major resort has one of these villages more prominent than the others. And one such case is the village of Ojén in the hills above Marbella. Ojén is the perfect place to hike from the sea if you don't feel like doing the more strenuous hiking in the Sierra Blanca. Visit the narrow winding and very steep streets…

Tourist town

Although the town of La Línea de la Concepción (usually called La Línea for short) is no longer officially part of the Costa del Sol, in reality it logically encloses the area and is the end point for many tourists travelling along the coast. [btn "Book a hotel near the border with Gibraltar" https://www.booking.com/city/es/la-linea-de-la-concepcion.en.html?aid=2380460;label=p-costadelsol-lalinea] La Línea, as the name suggests, forms a border…

Cave

The Cueva de Nerja cave complex is located on the outskirts of the popular resort of Nerja and is one of the most visited tourist sites in Spain. The caves were excavated in the limestone massif by water about 5 million years ago, the total length of the cave system is about 5 km and the volume of the caves exceeds 260,000 km3. About a third of the caves are open to the public. [btn "Book your stay in Nerja" https://www.booking.com/city/es…

Tourist town

Andalusia is known for its quaint villages with whitewashed houses, narrow streets and rich floral decorations. Although the western part of the Costa del Sol is now home mainly to large resorts with hotel complexes, even very close to their centres you can visit typical Andalusian villages. One of the best accessible is the village of Rancho Domingo, between the resorts of Benalmádena and Fuengirola. Rancho Domingo is the perfect place for a…

Castle

Colomares is a monument dedicated to the life and seafaring of Christopher Columbus, built in the form of a castle on the outskirts of the resort of Benalmádena. The castle stands on an area of 1,500 square meters and is thus the largest ever monument in the world dedicated to a sailor or adventurer. In its bowels you will also find, for example, the smallest church in the world, which stands on an area of just 1.96 square metres. [btn "Best…