The Costa del Sol is the most South coast Europe, washed by Mediterranean Sea, popular resort in Andalusia. Translated from Spanish, Costa del Sol means “coast of the sun”; this name is no coincidence, since there are a very large number of sunny days a year, especially in the summer, when there is practically no rain. Costa del Sol - popular place holidays among Europeans. Among Russian tourists it is considered quite expensive compared, for example, with the democratic Costa Brava, which is not entirely true. Here you can organize a vacation for every taste and budget, and in this article I will tell you how to choose a suitable place to relax.
Malaga
Malaga is the capital of the Costa del Sol and is the sixth largest city in Spain with a population of more than 560 thousand people. It is here that planes arrive from various European cities, including Moscow and St. Petersburg. Find the best flight options to Malaga here.
Cadendar low prices for flights:
History and modernity intertwine in Malaga. Architectural monuments from the Roman, Catholic and Muslim periods of the city’s history coexist here. There is something to see in Malaga: this is both the Picasso Museum and the Malaga Museum historical Museum. There is even a branch of the Russian Museum here.
Here it is pleasant to stroll along the streets of the old city, along the recently reconstructed port embankment, sit in one of the many street restaurants, taste the famous Spanish tapas, paella or fried fish with a glass of wine or sangria. 
In addition, Malaga is a convenient starting point for exploring other cities in Andalusia.
Malaga has many wonderful swimming spots, including the city's famous black sand beach, La Malagueta.
In general, you already understand that by staying in Malaga, you can combine cultural recreation with beach and gastronomic.
It is better to choose Malaga hotels here.
Read more about choosing a hotel or apartment in my article. Read the article on how to save even more. And don't forget about health insurance: .
Find ready-made tours to Spain HERE.
Malaga on the map:
Advantages and disadvantages
There is something to see
Inexpensive prices in cafes
You can travel to other cities
You have to get to the beaches
Torremolinos
With all the advantages of a holiday in Malaga itself, it is still a large metropolis. For a classic beach holiday, tourists usually go to the outskirts of Malaga, and the nearest resort town is Torremolinos. It is located just 8 km from Malaga. It's very easy to get there. High-speed trains go there directly from the airport. Travel time to the La Colina stop is only 15 minutes, Montemar Alto is 20 minutes.
The sandy beaches of Torremolinos are considered among the best in Spain. There are quite affordable prices for accommodation, restaurants and other entertainment. The town is quite small. But we must take into account that it is located on the hills and, in order to go somewhere, as a rule, you have to overcome significant climbs. Therefore, it is better to choose a hotel closer to the sea. But from there to the city center you still have to climb up. These shortcomings are compensated by the picturesqueness of the place. In the evenings, here, as elsewhere on the Costa del Sol, it’s seething night life. The area of Montemar Alto (Carihuela Beach) is quieter and more family-friendly, while the busiest area is considered to be from the Meliá Costa del Sol Hotel to the Bajondillo Beach area.
The city also has free park La Bateria, crocodile farm, water park and botanical garden.
Find your accommodation option in Torremolinos conveniently HERE.
Torremolinos: pros and cons
Close to the airport
By the sea
Affordable housing prices
Located on a hill
Benalmadena
This is the next one after Torremolinos locality on the Costa Del Sol. It's easy to get there along the edge of the sea. One village smoothly transitions into another.
Compared to Torremolinos, Benalmadena has much larger size. It is also located on a hill.
In Benalmadena you need to be more careful when choosing your accommodation - the sea may be a half hour walk uphill, or even more. They say that some foreign tourists never make it to the sea, hanging out in the bars closest to the hotel during the day and in discos at night.
The beaches in Benalmadena are excellent, equipped with everything you need.
The city has a developed tourist infrastructure: there is a port with yachts, and several tourist train routes. Here is the Sea life aquarium, the Tivoli amusement park, and a cable car.
You can get to Benalmadena from Malaga by bus, but by train it is not very convenient, since the stop is located quite high in the mountains and far from the sea. But this station is located in close proximity to Tivoli Park and the cable car.
Prices in Benalmadena are slightly higher than in Torremolinos, not counting areas completely remote from the sea, which I would not recommend.
See accommodation options HERE.
Benalmadena: pros and cons
Great beach
Close to the airport
On a hill
Fuengirola
Fuengirola is the final stop of the train from Malaga and is an hour's drive away. Enough Big city, in the summer the population here increases to 250 thousand people. Unlike Torremolinos and Benalmadena, it is located on a hill, which reduces the colorfulness, but adds comfort. It has everything you need: a water park, an amusement park, a zoo, museums.
note that Train Station is located at the entrance to the city, and further you will have to take a bus. 
Accommodation prices in Fuengirola are reasonable, but again, pay attention to the distance to the beach.
Find hotels and apartments in Fuengirola here.
Fuengirola: pros and cons
Developed tourist infrastructure
Relatively close to the airport
Not on high ground
All resort centers « Sunny Beach» are connected to each other by regular bus routes. From any point on the coast it is easy to get to the heart of the province of Malaga by bus or train. Motion interval commuter trains along the Costa del Sol does not exceed thirty minutes, and the fare will be approximately 3-6 euros, depending on the length of the route. We recommend that you read our article "".
Wherever you stay on the Costa del Sol, you'll have plenty of opportunities to admire Andalusia's picturesque coastline, green landscapes and rugged cliffs. If you wish, it is easy to visit nearby Cordoba and Seville, Almeria (a port city founded by the ancient Romans), Granada and Jerez.
The Sunny Beach resorts also offer excursion trips to Ronda, where the largest bullring is located, or Madrid, the capital of the country, and see or. Guests of the Costa del Sol will find the caves of Nerja and the small town of Frigiliana, located in the Almijara mountains at an altitude of about three hundred meters above sea level. If you wish, you can take a ride to Portugal or Morocco.
Ancient and colorful Tangier, founded by the Carthaginians two and a half thousand years ago, is located not far from the “Sunny Coast”, but on the opposite bank of the Strait of Gibraltar. It is easy to get to, but obtaining a visa can take up to a week. It is worth visiting here only if you come to the Costa del Sol for an extended period of time. The famous Caves of Hercules are located in Tangier, Morocco.
What to try
Malaga's most famous dish is Malaga-style gazpacho. This is a cold gazpacho soup with shrimp, one of the most colorful dishes.
You won’t be able to miss the next dish; it is very common in small cafes. This is the “Plateau de los Montes de Malaga”. It is a large plate with meat, potatoes, eggs and sausages. Very tasty, but very high in calories.
Tarta malaguena is a Malaga style cake. It is baked with the addition of almonds, sweet wine and apricot jam, and sprinkled with raisins on top.
Have a nice holiday in the Costa del Sol, and read our other interesting articles about Spain ( list of links below).
Costa del Sol, or Coast of the Sun, is the Mediterranean coast in Southern Spain, in the province of Andalusia. The most big city on the coast is considered Malaga, the city has international Airport and accepts direct flights from many countries, including Russia. Resorts on the Costa del Sol are relatively unpopular among Russian tourists, and only in recent years has the Russian tourism market begun to develop this area. On the Costa del Sol, unlike the Catalan resorts, mainly foreigners vacation, so Russian speech is heard here much less often.
Even in the recent past, resorts on the Costa del Sol were considered elite, where wealthy Spaniards and other Europeans mainly vacationed, but in recent years the place has largely become much more democratic, and now, if desired, you can find accommodation at a resort in any price category, and even the once elite Marbella is gradually turning into a resort quite suitable for middle class holidaymakers.
Tourists are attracted to the Costa del Sol, first of all, by the well-groomed resorts and high level service. In addition, a holiday on the coast in this area of Spain is also an opportunity to combine a beach holiday with an excursion - nearby are the majestic city of Granada with its centuries-old history, the cozy town of Ronda, located on a steep cliff, as well as beautiful mountains Sierra Nevada.
The climate of the Costa del Sol is very favorable all year round. Winter, for example, is a great time for numerous walks and sightseeing. The swimming season lasts on the Costa del Sol from June to September, but you should be prepared for the fact that the sea temperature here is on average cooler than in the Catalan resorts, this is due to the undercurrent that periodically cools the coastal waters.
If you decide to change your usual direction and go exploring other shores of Spain, then best place to get to know the “other Spain” other than Catalonia, you simply cannot find one. Read on to learn more about what you can see and do in the resort towns of the Costa del Sol.
Malaga: attractions and top places
Malaga is considered a major port city on the Costa del Sol; people often moor here cruise ships, and therefore at times the city becomes quite crowded due to the numerous tourists who prefer cruise vacations, but this is a temporary phenomenon. Malaga is also the main air gateway to the coast, since it is home to an international airport that receives regular and charter flights. Most often, tourists who prefer a beach holiday leave Malaga upon arrival in different directions, fortunately the infrastructure, incl. Transport here is well developed, and you can easily get to any resort town on the coast.
But in Malaga itself there is something to see. The most recognizable symbol of the city, preserved in its original form, is the Malaga Cathedral, located on a hill in the old part of the city. A visit to the cathedral is considered an absolute must-see of the city due to the magnificent appearance of the cathedral, made in a mixture of Baroque, Gothic and Neoclassical styles. In addition, lovers of cultural life can visit, for example, the Pablo Picasso Museum, because this is his hometown, the museum itself exhibits a huge number of his works. For entertainment, you can also visit the permanent exhibition of vintage cars or the La Rosaleda stadium, where the largest sporting events in Spain take place.
Romtomtom/flickr
Marbella: attractions and top places
Marbella is perhaps the most famous resort coast of the Costa del Sol, which gained its fame back in the 50s. 20th century. The resort has long been a haven for wealthy Europeans - Spaniards, Germans, and British. Since then, the resort has inherited a fashionable marina, where elite ships and yachts of millionaires are still moored. But since then, the resort has undergone significant changes, becoming more democratic and welcoming to all categories of vacationers.
Marbella has both historical attractions and relatively new ones designed to increase the number of vacationers. The old part of the city is typical snow-white streets decorated with orange trees, it’s not for nothing that main square The cities were named after this fruit - Orange Square. The Arab fortress wall and the ancient church of Iglesia de la Encarnacion are also partially preserved here. Curious tourists can also visit the Bonsai Museum and or the Engraving Museum, or even better, take a walk along the Avenida del Mar, decorated with sculptures by the maestro Salvador Dali himself. For tourists who prefer modern entertainment, there is a water park and a crocodile reserve. And, of course, you should definitely take a walk along the amazingly beautiful, one might say chic, seaside promenade, with views of the sea and snow-white yachts.
Harvey Barrison/flickr
Torremolinos: attractions and top places
Torremolinos is a typical seaside resort with developed infrastructure, excellent service and a lot of purely tourist entertainment. The town is great for beach holiday. The town itself is located on a hill, so if your hotel is not on the first line, then you will have to go downhill to the coast and uphill. All the beaches of the resort, which are 6 km of sand, are municipal, which means that you do not need to pay for entry to the beach, however Additional services(sunbeds, umbrellas, etc.) may be paid.
If you come to Torremolinos for all kinds of entertainment, then it is better to look for them in the Bajondillo area, on the streets of San Miguel and Palma de Mallorca. There are numerous discos, tapas bars, fish restaurants, wine cellars, as well as shops, cafes and pastry shops. This area of the city is considered the busiest and most dynamic. This is the favorite part of the city, according to most tourists who have visited Torremolinos. Another attraction of Torremolinos is the largest water park on the Costa del Sol with a large variety of slides, pools and other water activities.
For a change, while in Torremolinos you can also visit a crocodile farm or botanical garden, where you can escape the midday heat. For a more authentic atmosphere, head to La Carihuela, where many fishermen's restaurants are located among the white streets and pedestrian promenade.
manuelfloresv/flickr
Fuengirola: attractions and top places
Fuengirola is primarily famous for its wide and clean sandy beaches, some of the best on the Costa del Sol. The coastline of the town stretches for more than 8 km, and the most popular beaches are central beach Fuengirola, Los Boliches, Santa Amalia and Las Gaviotas. All of them are well equipped and not only with sun loungers and umbrellas, but also with special play areas for children and adults, bars, restaurants, showers and changing cabins. On the beaches of Fuengirola, everything has been done so that tourists can not just passively relax on the shore, but also have the opportunity to engage in active sports and entertainment.
The symbol of the city is the Moorish fortress, from where the seaside promenade begins, ending in Fuengirola Bay. It’s definitely worth walking along this route, stopping at tapas bars and fish restaurants along the way. For entertainment, you can also visit the local 24-hour Biopac Zoo. Why 24/7? And because the animals living here show their main activity at night, so even at night the entrance is open to tourists. The park is thematically divided into animals of Madagascar, Equatorial Africa and Southeast Asia.
It is also worth taking a walk around the city center, where Constitution Square is located, from which many narrow snow-white streets radiate away. It is worth getting lost for a while in at least one of them to feel the atmosphere of the city. And of course, where would we be without such entertainment as a water park and bullfighting? In the first case, it is worth visiting the local water amusement park "Aquatico Mijas", and in the second case, visiting the local bullring.
Houser Wolf/flickr
Benalmadena: attractions and top places
Beach holidays in Benalmadena are somewhat different from holidays in other resort towns on the coast. If in most settlements the beaches are spread out for many kilometers around, then in Benalmadena the beaches look like some kind of closed coves, cozy and hidden from the sea winds. The whole point is that beach line Benalmadena is cut in several places by rock formations, which form quiet coves. Many of Benalmadena's beaches are truly secluded, and many of the coves offer scuba diving.
Benalmadena is decorated with two castles - one in the Moorish style, the other in typical Catalan style. The castles are located in opposite parts of the resort - Bil-Bil Castle on the western end, and Colomares Castle on the eastern end. Benalmadena is also famous for its water and near-water activities. Judge for yourself, here are the Tivoli Worlds entertainment complex, La Paloma park, Selvo Marina dolphin and tropical bird show, Sea Life Aquarium and this is just a little that the local resort is ready to offer. It is not surprising that Benalmadena is chosen by couples with children; neither adults nor children will be bored here.
For a change, you can also take a ride on cable car, which leads to Mount Calamorro and offers wonderful views of the coast along the way. Fans of exotic entertainment can also take a sea excursion to the shores of three artificial islands in the Mediterranean Sea.
Nerja: attractions and top places
Nerja is one of many small coastal towns located east of Malaga. Having a pronounced resort orientation, Nerja has all the relevant tourist attributes: a developed hotel infrastructure, a high level of service, well-groomed sandy beaches equipped with everything necessary, and also several top attractions. Nerja, as a resort town on the Costa del Sol, is known primarily for its two top attractions - the so-called “balcony of Europe” and karst caves.
The “Balcony of Europe” is an amazing natural observation deck of the Mediterranean Sea, which appeared in Nerja as a result of an earthquake. Today it is a landscaped area resembling a huge terrace with breathtaking views. Here is a statue of the Spanish king, and opposite observation deck City life is always in full swing - here is the central tourist promenade with numerous cafes, bars and restaurants. The height of the balcony is about 25 meters, it is located on a steep cliff, so it offers an extensive 360-degree panorama, most of which the Mediterranean Sea is composed. By the way, there are legends here that in very good, clear weather, from the balcony of Europe you can even see the coast of Africa, located not so far from the southern part of Spain.
Another local attraction is the Nerja Cave, which is called the natural cathedral of the Costa del Sol, it is so vast. Today, the Nerja Cave is recognized as a national historical and artistic monument. The cave consists of the Lower, Upper and New galleries. At the bottom are held organized excursions with guides. Inside there are extensive formations of stalagmites and stalactites. The cave even has a Cascade Hall, where musical concerts are periodically held.
Romtomtom/flickr
The distances between towns on the Costa del Sol are relatively short, so when staying in one town you can easily explore nearby ones. You can travel between settlements by both trains and buses. Holidays on the Costa del Sol are great opportunity combine a quality beach holiday with exploring numerous attractions in the vicinity of the resort.
All the tools and ways to find cheap flights from Moscow to Malaga with and without transfers;
A selection of hotels in different resorts on the Costa del Sol: Malaga, Marbella, Nerja, Torremolinos, Benalmadena and Fuengirola.
What is remarkable about other resorts in Spain - from Catalonia to Andalusia, from the Balearics to the Canaries.
Practical and eventful travels to you!
Section of the site containing detailed description and the location of all the beaches in the resorts of the Mediterranean coast of Spain, the Costa del Sol. The resort coast of Costa del Sol is 160 kilometers of Mediterranean coastline belonging to the province of Malaga, uniting several famous resort towns: Torremolinos, Benalmadena, Fuengirola, Mijas, Marbella, Estepona, located west of Malaga, as well as Rincon de la Victoria, Torrox Costa, Nerja and others located east of Malaga.
The relief of the Costa del Sol is very diverse and typical of the Mediterranean coast. The best beaches of the Costa del Sol are located west of Malaga. The eastern part of the coast is distinguished from the western by more rocky shores that form quiet sandy bays in which cozy and often inaccessible beaches of the Costa del Sol are located.
Materials posted in the section “Beaches of the Costa del Sol” include short description resort beaches, length, characteristics, and also illustrated with visual images. Before organization beach tours to Spain on the Costa del Sol, it is recommended to study the recreation areas of developed resorts in order to take into account the location of the beaches when booking resort accommodation.
Popular beaches of the Costa del Sol
Whichever Costa del Sol resort tourists choose, they can always find a comfortable urban recreation area or a secluded beach close to the shore. As a rule, tourists go to the beach closest to the hotel. However, there are also those who are in search best options, wanting to get maximum services and enjoy your holiday not only by swimming and sunbathing in the rays of the Andalusian sun, but also by taking advantage of additional entertainment.
Some of the popular beaches of the Costa del Sol are located in Marbella, a fashionable seaside town in the province of Malaga and one of the best European resorts. Luxurious expensive areas holiday resorts have beach clubs, as well as the latest beach infrastructure.
These are the beaches of the Costa del Sol Beach Playa Puerto Banús and Playa de Cabopino. Playa Puerto Banús, a recreation area located in the most prestigious and popular area Marbella is on the right side of Marbella's famous port, Port Banus. In addition to relaxing on sun loungers on the spacious beach, vacationers can rent equipment for water sports and beach restaurants. Hotel Meliá Marbella Banús 4*, located within walking distance from the beach, is suitable for accommodation.
Playa de Cabopino is also located near the port of the same name Cabopino in Marbella. The recreation area is surrounded by beautiful nature, coniferous forests and cork trees. Cabopino Beach is especially in demand among families with children who appreciate the gently sloping shore, golden sand, ecological cleanliness of the beach, as well as children's entertainment.
No less cozy is the country beach Playa Real de Zaragoza, located in Marbella in the city district of Elviria. The beach is one of the largest on the coast, strewn with fine white sand. Despite the fact that the beach is one of the most crowded, vacationers can find a secluded place here even at the height of the tourist season. Near the beach there is one of Marbella's popular beach clubs, Nikki Beach, as well as numerous chiringuitos offering seafood dishes to vacationers.
If with the beaches of Marbella there are no questions about where to go, then what to do if the vacation is organized at another resort on the Costa del Sol. Unlike beaches neighboring resorts, are the recreation areas of Nerja, itself eastern resort Costa del Sol. The beaches of Nerja are especially picturesque, many of them are secluded coves surrounded by steep cliffs.
Playa Calahonda is the central city beach of Nerja, located on the left side of the “Balcony of Europe”, the famous observation deck of Nerja, named after King Alfonso XII. The beach is protected by rocks, access to the sea is possible via a large staircase. Holidays on Calahonda beach are especially popular among underwater fishing enthusiasts who appreciate the picturesque underwater terrain of the hidden coves.
Organize a beach holiday on the Costa del Sol
Despite the abundance interesting places and entertainment, beach holidays on the Costa del Sol remain the most popular type of holiday at local resorts, all year round hosting millions of tourists from different parts of the globe.
The site category “Beaches of the Costa del Sol” is designed for vacationers who have come to the southern Spanish coast of the Costa del Sol or are just planning their vacation. Having familiarized themselves with the characteristics of the beaches in different resorts on the Costa del Sol, tourists will be able to choose a vacation spot that meets all selection criteria. For additional information when organizing a beach holiday on the Costa del Sol, you must contact the operator of the SMtour company.
Beaches Manilva Costa del Sol Spain
Detailed information about the section of coastline occupied by the resort. The municipality of Manilva is the westernmost resort town of the province and is located on the border with the province, 90 kilometers from Malaga airport.
A 7.8-kilometer stretch of Mediterranean coastline belonging to the resort area of the municipality of Manilva is divided into 6 beach areas.
Characteristics: length 1700 meters; width 50 meters; attendance is high; embankment; dark sand; car parking, toilet, shower, telephone, kiosk, rental of umbrellas and sun loungers
Description: This luxurious flat, beautifully equipped sand beach located between the Maicandil ravine and the mouth of the Manilva River, 12 km from the resort of Estepona. The beach occupies the entire coastline of the small coastal village of San Luis de Sabinillas, separating the town of Manilva from the sea. Every year the beach receives the Blue Flag, the highest rating of the European Union. 
Beaches of Estepona Costa del Sol Spain
On this page we will tell you about the beaches of Estepona, one of the resorts on the Costa del Sol.
The 21-kilometer line of the Mediterranean coast is occupied by the beaches of the Costa del Sol resort of Spain, consisting of ten beach areas, most of which until recently had a pristine appearance.
The beaches of Estepona are part of the coast that have undergone rapid development due to construction, hotel complexes coastal zone, beaches are also rapidly changing, new ones (chiringuitos) appear on them, the owners of which equip the beach areas with all the necessary services for vacationers.
(8 average votes: 5 out of 5)Beaches Marbella Costa del Sol Spain
Information about the beaches of the pearl of the coast, the best Spanish resort.
The coastline of the Mediterranean coast, belonging to the resort of Marbella, stretches for 32 kilometers. The Marbella coast includes 26 beaches. Among the beaches of Marbella, there are well-equipped recreation areas located in the central city areas with a luxurious marble promenade, restaurants, etc.
Marbella beaches general information
(15 average votes: 4.3 out of 5)Beaches of Mijas Costa del Sol Spain
Mijas is one of the largest municipalities in the province of Malaga. Beaches, this is the coastline of the resort located on the southernmost Mediterranean coast of Spain, divided into four resort areas. On this page we present detailed information about all the beaches of Mijas Costa accompanied by photographs.
Playas de Calahonda
Beaches resort area Calahonda, municipality of Mijas, is a section of the Mediterranean coast of Mijas Costa belonging to the urban area of Calahonda, with a total length of beach coastline of 4400 meters, combining 4 beaches with an average width of 10 to 40 meters.
Characteristics: Blue flag, length 850 meters, width 25 meters, lifeguards on duty in summer, high attendance, dark sand, shower, telephone, toilet for disabled people, rental of umbrellas and sun loungers
Description: perfect place For a beach holiday, there are small hotels and apartments along the beach.
Beaches of Fuengirola Costa del Sol Spain
Information about all the beaches of the resort, located in Spain on the southernmost Mediterranean coast. The coastline of the beaches of the Fuengirola resort stretches for eight kilometers, including six magnificent beach areas. All beaches located within the city limits are located along where the majority of the tourist infrastructure is concentrated and attract a large number of tourists at any time of the year.
(8 average votes: 5 out of 5)Beaches of Benalmadena Costa del Sol Spain
The beaches of the resort of Benalmadena are a coastline about 10 kilometers long of the Mediterranean coast belonging to the province. The entire coastline of the resort is divided into 14 beaches.
The beach area of the Benalmadena resort smoothly changes from the eastern part of the coast, passing the tourist baton to the west.
Most of the beaches located along the area with the developed tourist infrastructure of Benalmadena are well-equipped recreation areas with all the necessary attributes of beach life; there are those that have direct access to the sea from the coastal ones. There are also less visited wild beaches with a rocky or rocky shore, retaining an almost original appearance.
Below, all the beaches are listed, sequentially, from west to east, from the resort of Fuengirola.
Characteristics: length 700, width 25-60 meters; attendance is high; dark sand; parking, next to the N-340 motorway, shower, toilet for the disabled, telephone, restaurant, kiosk, rental of umbrellas, sun loungers
Description: a large wide beach that appeared in the 90s of the XX century, located on the border with coastline resort of Fuengirola. Awarded the Blue Flag, the highest award of the European Union for cleanliness and quality of service to tourists.
Costa del Sol, Costa del Sol or “Coast of the Sun” is the famous coastline in southern Spain in the autonomous community of Andalusia. It stretches for many, many kilometers and is limited by the town of Nerja in the east and Manilva in the west. The unofficial capital of the entire coast and the largest transport hub in the region is one of largest cities country, Malaga.
The resorts of the Costa del Sol are considered the most prestigious and expensive in Spain. It’s not for nothing that many famous people: actors and writers, aristocrats and simply rich people chose this coast as a place for their residences. Another village on the coast - for example, Puerto Banus near Marbella - in terms of the total income of the people living there, can easily cover the annual GDP of a small European state.
The climate here is very mild - already in February you can easily wear
light jacket, and swim on local beaches start no later than the end of April-beginning of May. The average annual number of sunny days on the coast exceeds 300 days and this is significantly more than in Spain as a whole. Which, as you understand, never complained about the lack of sun.
There are plenty of beaches on the Costa del Sol, and their size allows them to accommodate an almost unlimited number of people. The relief of the coast, however, is quite diverse. In Nerja, famous for its caves, the rocks approach the very shore and the beaches are not very large pieces of sand, lost in secluded coves. Near Malaga, on the contrary, the mountains retreat inland, covering northern winds huge, long strips of beaches, where you can not just play football - you can land planes!
Main cities and resorts (from east to west), as well as attractions
Nerja(Nerja) is a town with a population of 20 thousand. The main attraction is the “Balcony of Europe”, a platform on top of a coastal cliff, which offers stunning views of the surrounding area. Small snow-white houses with tiled roofs, blooming acacia, many flowers in ceramic pots that stand everywhere and - most importantly - there are almost no sloping areas. The streets, all neatly laid with paving stones and ceramic tiles, climb up and down and are a pleasure to walk along.
The caves of Nerja are famous. And the point is not even that rock paintings were discovered on the walls there, the age of which seems to even exceed the age of those that adorn the walls of the Altamira cave in Cantabria. And in their beauty and unusualness, in their size and stunning acoustics, local guides claim that Montserrat Caballe sang and Maya Plisetskaya performed in the caves on a specially created stage.
It is recommended to visit the village of Frigiliana, a little away from the coast: the streets there are even narrower and steeper, and the village itself looks like an advertising picture for a booklet “ Real Spain" Watching the sunsets over the Mediterranean Sea from Frigilana is absolutely stunning.
Malaga- the capital of the province of the same name and its largest city (the second largest after Seville in Andalusia). The center of civilization in the region, Malaga is famous for its huge medieval fortress of Gibralfaro, the impressive Forum left over from the Romans, a large bullring, cathedral and... a lot of museums. It is not for nothing that the largest museums in the world, the Pompidou Center from Paris and the Russian Museum from St. Petersburg, have opened their own branches in this resort on the Costa del Sol and regularly update their exhibitions.
- There are many beautiful beaches in and around the city.
Torremolinos(Torremolinos) - large resort, located very close to Malaga, is a kind of “motor” of the Costa del Sol. It is here that the nightlife is especially rich, and the number of discos and bars is the largest on the coast. Torremolinos is considered a relatively inexpensive youth resort and the number of vacationers here usually exceeds other places on the coast.
- It is not for nothing that the huge Aqualand water park is located next to this city, attracting thousands of visitors during the season.
Another resort town adjoins Torremolinos, Benalmadena(Benalmadena), similar to its neighbor as two peas in a pod: a lot of coastal hotels and a wide sandy beach. One of the main attractions of the resort, in addition to the gray sand literally scorching in the sun, is the Sea Life Center (Sea Life Benalmadena), a large marine zoo where you can even see sharks. In recent years, the Selwo Marina Dolphinarium has also become an iconic landmark of Benalmadena, where literally circus water shows are organized for visitors.
The town has a funicular that takes everyone to the highest local mountain, Monte Calamorro (about 800 meters). The air here is usually so clear that from there you can even see the famous “Rock” of Gibraltar, which is located a hundred kilometers to the southwest.
