Comprehensive Costa del Sol area information guide from Southern Skies Holiday Rentals

Costa del Sol area guide

Andalucia is now one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, thanks to its sandy beaches, beautiful countryside, spectacular mountain ranges, fabulous monuments and high-spirited people who live life to the full and are well known for their exuberance, warmth and hospitality.

Andalucia is also home of flamenco and bullfighting, which can be best enjoyed at the region's countless ferias and romerias.

But perhaps the most unique feature of this enchanting region are the remnants of its Moorish past. The Moors were a mixture of Berbers and Arabs who crossed into Spain from North Africa by the Straits of Gibraltar and occupied the peninsula - which they called al Andalus - for more than seven centuries, dating from 710 when they first landed in Tarifa. Within a mere four years they had virtually conquered the entire country, although they soon withdrew to the southern part of the peninsula, where they established, in the towns of Cordoba, Seville and Granada, one of the most sophisticated civilisations of the Middle Ages. Each of these Andalucian capitals boasts spectacular remains of their monuments, the most unforgettable of which is, undoubtedly, Granada's Alhambra palace.

Andalucia has 500 miles of coastline of which 70% are sandy beaches. The Mediterranean seaboard is graced by the Costa de Almeria, Costa Tropical and the glamorous, cosmopolitan Costa del Sol, while the Costa de la Luz lies along the Atlantic shore to the west of Gibraltar.

As well as Andalucia's fascinating cities and dazzling shores, the region is sprinkled with tiny unspoiled villages and whitewashed towns - the famous pueblos blancos - which tourists often overlook, even though they are of easy access, such as Casares, Gaucin and Frigilana.

Andalucia, then, is a region of startling contrasts and great charm. Yet, this mysterious corner of Europe is easy to reach, with hundreds of charter flights arriving each week at Malaga's Pablo Picasso International Airport, which lies midway between Malaga, the main city of the coast, and Torremolinos.

The Costa Del Sol

Marbella This is the name given to the almost 300 kilometres of coastline stretching from Gibraltar in the West, to Almunecar in the East. Although officially the Costa del Sol falls within the three provinces of Cadiz, Malaga and Granada, it is that bit, stretching from Nerja to Estepona, all within the province of Málaga, which is best known. Here there are shops, bars restaurants and night-life to suit even the most discerning of tastes. The beautiful beaches are long, clean and safe and most of them have excellent chiringuitos (beach bars) serving wonderful Mediterranean fare. In addition the Costa del Sol has an excellent selection of world class golf courses.

The coast consists of a series of large beaches, coves half hidden amongst cliffs, sports harbours and fishing grounds. It is protected from cold north winds by the mountains and has a mild climate with scant rainfall and sea breezes. Thanks to its average 300 days of sunshine a year this results in subtropical vegetation with frequent palm-trees, cypress, oleander and hibiscus and other colourful plants. Oranges, lemons and olives grow in abundance and it is often a surprise to visitors to find streets in towns lined with fruit bearing orange trees!

Benalmadena
Benalmádena is just 19 kilometres from Malaga Airport. It's easy to reach from both the international airport and Malaga capital by road, train or bus and it enjoys a privileged position looking out onto the Mediterranean Sea.

Benálmadena is split into three distinct areas: Benalmádena Pueblo - the old village and countryside; Arroyo de la Miel - the busy, commercial town centre and Benalmádena Costa - the coastal area with many hotels, beaches and the award-winning marina enjoying excellent port facilities, fantastic nightlife and the fabulous Sea Life aquarium.

There are many English, Scottish and Irish pubs, most of which show live big-screen sporting events. You have the choice of many nationality restaurants including, Chinese, Italian, Dutch, Lebanese and others.

There are also plenty of opportunities to try out the local dishes and the best place to go is along the beach or to the marina and visit a chiringuito (beach bar) where fresh fish dishes are served up with a wonderful chilled wine or a refreshing glass of sangria.

Benalmádena is one of the best places on the Costa del Sol for nightlife with so many different types of bars, clubs and restaurants there is always something to suit all tastes.

Estepona
Estepona is one of the few coastal towns that has succeeded in maintaining its pueblo charm and character, despite the onslaught of tourism. Notwithstanding, all the tourist facilities are here, including hotels, restaurants, leisure and cultural activities and shops.

The flip side is that the numerous street cafés and tapas bars still serve traditional Spanish delicacies and the steep, cobbled, narrow streets seem more suited to horses than cars. You'll also find unusual shops and bodegas in Estepona, where you'd least expect them, all very inviting, very friendly - and very cheap!

Fuengirola
Fuengirola is just twenty minutes from Malaga airport, while the local train station provides easy access to such popular nearby resorts as Torreblanca, Arroyo de la Miel and Torremolinos.

Fuengirola is probably most famous for its five miles of sandy beaches.

There is certainly no shortage of things to do for holiday makers in Fuengirola, ranging from such family fun activities as the aqua park, a trip to the zoo or a host of sea sports. Or you can enjoy a leisurely sight seeing tour on a horse-drawn carriage, or by foot, particularly recommended for Fuengirola's neighbour, Los Boliches which still reflects the ambience of a bygone era with narrow streets, neighbourhood shops and traditional white washed houses which once belonged to the local fishermen.

Marbella
Marbella's motto is ‘A Way of Life’ and, certainly, this luxurious resort town seems to have it all and is, once again, rising to the fore as a favourite location with the rich and famous, as well as more ordinary folk who are willing to pay just a little bit extra for southern Spain's answer to St Tropez.

But Marbella has a down to earth side as well, an air of individuality which can be best appreciated by exploring back streets in the old part of town. One of the prettiest places is the fabled 'Orange Square' which is located just off the main street in the older district and is also home to the 16th century town hall and tourist office where you can pick up a detailed map and visitor information.

From Guadalalmina to Cabopino, the Marbella coastline stretches along some 26 kilometres of sunny beaches bathed by the Mediterranean and where you can enjoy traditional fish and seafood favourites like sardines on a spit, fried fish and the incomparable paella. With casinos, clubs and just about every sporting activity under the sun, few places can match Marbella for leisure activities. There are also three pleasure craft harbours here.

However for the ultimate in coastal charisma it would be hard to beat Puerto Banus, just west of the town. This is the place to be pampered yachtside and watch the world go by or window shop at one of several of the world renowned fashion houses and boutiques. The port has grown considerably over the years and now includes a casino, commercial shopping centre, El Corte Ingles department store, marine observatory and a multi cinema with films shown with their original soundtrack. The nightlife here is buzzing with alfresco bars, piano clubs and discos which are open from dusk until dawn.

Mijas
One of the jewels of the Costa del Sol is the beautiful little village of Mijas, which nestles comfortably in the mountainside at 428 meters above sea level; it is a superb choice for your holiday destination.

When you wander through the narrow cobbled streets of this Andalucian village, you can understand what has attracted foreigners to settle here over the years.

The craft shops have some wonderful hand-made pottery and often affordable paintings and prints by acclaimed local artists.

Mijas Costa is a small beach resort with a variety of restaurants and shops.

Nerja
Nerja is on the seashore some 50 kilometres from Málaga on the N340 (A7) coastal highway, and marks the eastern tip of Málaga's Costa del Sol.

Nerja boasts 16 kilometres of beaches with powdery sand and sparkling clear water. All major water sports are available here, including water skiing, scuba diving and sailing.

There are plenty of restaurants and cafés here to choose from, and the visitor can hire a horse-drawn carriage to explore the most romantic corner of the town.

However, Nerja's most spectacular attraction is undoubtedly its fascinating caves, located just three kilometres from the centre of town.

The journey from Marbella takes about an hour, while travelling from Málaga takes around half an hour.

Puerto Banus
Puerto Banus is located just west of Marbella, before you reach the small town of San Pedro de Alcantara. This is the place to be pampered yachtside and ogle those fabulous luxury yachts while sipping a drink at one of the many open air restaurants and bars. The setting is close to ideal, with its impressive mountain backdrop and ocean views.

Nightlife buzzes in Puerto Banus with your choice of alfresco bars, piano clubs and discos while during the day this is a window shopper's dream with several of the world renowned fashion houses featured here, in addition to small, interesting shops and boutiques.

Every Saturday morning, near to Puerto Banus' bullring, there is a very popular street market where you can pick up all sorts of bargains.

San Pedro de Alcantara
San Pedro de Alcántara is in an ideal situation, just 10 kilometres west from all the glitz and glamour of Marbella, yet just a few minutes drive away from the natural beauty of the Sierra de Ronda mountain range and 20 km from the town of Estepona. An ancient farming community, once famous for sugar cane, today San Pedro is a refreshingly unspoilt pueblo with an appeal all of its own.

Be sure to head for the central plaza here with its gracious parish church and surrounding narrow streets which are packed with intriguing small shops, sidewalk cafes and bars. Thursday is market day with all the associated hustle and bustle; a veritable bargain shopper's paradise.

A pleasant walk is from the centre of town to the beachfront along the Avenida del Marques del Duero which is a particularly attractive wide avenue flanked by palm trees. And the modern wide promenade is ideal for continuing your stroll (or skateboarding!) with several excellent chiringuitos (beachside restaurants) specialising in fish dishes. Visit Bora Bora if only for a drink at the bar. It is one of the best beach clubs on the coast, with a superb restaurant and all the usual beach facilities, a tropical paradise.

Sotogrande
Sotogrande is an exclusive residential development, yachting marina and home to the Valderrama Golf Club which hosted the 1997 Ryder Cup, the World Golf Championships in November 2000 and, annually, the Volvo Masters.

Sotogrande is located near the Straits of Gibraltar whose quiet beaches are only moments away. Thanks to its particular geographic situation, the offer available is most varied, with a choice of dramatic Atlantic beaches and tranquil Mediterranean coves. If you would rather enjoy sun, sea and sand on a large, commercial beach offering all of the services you can imagine, don't forget that the Costa del Sol is only twenty minutes away.

Sotogrande has something for everyone. For some it's a sport, sailing, golfing, tennis or polo paradise and for others it's a wonderful place to relax and enjoy the fabulous surroundings. Either way, it deserves a visit to see it for yourself.