Costa del Sol Destinations and Interesting Sights

Andalucia » Costa del Sol

The seaside town of Nerja
(a photo by Oskarsson)

Costa del Sol is an attractive stretch of coast in Southern Spain, from Gibraltar to Almeria. Each year it is visited by millions of foreign and Spanish tourists. Besides the pleasant features, the region has several disadvantages too. The major one is the intensive overbuilding of the coastline during the last years but there are still some well preserved interesting places, especially east of Malaga. The seaside resorts to the west of Malaga: Marbella, Fuengirola, Benalmadena and Torremolinos are famous not only for the overbuilding but also for their luxury hotels and excellent sandy beaches.

If you prefer a more quiet place and not so overbuilt, your best destination is the small touristic town of Nerja. It is situated on the picturesque rocky coast at the slope of the magnificent Sierra Tejeda Mountain, some 4.5 kilometres east of Malaga. The Caves of Nerja (Cuevas de Nerja) are located nearby. Their wonderful halls with stalactites, stalagmites and various rock formations have a total length of more than 800 m. The music sound, the lighting and the cave restaurant spoil the natural mystery to some degree but you can see rock drawings dating back to the Paleolithic era. There is also a little museum showing interesting prehistoric artefacts.

The Castle of Fuengirola
(a photo by Gerald Boss)

South-west of Malaga is the famous seaside resort of Torremolinos with its tall hotels and a variety of bars, clubs, boutiques, shops, restaurants and other tourist attractions. The same can be said about Fuengirola but here you can also see the ruins of an ancient Moorish castle and enjoy a 6 kilometres long beach of fine sand. If you are keen of water sports Fuengirola is the right choice for your holiday.

The well preserved little village of Mijas is located 8 km away from the coast. Its picturesque houses perched on steep slopes were a favourite refugee for many artists in the past. Today the village suffers from the crowds of tourists which stay on its coast. Among the sights here are the remains of ancient Arabic walls and the Sanctuary of the Virgin of the Rock (Santuario de la Virgen de la Peņa) dating back to the 17th century. But the main attractions of the village are its picturesque corners, nice balconies overgrown by pelargonium, the craftsmen's shops and the wonderful scenery you will enjoy riding your donkey taxi.

Marbella
(a photo by santoshat60)

The next stop along the coastal highway is Marbella - the most prestigious and luxury seaside resort in Spain. A continuous flow of super luxurious limousines marches by the countless bars and restaurants. The beautiful old town begins from Plaza de la Constitucion Square, where are located the city hall, a wonderful fountain from 16th century and La Madera Castle (Castillo de la Madera). On the beachfront you can enjoy a very intense night life and excellent food.

San Pedro de Alcantara is a small ancient town lying 10 km west of Marbella. It was founded as a Roman colony devastated by a strong earthquake in 365 BC. You will see skilfully reconstructed remains of a Visigoths' basilica from 6th century. The nearby beaches are wonderful and there are several excellent golf courses. From the town starts a 50 km long winding road, passing by beautiful rocky areas, woods, gorges and isolated small villages in the region of Serrania de Ronda.