Visiting the Costa del Sol
Some hundred and fifty kilometres of coast in southern Andalusia, from Manilva to Nerja, the length of the province of Málaga. Behind the beaches, the mountains almost drop into the sea, and white villages cling to them, like Mijas, Casares or Frigiliana. In the middle, Málaga has become a real city of art again, with its museums, Moorish fortress and harbour given back to walkers.
To the west, Marbella mixes its flower-filled old town with the yachts of Puerto Banús, and Estepona has kept a centre of lanes. In between, Torremolinos and Fuengirola were born of 1960s tourism. To the east, around Nerja, the coast turns back into cliffs and coves. You come for the mild winters, the beach in summer and Andalusia an hour's drive away.
You'll love it if
- You want winter sun, a short flight from the UK
- You want to mix beaches, museums and white villages
- You want to explore Granada, Ronda or Seville from a base
Look elsewhere if
- You hate concrete: part of the coast is heavily built up
- You want empty beaches in August: the coast is packed
- You want a wild coast: you'll need to go as far as Nerja for cliffs
The must-sees
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1 The Alcazaba and old Málaga +7 recs
A Moorish fortress climbs in terraces above the harbour, between gardens, fountains and horseshoe arches. Then climb up to Gibralfaro castle for the view over the bay, and come back down to the cathedral and the Picasso museum, five minutes' walk away.
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Beneath the hills of Nerja lie huge chambers, discovered by children in 1959, with calcite columns among the tallest in the world. In the evening, end at the Balcony of Europe, the terrace jutting out over the sea in the middle of the village.
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3 The white villages Villages
A few kilometres from the beach, Frigiliana, Mijas and Casares tumble down the slopes in whitewashed lanes, with pots of geraniums at the windows. Go up in the late afternoon, once the coaches have left: the light turns the façades golden and the terraces fill up.
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4 The Caminito del Rey Hiking
An hour from Málaga, a walkway pinned to the cliff crosses the El Chorro gorge, a hundred metres above the river. The walk takes about three hours, one way only. Places are booked well in advance, especially in spring.
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5 The Málaga Fair Festival
In mid-August, for a week, Málaga dances: sevillanas in the streets of the centre by day, horses and flounced dresses, then concerts and casetas at the fairground by night. People drink the local sweet wine, and the whole city lives outdoors.
Our itineraries in the Costa del Sol
| Length | Route | What you see |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days | Málaga › Nerja › Frigiliana | The Alcazaba, Picasso, the caves and a white village |
| 5 days | Málaga › Marbella › Mijas › Caminito del Rey | The city, the chic coast, the villages and the gorge |
| 1 week | From Nerja to Estepona, with Ronda and Granada | The whole coast and Andalusia's great cities an hour away |
Start in Málaga: the Alcazaba in the morning, then the Picasso museum and tapas around the cathedral. The next day, head to Nerja for the caves and the Balcony of Europe, then up to Frigiliana. Got a week? Add Marbella, the Caminito del Rey and a day in Ronda or Granada.
When to visit the Costa del Sol
| Appeal | Season | Temperatures | Highlight | Crowds and prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WinterNov. to March | 9 to 18 °C | Mild weather and cities without crowds | Low | |
| SpringApril to June | 13 to 26 °C | Holy Week and the Caminito del Rey | Medium | |
| SummerJuly and Aug. | 21 to 31 °C | The beach and the Málaga Fair | High | |
| AutumnSept. and Oct. | 16 to 28 °C | A warm sea and quiet beaches | Medium |
Our advice
The Costa del Sol is one of the few coasts in Europe you can visit all year. For swimming, come in June or September; for the cities and walking, choose winter or spring. In summer, watch out for the terral, a scorching wind from inland that sends the temperature up all at once.
Getting to the Costa del Sol
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By plane to Málaga The easiest
Direct flights link London, Manchester, Birmingham, Dublin and dozens of other cities to Málaga in under three hours, all year round. The airport is a quarter of an hour from the centre and from Torremolinos.
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By train via Madrid Without flying
From London, it's a long day with changes in Paris and Barcelona or Madrid. The high-speed train then links Madrid to Málaga in just under three hours.
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By car through France and Spain The longest
More than a thousand kilometres separate the French border from Málaga along the Mediterranean motorway. It's a two-day drive at least, worth it only for a long stay or a loop around Andalusia.
Once there, you may not need a car: a commuter train links the airport to Málaga, Torremolinos, Benalmádena and Fuengirola. Hire one for Marbella, Estepona, the white villages and trips to Ronda or Granada.
Getting around the Costa del Sol
The commuter train runs along the coast from Málaga to Fuengirola, stopping at the airport, about every twenty minutes. Beyond that, buses link Marbella, Estepona and Nerja. For the white villages, the Caminito del Rey and inland, a car is the simplest option.
Good to know
Parking in central Málaga or Marbella is expensive: leave the car in a car park on the edge of town. For Nerja and Frigiliana in summer, set off early, car parks fill by ten. Spain drives on the right, and a UK or EU licence is all you need.
What to eat in the Costa del Sol
- Espetos de sardinas: sardines threaded on a cane skewer and grilled over a wood fire, in a sand-filled boat on the beach.
- Pescaíto frito: fried small fish, anchovies, squid and red mullet, eaten with your fingers.
- Ajoblanco: Málaga's cold soup of almonds and garlic, served with grapes.
- Málaga wine: a sweet muscat wine, poured straight from the barrel in the old taverns of the centre.
- Aubergines with cane honey: fried and drizzled with the cane syrup of Frigiliana.
- Coffee, Málaga style: you order it by the dose, solo, mitad, nube, depending on how much milk.
To eat like the locals, look for the beach chiringuitos, such as those at Pedregalejo in Málaga or Burriana in Nerja, where the espetos grill before your eyes. Lunch is around two, and dinner rarely starts before nine.
Where to stay in the Costa del Sol
| Area | What for | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Málaga | Museums, old town, station and airport | The most urban |
| Torremolinos and Benalmádena | Long beaches, marina, train | The cheapest |
| Fuengirola and Mijas | Family beaches, white village | The most family-friendly |
| Marbella and Estepona | Old towns, golf, Puerto Banús | The most upmarket |
| Nerja and the Axarquía | Cliffs, coves, villages | The finest scenery |
How much does a trip in the Costa del Sol cost?
| Trip | Length | Budget per person |
|---|---|---|
| Budget (apartment in Torremolinos, train, tapas) | 5 days | €350 to €600 |
| Comfort (city or beach hotel, car for two days) | 5 days | €800 to €1,400 |
| Luxury (grand hotel in Marbella, golf, fine dining) | 5 days | €2,500 to €5,000 |
- The season: from October to April, you often pay half the August price for the same room.
- Tapas: a round of tapas at the bar costs far less than a sit-down meal.
- Museums: the Museum of Málaga is free for EU visitors, and others are free on certain days.
- The commuter train: a few euros from the airport to Málaga or Fuengirola.
- The Caminito del Rey: book on the official site, resellers often add a hefty margin.
Traditions and way of life in the Costa del Sol
The Phoenicians founded Malaka nearly three thousand years ago, the Romans built a theatre, and the Moors ruled for eight centuries, until the Catholic Monarchs took the city in 1487. The Alcazaba and Gibralfaro castle date from their time. In the mountains, the white villages keep lanes laid out for shade, and sugar cane long covered the coast around Nerja.
Pablo Picasso was born in Málaga in 1881, on Plaza de la Merced, where his birthplace can be visited. In the 1960s Torremolinos became the haunt of artists and the first tourists, and then Marbella that of the jet set. In Málaga on a Sunday? Head down to the harbour: the whole city strolls there as a family until dusk.
