Down in southern Spain lies the Costa del Sol – a stretch of stunning golden, sandy beaches running all the along the coastline, with several excellent seaside resorts dotted along the way. Here we list details of the beaches in some of the most popular resorts, for your sun and sand adventure.
With the N340 coastal highway running all along the way, it is easy to visit all the many and various sun spots, try out the local restaurants and bars, view their individual attractions and soak up the sun on the beach. You are spoiled for choice when embarking on Costa del Sol villa holidays with so many locations to choose from, but once settled in and unpacked, take your swimming towel, sunglasses and tanning lotion and head out for the sun.
Marvellous Marbella
Dubbed the “Golden Mile,” Marbella’s excellent beaches actually stretch for a whole four miles, starting at the western edge of the city and running all the way to the upmarket and celebrity-filled Puerto Banús. All along the way are restaurants, chiringuitos (beach bars), several well known hotels as well as some pretty expensive homes, all overlooking the endless blue of the Mediterranean. Watch out for celebrities when you head to the beach as the area is popular with the stars.
Charming Calahonda
Next along the way we briefly visit Calahonda, a small town with a predominantly foreign population located around halfway between Marbella and Fuengirola. The town is part of the Mijas municipality and has some great, if a little narrower than the norm, beaches and plenty to offer the tourist. Close by visit the lovely Cabopino beach, an endless and quiet stretch of sand, with some great dunes to explore.
Life in La Cala de Mijas
Originally a typical and charming fishing village, La Cala de Mijas has grown into a popular tourist resort and forms part of what is dubbed “Mijas Costa.” The town is situated just outside of Fuengirola’s town limits and offers several excellent restaurants and beach “chiringuitos” with the freshest seafood and, naturally, endless golden sand.
Magical Mijas Costa
Mijas Costa itself stretches for seven and a half miles and besides La Cala de Mijas, includes El Chaparral, El Combo and Calahonda, from East to West respectively. This stretch of coastline offers several shopping centres, restaurants and bars as well as golfing and sports facilities.
Fun in Fuengirola
Fuengirola is one of the larger towns along the Costa del Sol, offering almost five miles of well-kept and attractive beaches stretching from the well-preserved Moorish castle all the way through the centre of town and Los Boliches to the relatively new urbanization of Carvajal. Walking that seemingly endless promenade, there are many great facilities for the visitor along the way, including restaurants, shops and bars, boat hire, beach parasols and sun beds and fun playgrounds for the kids.
This brief introduction offers just a taste of the beach life available on the Costa del Sol – head on down and soak up the sun on one of the best beach hotspots in Spain!
Photo sources:
Cover Image: CC BY 2.0 kevinpoh
Marbella: CC BY 2.0 Peter & Michelle S
Cabopino: CC BY-NC 2.0 Jose Manuel Cortes
La Cala de Mijas: CC BY-NC 2.0 Gemma Bardsley
Mijas Costa: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 Gerard Arcos
Fuengirola (Los Boliches): Copyright Anne Sewell