Three hundred days of sunshine each year is a statistic that sells itself. The Costa del Sol stretches along Andalusia’s Mediterranean coast from Nerja to Manilva, a ribbon of beach towns, golf courses, and resort hotels backed by the mountains of the Sierra Blanca and Sierra de Mijas. Marbella offers luxury. Torremolinos offers package holidays. Malaga offers a proper city with a Picasso museum and a working port. The coast has been built up extensively, sometimes thoughtlessly, but the light remains extraordinary. The sea stays warm until October. The chiringuitos serve fried fish and cold beer on the sand. The sun keeps its promise.
One of the most visited areas in the southern Spanish Andalusia is certainly Costa del Sol (Suuny Coast). It stretches from the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada to the Gibraltar and continue with the Costa de la Luz. Costa del Sol is about 300 kilometres long and is rightly proud of its name and boasts at least three hundred days of sunshine a year.
The constant sunny weather is almost guaranteed here. There is subtropical Mediterranean climate with an average annual temperature of 18 °C and average summer temperatures above 30 °C. Tourism started to develop here in this area in the 60′s of the 20th century. until then there were just small fishing villages on the coast with the quiet life.
Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Stephen Heron
Costa del Sol is still relatively sparsely populated in comparison with northern parts of the coast, such as Costa Brava or so. In addition to a wide range of accommodation there is also a wide range of entertainment and shopping options. You can taste the famous Spanish cuisine and meet with the locals who are very friendly.
The area features the long beautiful beaches, many of which have previously received the Blue flag of the European Union, which proves their high quality. These beaches boast not only for its cleanliness and grooming, but also a high quality of services. Costa del Sol consists of a large number of large and small beaches, most of which has a gentle access to the sea, which is especially appreciated by families with children. Swimming is offered in a crystal clean and warm Mediterranean sea, whose waves are also ideal for various water sports. It is a popular destination for the lovers of windsurfing, kiting, water skiing or riding on water scooters.
Costa del Sol is an ideal place to spend quality holiday full of sun. In addition to great swimming in the sea and sunbathing on the beaches here you can also find beautiful landscapes and many historically significant places. Top cities worth a visit are Malaga, Seville, Granada, Cordoba, Torremolinos, or resorts like Benalmadena, Fuengirola and last but not least is Gibraltar. Costa del Sol is also very close to African continent, it is not a problem to get for example to Morocco.
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Top Beach Towns and Resorts Along the Coast
The Costa del Sol stretches for 300 kilometres and each town along its length has a distinct character. Marbella’s old town, Casco Antiguo, preserves whitewashed buildings draped in bougainvillea around the Plaza de los Naranjos, while the Golden Mile between Marbella and Puerto Banus is lined with designer boutiques and five-star hotels. Puerto Banus itself is a marina filled with superyachts and celebrity-spotting opportunities. Torremolinos offers a more accessible package holiday experience with high-rise hotels lining the beachfront promenade and a lively nightlife scene centred on Calle San Miguel. Fuengirola appeals to families with its 8 kilometres of sandy beaches, a water park, and a biopark zoo with walk-through enclosures. Nerja, at the eastern end of the coast, offers a more traditional Andalusian atmosphere with the famous Balcony of Europe viewpoint and the Nerja Caves, a network of stalactite-filled caverns that extend for nearly 5 kilometres. Benalmadena has a marina, a cable car to the summit of Mount Calamorro, and the Selwo Marina dolphin park. Mijas Pueblo, perched in the hills above Fuengirola, offers white village charm with donkey taxis and panoramic coastal views.
Golf, Water Sports, and Gastronomy
The Costa del Sol is Europe’s premier golf destination, with over 70 courses spread along the coast. Valderrama in Sotogrande has hosted the Ryder Cup and is consistently ranked among Europe’s top courses, with green fees starting at 200 euros. For more budget-friendly options, courses like Miraflores in Mijas offer 18 holes for around 50 euros. Most courses are open year-round and rental equipment is available at all locations. The warm Mediterranean Sea supports excellent conditions for windsurfing and kitesurfing, particularly at Tarifa, just an hour west of Marbella, where the Levante wind creates reliable conditions from April to October. Jet ski rentals are available at every beach town for approximately 60 euros per half hour. Andalusian cuisine along the coast revolves around fried fish, or pescaito frito, with the chiringuitos at El Palo beach in Malaga serving the freshest catches. Try boquerones (fresh anchovies), calamares a la romana (fried squid rings), and espetos de sardinas (sardines skewered and grilled over an open fire). A meal at a chiringuito costs between 15 and 25 euros per person including a drink.
Would you rather spend your Costa del Sol days on the golf course or on the beach? ️
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