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The name means ‘sunny coast’ and it’s those long, sunny days and scorching temperatures (well into the mid-40s Celsius on some days) that provide the attraction for millions of visitors each year. Located along the Mediterranean in Andalusia, this area has been a major tourist draw since the 1950s.

Popular Costa del Sol Destinations

Andalusia enjoys the second largest share of tourist traffic among Spain’s autonomous communities which is no surprise as it’s one of the warmest and sunniest places in Europe. Some of the most popular areas include Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Fuengirola, Mijas, Estepona and Marbella. These – and the many other coastal cities – provide a variety of activities for visitors. Many of the towns are linked by a coastal rail line, making it easy to sample the variety of this coast. Estepona stands out for its 325 days of annual sunshine and two Blue Flag beaches. Torremolinos is the place to go to find the largest number of British expats and the beaches in Fuengirola are so popular that you will have trouble finding a free spot in the height of summer.

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What to Do in Andalusia

As well as the usual assortment of restaurants, bars, pubs and clubs, this area offers castles, cathedrals, forts and monasteries. The Alcazaba in Malaga, the Alhambra in Granada and the Giralda and Alcazar in Seville are worth visiting. Andalusia has a wide variety of other attractions. The birthplace of Velasquez and Picasso, it has a number of museums and art collections on show. Of these, one of the most important is the Malaga Museum of Modern Art. It’s also possible to see craft, ceramics and jewellery made by the region’s artisans. Andalusia is also a great place for those interested in architecture, as everything from Moorish/Islamic architecture to Renaissance, Baroque and more modern styles are on display. Walk around Malaga city centre and you will suddenly find yourself on distinctive and beautiful tiles or face to face with a beautiful building. And of course, depending on where you are, a visit to Gibraltar can make a nice day trip.

There’s so much to see and do in this area that its popularity is no surprise. If you have ever visited the Costa del Sol or Andalusia, be sure to share your favourite attractions in the comments.

Marian Jaime enjoys visiting the Costa del Sol. She uses Suntransfers’ Malaga airport taxis to get to her resort.

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Other historical treasures include local Malaga Cathedral of the first half of the 16th century, which combines several artistic styles. You can walk through Paseo Marítimo seaside promenade, but there are also several pedestrian zones criss-crossing the center. You certainly should not miss a tour of the Picasso Museum, housed in a Palacio de Buenavista palace. Establishment of this museum was made thanks to the wife and grandson of painter, Christine and Bernard Ruiz-Picasso, who donated a large portion of images. Currently you can see there more than 200 works, including the paintings, drawings, sculptures or engravings.

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The museum was inaugurated March 27, 2003 with the participation of the Spanish royal family. Besides the permanent exhibition of works by Picasso are also temporary exhibitions.

Roman amphitheatre is one of the oldest monuments in Malaga. It is situated at the foot of the Alcazaba fortress. It dates from the 2nd century after Christ, from the reign of Emperor Augustus. It was discovered only in 1951, during completion of one of the gardens.

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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.

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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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Today Sevilla has about 700 000 inhabitants. Like the most of the country, also Sevilla was for a long time – the whole 500 years – under the rule of Muslim Moors, who left indelible traces here. The name Andalusia comes from the Arabic “Al Andalus”, which was an Arabic name given to a nation in Iberian Peninsula under Arab domination. This term was derived from the Vandals, who inhabited the area at the turn of the 4th and 5th century.

When the Muslims were defeated in 1248 by King Ferdinand III. and 300 000 of them were driven, perfect Moorish architects and builders were still employed by the Christians. The city thanks them e.g. for the symbol of the city, minaret Giralda, Alcázar – romantic castle from the 14th century, but also for many other oriental buildings and beautiful gardens in the Arab style.

But Christians probably did not want to humiliate, and thus in the year of 1401 they began to build a huge cathedral, saying: “Let us build such a great cathedral that everyone who sees it, regarded us as crazy.”

At the site of a former mosque they built Cathedral of the Virgin Mary for over 100 years. It is built in Gothic style from the outside, but it was influenced by the Renaissance from the inside. Now it is the third largest cathedral in Europe and one of the most admired local tourist magnets – also for a fact that the famous navigator Christopher Columbus is buried here.

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Bullfighting is characteristic for the city of Sevilla. The first bullfight match took place in Sevilla around the year 1750. Later there was built one of the grandest arenas here, called Plaza Toros de la Maestranza, which can host around 12,500 visitors. Another favourite entertainment is Flamenco, typical Andalusian music and dance. Although flamenco is today for many a symbol of Spain, its creation came from the mixture of Gypsy, Jewish, Arab and others.

So if you want to see the bullfights and flamenco, the best time for your visit would be during some of ceremonies or festivals. Sevilla offers a number of interesting museums and other attractions, like the old Jewish quarter with non-Jewish name Barrio de Santa Cruz, Plazza de Espana square with arcades and malls, and more. Perhaps everyone comes into his own here.

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