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Hotels in Costa del Sol

300 days of sunshine, white villages above the sea and Spain's longest season

Costa del Sol

LanguageSpanish
CurrencyEUR
TimezoneEurope/Madrid
Temperature12-32 °C
Dial Code+34
Population47.6M
Area505,990 km²
SocketsType C / Type F
Tap waterDrinkable

Discover Costa del Sol

The Costa del Sol is 160 km of coastline in Málaga province, from Nerja in the east to Estepona in the west, and its main draw isn't the beach but the climate. The mountains to the north keep the northern air out, so the sea is swimmable from May to the end of October and it's 17°C during the day even in January — which is why tens of thousands of Britons and Scandinavians live here year-round, and why charter flights arrive even in November. The beaches are darker, made of crushed grey sand, and the sea is calm, since the coast sits within the Alboran Sea, sheltered by the African shore. The resorts differ more than the brochures suggest: Torremolinos and Benalmádena are dense and cheap, Fuengirola family-friendly, Marbella upmarket and pricey, and Nerja in the east has cliffs and the loveliest water. The interior is close by everywhere — the white villages of Mijas and Frigiliana sit 15 minutes above the coast, and both Ronda and Granada are doable as a day trip from any resort. Málaga airport sits in the middle, and a train runs from it along the whole eastern stretch of coast.

What to see

The places worth your time in Costa del Sol, and what to expect at each

Nerja Caves

Nerja Caves

Nerja, 50 km east

A system of stalactite chambers discovered in 1959 by 5 boys chasing bats. Inside stands a 32-metre column recorded as the largest in the world, and the main hall has hosted summer concerts since the 1960s. The walls carry paintings over 20,000 years old.

Tip: Tickets are sold in timed slots and sell out by mid-morning in summer. Take the first entry of the day — after 10am, 5 tour buses arrive at once and the narrow passages get crowded.

Admission:
from €15
Time needed:
1.5 h
Balcón de Europa in Nerja

Balcón de Europa in Nerja

Nerja

A viewpoint terrace on the site of a former fortress, jutting out into the sea between 2 coves. The palm-lined promenade ends at a railing 50 metres above the water, with views of the whole eastern coast as far as the Sierra de Tejeda mountains. Steps beneath the terrace lead down to 2 small beaches.

Tip: Calahonda beach right below the terrace has only a few dozen metres of sand and is packed by midday. A 5-minute walk east is Burriana, twice the size, with beachside restaurants serving paella right on the sand.

Admission:
free
Time needed:
2 h
Frigiliana

Frigiliana

Frigiliana, 55 km east

The best-preserved Moorish village in the province, 6 km above Nerja. The white houses sit on such a steep slope that the streets are stairways, the paving is laid in mosaics, and ceramic tiles around the village depict the Morisco uprising of 1569. It's home to the only cane-sugar mill of its kind left in Europe.

Tip: Driving up isn't worth it — the streets are built for donkeys. Park in the lower car park and plan to walk back down via the steps — smooth-soled sandals slip on the polished paving.

Admission:
free
Time needed:
3 h
Mijas Pueblo

Mijas Pueblo

Mijas, above Fuengirola

A white village 400 metres above Fuengirola with views over the whole coast and, on a clear day, as far as Africa. It's known for donkeys that have worked as taxis since the 1950s, a circular arena carved into the rock, and a chapel to the Virgin Mary in a cave.

Tip: The viewpoint wall by the church faces south and the best light is late afternoon. Bus M-122 runs from Fuengirola to the village every hour for €2; a taxi costs €20.

Admission:
free
Time needed:
half a day
Marbella Old Town

Marbella Old Town

Marbella

A maze of white lanes with orange trees around Plaza de los Naranjos, laid out just after the city's conquest in 1485. Sections of the Moorish walls survive, along with the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación; the contrast with the high-rises on the coast is the starkest anywhere on the Costa del Sol.

Tip: The old town is an hour's walk from Puerto Banús along the seafront promenade — go on foot and save on both taxi fares and parking, which is the priciest on the coast in central Marbella.

Admission:
free
Time needed:
3 h
Puerto Banús

Puerto Banús

Marbella, 6 km west

A marina built in 1970, where boats worth tens of millions of euros are moored and designer shops line the quay that you won't find elsewhere on the coast. It's more a spectacle than a place to shop — people come here in the evening to look at the cars parked outside the terraces.

Tip: Coffee by the marina costs 3 times the usual price. Sit a street further towards Nueva Andalucía, where the same staff serve at normal prices, and just walk over to look at the boats.

Admission:
free
Time needed:
2 h
Monte Calamorro cable car

Monte Calamorro cable car

Benalmádena

A cable car from Benalmádena that climbs to 770 metres above the sea in 15 minutes. At the top is a viewing platform over the whole bay, birds-of-prey displays twice a day, and several marked ridge trails you can walk back down.

Tip: Take the last afternoon service and leave time for sunset — even after a hot day it's 6 degrees cooler up top, so bring a jumper.

Admission:
from €18 return
Time needed:
3 h
Sohail Castle in Fuengirola

Sohail Castle in Fuengirola

Fuengirola

A 10th-century Moorish fortress on a hill above the river mouth, the only surviving structure of its kind on the western stretch of coast. You can walk the top of the walls, and in summer it hosts concerts and medieval markets. The resort's widest beach begins below the castle.

Tip: Admission is free outside event days, and it's best to go up an hour before sunset — then head straight down for dinner at the restaurants by the river mouth.

Admission:
free, from €5 during events
Time needed:
1.5 h
La Carihuela in Torremolinos

La Carihuela in Torremolinos

Torremolinos

A former fishing quarter that stayed low and narrow while hotel towers rose up around it. Along the kilometre-long promenade stand dozens of chiringuitos, where sardines are skewered and grilled over sand-filled boats right on the beach. The cheapest fish lunch on the coast.

Tip: Espeto de sardinas is only made at lunchtime, and only in months without an 'r' in the name — that is, from May to August, when the sardines are fattiest. Order around 2pm, just as they come off the fire.

Admission:
free
Time needed:
half a day

Photos: Nerja Caves — Fernando (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Balcón de Europa in Nerja — Tuxyso (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Frigiliana — Uviein (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Mijas Pueblo — Tyk (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Marbella Old Town — fernando0 (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Puerto Banús — __Lolo__ (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Monte Calamorro cable car — Werner Wilmes (CC BY 2.0) · Sohail Castle in Fuengirola — Olaf Tausch (CC BY 3.0) · La Carihuela in Torremolinos — Hans Olav Lien (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Where to stay

Areas and districts, matched to the kind of trip you are taking

Torremolinos and Benalmádena

Best for: the cheapest stay and easy transport links

The densest and cheapest stretch of coast, 10 minutes by train from the airport. 1970s hotel towers, a long promenade, a water park and the liveliest nightlife. Málaga is 20 minutes away by train, making this the best base for day trips without a car.

Fuengirola

Best for: families with children and longer stays

8 km of beach with a gradual entry into the water, a flat centre with no hills, and the cheapest apartments for a longer stay. A large Scandinavian community lives here, so the range of services feels distinctly European. The train to Málaga and the airport runs every 20 minutes.

Marbella and Puerto Banús

Best for: a higher standard and golf

The most expensive part of the coast, with a manicured promenade, palm-lined avenues and dozens of golf courses inland. The beaches are narrower but cleaner, with fewer hotel blocks. There's no train here, and it's an hour by bus to Málaga, so plan on having a car.

Nerja and the eastern coast

Best for: the loveliest water and quiet

The eastern end beneath the mountains, where the coast is rocky and the coves small. The water is clearer than in the west, and hotel building is limited to low-rise blocks. In exchange, it's an hour from the airport, and without a car you're limited to the bus, which runs through every resort.

Search hotels →

Getting around

From the airport

Málaga airport sits in the middle of the coast and is one of the best-connected airports in Spain — charter and scheduled flights arrive here in season from many European cities. A train runs directly from beneath the terminal, reaching Torremolinos in 12 minutes and Fuengirola in 35, for under €3. The train doesn't run west to Marbella and Estepona or east to Nerja; long-distance buses from Málaga bus station or direct transfers cover those routes.

Málaga-Costa del Sol (AGP) · 8 km

  • C1 train to Torremolinos and Fuengirola· 12–35 min· €2.50
  • Bus to Marbella and Estepona· 1–1.5 h· €9
  • Bus to Nerja· 1 h 20 min· €12
  • Hotel transfer· 20–90 min depending on the resort· included in the package

Around town

The eastern stretch from Málaga to Fuengirola is served by the C1 suburban train, which runs every 20 minutes and stops at every resort and the airport too — in this part you genuinely don't need a car. West of Fuengirola the train ends and Avanza buses take over on the old coast road, sitting in traffic. The toll motorway AP-7 runs parallel and can save up to half an hour in season. Local buses serve the white villages in the mountains, but only a few times a day.

Cercanías C1 trainMálaga – airport – Torremolinos – Benalmádena – Fuengirola, every 20 minutes until midnight. The cheapest and fastest transport on the coast. · €2–3
Avanza busesWest to Marbella, Puerto Banús and Estepona, and east to Nerja. Tickets from the driver; can get full in season. · €3–12
Car hireUseful for the white villages and Ronda. The toll motorway AP-7 bypasses the traffic on the old A-7 road. · €30/day
Senda LitoralA coastal path for walkers and cyclists, intended to link the whole coastline. The Torremolinos–Fuengirola stretch is the main continuous section. · free

Useful apps: Google Maps, Moovit, Cabify, AEMET Weather

When to go

The season here is the longest in mainland Spain: swimming is possible from June to the end of October, and outside that people come here for the sun rather than the sea. May, June and September into early October are the most pleasant, with 25–28°C and the sea over 20°C. In July and August it's hot, over 30°C and up to 35°C when the wind blows from inland, the beaches are packed and prices are highest. From November to March it's around 18°C during the day, hotels stay open, and it's the cheapest time of year — but not for swimming, as the sea is 16°C.

Best time

May, June, September and the first half of October

What to avoid

August, because of the heat and prices

MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Day17°18°20°21°24°28°30°31°28°24°20°18°
Night7°8°9°11°13°17°20°20°18°15°11°8°
Rainy days655531013667
Sea16°16°16°17°19°21°24°25°24°22°19°17°

Food & drink

Costa del Sol cuisine is Andalusian and fish-based: thinly battered pieces of fish are fried in olive oil and washed down with chilled white wine or sweet Málaga wine. In most bars you get a small free tapa with your drink, which sets it apart from the eastern coast. Meals come late — kitchens open for lunch at 2pm and dinner at 8pm, though on the beach grills run all day.

What to try

Espeto de sardinas

Sardines skewered on a bamboo stick and grilled over an open fire in a boat filled with sand. A symbol of the whole coast, eaten by hand and only in summer.

Pescaíto frito

A mix of small fish coated in flour and fried in olive oil, served with lemon. The cheapest fish dish, sold by weight rather than by portion.

Ajoblanco

A cold white soup of almonds, garlic and bread with grapes, Málaga's forerunner to gazpacho. Nothing cools you down better.

Boquerones

Anchovies either fried or marinated in vinegar with garlic. Málaga is nicknamed after them, and every bar makes them differently.

Porra antequerana

A thick cold soup of tomatoes and bread, served with tuna and egg. Heartier than gazpacho, eaten with a spoon.

Vino de Málaga

A sweet wine made from sun-dried grapes, drunk from a small glass as an aperitif or with dessert. Try it in the old bodegas with wooden barrels.

Tapas

Small dishes to go with a drink, ordered gradually and shared. In Andalusia many bars give you one free with a drink; on the eastern coast, they're charged separately.

Churros with chocolate

The local version is fried in a spiral and broken into pieces. A weekend breakfast, eaten around 9am, and it costs under €3.

What it costs

Coffee and a tostada

€3–4

Menu del día

€12–16

Espeto de sardinas on the beach

€4–6

Beer, 0.33l, with a tapa

€2.50–3.50

2 sunbeds with a parasol

€12–18

Fuengirola–Málaga train

€3

Car hire for a day

from €30

Night in a 4-star hotel in season

€90–160

Indicative prices that change over time — treat them as a guide, not a price list.

Practical information

SocketsCEuroplug, two round pinsFSchuko
Voltage230V / 50Hz
Tap waterTap water is drinkable — Tap water in Spain is drinkable and hygienically safe, but on the south coast and along the seaboard it's very hard and tastes of chlorine, so even locals commonly buy bottled water. In restaurants, tap water must be provided free on request — it's called "agua del grifo".
TippingTipping isn't mandatory, and Spaniards themselves tip little — in a café, the change is left behind; in a restaurant, the bill is rounded up or 5% is added. 10% is the upper limit and it's given in cash, since card terminals usually don't have a tip option.
Driving on theright
SafetySpain's coast is safe and violent crime is rare, but pickpockets work systematically — on the promenade, on crowded buses and especially on the beach, where all it takes is a dip in the sea. Leave your backpack with someone you trust, not under a towel. Never leave a car with visible luggage inside, even in a hotel car park. In the sea, follow the flags: a red flag means swimming is banned, and lifeguards enforce it with fines.
Opening hoursShops are usually open from 9:30am to 1:30pm and then from 5pm to 8pm, closing for a siesta at midday — supermarkets and shopping centres in the resorts stay open all day. Museums close on Mondays, extend their hours into the evening in summer, and many offer free admission in the last hour before closing. On Sundays, almost everything except restaurants closes in smaller towns.
Customs & etiquetteLunch is between 2pm and 4pm, dinner after 9pm — anyone arriving at a restaurant at 7pm will find an empty room and often a closed kitchen. Swimwear belongs on the beach: walking around town without a shirt or in swimwear is fined in most coastal towns, and the fines are genuinely collected. Greetings are with a handshake, or 2 kisses on the cheek between acquaintances. Spaniards talk loudly — it's not an argument.
A few local wordsHello — Buenos díasThank you — GraciasPlease — Por favorThe bill, please — La cuenta, por favorCheers — Salud

How to plan your days

1 day

A day between sea and mountains

  1. 1Morning: bus up to Mijas Pueblo while it's still cool.
  2. 2A walk along the viewpoint wall and the cave chapel, then coffee in the square.
  3. 3Lunch at La Carihuela in Torremolinos: espeto and fried fish right on the beach.
  4. 4Afternoon swim, then an evening stroll to Benalmádena's Puerto Marina.

2 days

2 days on the eastern coast

  1. 1Day 1: follow the plan above.
  2. 2Day 2, early morning: the Nerja Caves for the first timed entry.
  3. 3Late morning: Balcón de Europa and a swim at Burriana beach.
  4. 4Lunch in Nerja, then in the afternoon the white village of Frigiliana, 6 km above town.
  5. 5Return along the coast road with a stop at the Maro viewpoint.

3 days

3 days including the interior

  1. 1Days 1–2: follow the plan above.
  2. 2Day 3: drive or take a coach trip to Ronda over the mountain hairpins.
  3. 3Late morning: Puente Nuevo, the bullring, and a walk along the edge of the El Tajo gorge.
  4. 4Lunch in Ronda, then return in the afternoon through wine country with a stop in Marbella.
  5. 5Evening: Marbella's old town and a stroll to Puerto Banús.

Day trips

Ronda

95 km · 1.5 h by car from Marbella

A town cut through by a gorge 100 metres deep, spanned by the Puente Nuevo bridge from 1793. It's home to Spain's oldest stone bullring, and from the edge of the canyon you can see tens of kilometres down the valley. The drive up the hairpin bends from Marbella is an experience in itself, but it can make you carsick on a bus.

Granada and the Alhambra

130 km · 2 h by car

A Moorish palace complex above the city with the finest stucco decoration in Europe and the Generalife gardens. Tickets are timed and sell out up to 3 months ahead in season — without a booking you won't get into the Nasrid Palaces. Coach trips from the coast usually have tickets secured.

Málaga

25 km · 25 min by train from Torremolinos

The provincial capital in the middle of the coast, where more than 30 museums have opened in the last 15 years, including a branch of the Centre Pompidou. From the eastern resorts it's the cheapest and easiest day trip of all — the train runs every 20 minutes and the centre is entirely walkable.

Frequently asked questions

Which Costa del Sol resort should I choose for a family with children?+

Fuengirola or Benalmádena. Both have wide beaches with a gradual entry into the water, a flat town centre, a water park, and a train that gets you to the airport and Málaga without a car. Marbella is pricier and has narrower beaches; Nerja is beautiful but rocky, with hills that are hard going with a pushchair.

What's the sand like on the Costa del Sol?+

Dark to grey and coarser than in the Canaries or Alicante, since it comes from the local mountains rather than coral. The beaches are often replenished, and in Torremolinos and Fuengirola the strip of sand is over 50 metres wide. You'll only find pebbles on the eastern stretch around Nerja and Maro.

Can you visit in winter too?+

Yes, and it's the cheapest time of year. From November to March it's 17–20°C during the day, the sun shines, and hotels and restaurants in the main resorts operate as normal. The sea, though, is only 16°C, so it's not for swimming — people come here for golf, hiking in the mountains and sightseeing in towns.

Do I need a car?+

Not on the eastern stretch from Málaga to Fuengirola, where the C1 train runs every 20 minutes and stops at the airport too. West of Fuengirola there's no train and buses sit in traffic, so for Marbella, Estepona and especially the white villages and Ronda, a car pays off.

Do you get a free tapa with a drink?+

In Málaga and inland, often yes; on the coast in tourist-oriented places, usually not. The rule is simple: the further from the seafront and the more locals inside, the better the odds. In Granada, a popular day-trip destination, a free tapa with your drink is standard.

How do I get to Gibraltar?+

By bus or car to La Línea de la Concepción, which is 1 hour from Marbella and 1.5 hours from Torremolinos. You cross the border on foot, walking right across the airport runway. You'll need a passport or ID card; prices are in pounds, but euros are accepted everywhere.

When can you swim?+

From June to the end of October. In June the sea is 21°C, in August and September 25°C, and in October still 22°C. May is borderline — the air is 24°C, but the water only 19°C. The Alboran Sea here is sheltered and wave-free, so swimming conditions are calm.

Is Granada worth visiting as a day trip?+

It pays off, but it's a long day — 2 hours' travel there and 2 back. Allow 3 hours for the Alhambra, and tickets for the Nasrid Palaces must be bought in advance, up to 3 months ahead in season. Anyone wanting to see the Albaicín quarter and the cathedral too should stay overnight in Granada.

Visa Requirements

Check the latest visa requirements for entering this country. Some nationalities may need to apply for a visa or e-visa before travel.

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Emergency Numbers

Police112Ambulance112Fire112

Language

Spanish

Currency

EUR

Timezone

Europe/Madrid

Dial Code

+34

Population

47.6M

Area

505,990 km²

Voltage

230V / 50Hz

Driving Side

Right

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