Area Guide

If, like thousands of others, you may be considering the possibility of moving to or buying a holiday home on the Costa del Sol, we hope that our area guide will be of assistance when selecting the area most suited to your needs.

Acknowledged by the World Health Organisation as 'almost as perfect an environment as it is possible to obtain', the Costa del Sol climate is not only healthy but suits all different types of life-style. If you want merely to relax and watch the world go by, the beaches, bars and restaurants are amongst the best in the world. For the more sporty amongst you, there are more than 40 golf courses, an abundance of tennis and sports centres as well as fully-equipped gymnasiums. Water sports, of course, are available along the whole length of the Coast too and virtually every complex of apartments or townhouses will have a communal pool set in beautiful gardens, villas naturally having their own private pools. For the evenings and until the sun rises, bars and nightclubs are busy all year round. Added to this, there are very high quality health care centres and hospitals, shopping centres and the sensible cost of living and nearby Malaga International airport create a living environment that is hard to surpass.

Since becoming a member of the E.U., Spain has benefited from substantial investment. The infrastructure on the Coast is now superb, sanitation excellent, beaches clean and travelling around is simple with a large network of bus and train services, taxi ranks at virtually every corner and, if you have your own vehicle, the new motorway reduces the time of car journeys from one end of the Coast to the other almost by half.

Anyone who has been to the Costa del Sol will have witnessed how relaxed the tranquil lifestyle is and the residents, both ex-pat and Spanish alike, believe that life is for living. Come and experience this for yourself, you'll wish you had done it sooner and that's a promise!

MALAGA TO BENALMADENA

MALAGA

The Costa del Sol's capital. This bustling metropolitan city boasts numerous places of historical interest, beautiful architecture, fantastic shopping and long sandy beaches. There is a huge choice of bars and restaurants, nightclubs, theatres and sporting/concert venues. Malaga International airport will be most visitors point of arrival when visiting the Coast.

TORREMOLINOS

Now famous as one of Spain's top package holiday destinations, Torremolinos was, until only a few decades ago, a small fishing village. Miles of sandy beaches, watersports, great shopping and night-life are but a few of its attractions. The 'La Carihuela' district is quite possibly the best area for seafood restaurants and beach bars.

BENALMADENA

This is more an area than a town and forms 3 very distinctive parts. Benalmadena Costa is a lively beachside holiday destination and the award-winning marina is certainly worth a visit. Benalmadena village, just inland, is steeped in history and can also be reached by cable car, which offers stunning views of the area. Arroyo de la Miel is a busy little town, largely populated by ex-pat residents and is where the fantastic theme park 'Tivoli World' is located.

FUENGIROLA TO LA CALA DE MIJAS

MIJAS VILLAGE

Whilst this beautiful village lies inland, it is still a popular holiday destination. Pavement cafes, quality restaurants and unusual shops are just part of its charm. Narrow, winding cobbled streets lead to numerous coastal viewing points - don't forget your camera.

FUENGIROLA

A busy tourist town with beautiful sandy beaches, hundreds of bars, restaurants and nightclubs. Shopping is excellent and will suit all purses as there are regular street markets, designer boutiques and comprehensive indoor shopping centres housing many familiar high street names (don't forget the recently opened Myramar centre on the N340, opposite the castle).

LA CALA DE MIJAS

Changing almost by the day, La Cala is now not a small typically Spanish town but a lively beach resort. Numerous quality restaurants are situated in its centre and there are plenty of bars and shops too. Various 'urbanisations' lie around La Cala, all of which have their own, albeit smaller, selectioin of amenities. Just a short drive inland takes you to the 'Hipodromo' - the Coast's floodlit racecourse and 'soon-to-be' concert venue - big names are promised for this, its first, summer of concerts.

RIVIERA DEL SOL TO CALAHONDA

RIVIERA DEL SOL

Until recently mostly a residential area and home to Miraflores urbanisation and golf course, Riviera del Sol now hosts a wide selection of restaurants, bars and sporting venues. This is a rapidly developing area and there are many new facilities planned for the near future.

CALAHONDA

Calahonda could be described as a little piece of Britain in the sun. Many ex-pat Brits have made this their home and its easy to understand why. The vast choice of international restaurants, bars, shops and numerous facilities are within walking distance for most as are the beaches. If you don’t fancy the walk, hop on Calahonda’s little train.

CABOPINO TO ELVIRIA

CABOPINO

This picturesque little marina is a great day out. Enjoy a meal in one of the port-side restaurants and finish off with a drink or two in the 'square'. Of course, that's after a day relaxing on the beautiful, sandy beach or perhaps enjoying some of the water sports on offer.

ELVIRIA

Although Elviria is part of the vast area of Marbella, it is really a small town on its own. Great restaurants and bars, golf courses and shops are just a few of its attractions. There are numerous smaller but similar 'urbanisations' in Marbella such as Marbesa, Los Monteros, El Rosario - all have wonderful beaches and some superb beach restaurants.

MARBELLA TO PUERTO BANUS AND SAN PEDRO

MARBELLA

Marbella is one of Europe's top destinations and with good reason. The 'olde worlde' charm and great shops in Orange Square, with its maze of meandering lanes, remain popular with tourists and locals alike. Internationally renowned restaurants and nightclubs are busy all year round and the marina and sandy beaches offer the perfect haven for relaxing. There are plenty of places of interest, historical buildings and monuments too.

PUERTO BANUS

Just a few minutes from Marbella town centre, Puerto Banus is the jet-set marina, where many a famous face can be seen as well as some very expensive boats! Whilst not a place to visit without a full purse, the designer shops and department stores are a must. The night-life is fantastic for all age groups as there is a variety of live music bars, restaurants and discos.

NUEVA ANDALUCIA

Just inland from Puerto Banus, Nueva Andalucia is otherwise known as 'Golf Valley', as it is home to several top courses. And that's just part of its many features as this beautiful residential area is also home to some fantastic restaurants and shops. Don't miss the Saturday morning street market situated around the bullring or a night out at the casino.

SAN PEDRO

The beautiful beaches of San Pedro have deservedly been awarded Blue Flag status, denoting its high standards of both cleanliness and maintenance generally. Again, you will find here a large choice of sporting facilities, bars, restaurants and shops - there are a few places of historical interest too.

ESTEPONA TO SOTOGRANDE

ESTEPONA

Estepona is growing at a fast rate and the 23km stretch of sandy beach is gradually offering more and more bars, restaurants and top quality real estate. The charming fishing port is now an obvious choice for seafood lovers or perhaps just watching the world go by from the terrace of one of the bars. The historical town centre offers plenty of choice for both shoppers and diners alike.

PUERTO DUQUESA

Whilst Duquesa port was largely unknown by tourists until recently, it is now one of the Coast’s fasting growing areas. Numerous first class real estate developments are under construction and new bars and restaurants are springing up both in and around the port. As with all areas on the Coast, there are plenty of golf courses and other sporting facilities nearby.

SOTOGRANDE

Nestled a little further down the coastline, this charming marina is a quiet and relaxing place to spend the day. Or, perhaps call in after a busy day of sight-seeing and duty-free shopping in nearby Gibraltar. The world famous Valderama golf course is situated here too.

INLAND

If the quiet, more rural life is for you or perhaps you enjoy the more traditional Spanish towns and villages, there is no end of choice available. Towns such as Ronda, Ojen, Istan, Coin and Alhaurin are beautiful and offer all the facilities you would expect but charming unspoilt villages lie in abundance throughout the whole district.

SO, WHATEVER YOUR TASTE OF HOLIDAY DESTINATION OR PERMANENT RESIDENCE, THE COSTA DEL SOL IS THE PLACE FOR YOU.