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Costa del Sol Introduction
The Costa Del Sol has been attracting holidaymakers from Britain for the last 30 years. It has a diverse range of activities, wonderful sandy beaches, natural beauty areas, some rugged coastlines and many pine forests.
The Costa Del Sol benefits from fine weather for most of the year, enabling you to enjoy a holiday experience for a much longer season than just typically July and August.
From May to October the temperature is generally 25oc or more, giving you the opportunity to enjoy warm sunny days and pleasant warm evenings. Even on sunny days between November - April it is possible to get by with just wearing a T Shirt.
Because of the fine weather you can experience out door activities for much of the year, like water sports, hiking, horse riding, mountain biking, picnics, barbeques. Of course the Costa Del Sol is an ideal location for golf, with its many excellent golf courses.
There are around 60 excellent golf courses in the Costa Del Sol so taking a game of golf in the sunshine, with magnificent views and scenery is a possibility.
These days the quickest and cheapest method of getting to the Costa Del Sol is by aircraft. Budget airlines depart from most of the airports in the UK and the flight time is just under 2½ hours.
Some resorts on the Costa Del Sol have a nightlife which is buzzing, all year round and attracts young people who are looking for a party such as stag weekends and hen weekends. Torremolinos also attracts a lively gay population with a few gay bars and clubs.
There are some hotels and bars that provide live music attracting a quieter crowd than the discos and clubs. It is possible to find the quieter, more chic resorts that are a little bit more upmarket.
You can also find many traditional villages and towns, where life is taken at a slower pace; a little bit of that Andalucian charm still exists, such as Benahavis, Torrox Pueblo and the smaller villages which are still working villages to this day.
There is something for lovers of history in the archaeological ruins at Travamar and the Town of Toscanos at Torre de Mar. For lovers of art and culture there are museums and galleries, particularly the Pablo Picasso Museum and House.
There are theme parks, Aquariums, and Zoos to provide some fun for all the family.
You are only a stone's throw away from the cultural City of Granada, Gibraltar is within reach by car or train and Tangier by ferry, so combining a visit to these places would be ideal if you are staying in the Costa Del Sol.
The Costa Del Sol is not just about beaches and partying, it has an attraction beyond this which draws tourists back, year after year.
Costa Del Sol Location
To the southern coast of Spain, the Costa Del Sol sits snugly with the Mediterranean coastline around it. It comes under the province of Andalucia and has long since been popular as a holiday destination.
It benefits from its Mediterranean climate which is hot and dry during the summer and mild during the winter. You can expect up to 11 hours of sun shine during the summer months and rainfall is low.
The Costa del Sol is a golfers paradise, with around 60 golf courses, some of which host competitions to celebrity golfers, so you never know who you might rub shoulders with.
It has a diverse coastline, from long stretches of sandy beaches to mountain top villages. You can smell the aroma of the pine forests which surround some of the coves and bays.
Many of the towns have retained their originality; evidence of early life here can be seen amongst the ancient ruins.
All this and more and yet, only a 2½ hour flight from the UK, making it easily accessible for either a holiday or a weekend break.
You can have the best of both worlds in the Costa Del Sol, from sun, sand and sea to quiet traditional villages that remain typical of Andalucian culture.
Weather in the Costa Del Sol
The Costa Del Sol benefits from its Mediterranean climate which is hot and dry during the summer and mild during the winter. You can expect up to 11 hours of sunshine during the summer months and rainfall is low.
As the Costa Del Sol benefits from fine weather for most of the year, enabling you to enjoy a holiday experience for a much longer season than just typically July and August. If you prefer slightly cooler temperatures the best times to visit the Costa Del Sol is between April to June and September to the first half of October. The days are still pleasantly sunny but not so humid and hot as July and August.
Because of the fine weather you can experience out door activities for much of the year, like water sports, hiking, horse riding, mountain biking, picnics, barbeques. Of course the Costa Del Sol is an ideal location for golf, with its many excellent golf courses.
Inland at Andalucia is usually hotter than around the coastal resorts during the summer, but during the winter the temperature is cooler than the coast.
Sea temperatures remain at about 20C/68F from July to October and at 15C/55F for the remainder of the year and it is not uncommon to see people swimming in the sea in February.
The rainy season is usually between October to March and hardly any rain falls between June to September. The western side of Andalucia is often wetter than the east because of winds from the Atlantic Ocean.
You can pretty much rely on good weather most of the year in the Costa Del Sol.
Car Hire in the Costa Del Sol
By far the best way to explore the Costa Del Sol is to hire a car. You may find you have everything you need at your resort and won't feel like venturing much further, but for some you will appreciate the complete Costa Del Sol if you have a car to get you around. For a more reasonable package you would do better to go a local agent rather than one of the international agents.
Car hire is easy. There are agencies available at most of the bigger resorts, you will need your driving licence and a valid passport when you take the agreement. It is a driving offence not to have these documents with you at all times when you are driving the car.
You will be able to visit many of the finest restaurants which are located just outside the main resorts. You will also be able to visit a greater choice of beaches, some of which are a little off the beaten track, but once you get there will be well worth the visit.
There are some attractions you can visit, such as the Treasure Caves in Nerja. You can also visit the ancient ruins which are dotted about in abundance all around Costa Del Sol.
Driving is pretty straight forward and all Costa Del Sol roads use internationally recognised road signs.
Transfers from Malaga airport
Arriving at a foreign airport can often be a strenuous affair and with most customers traveling independently these days having a pre-booked airport transfer is an essential part of your holiday package. Local taxis at the airport can sometimes be limited or with long queues, by booking a pre-booked you can not only make a fantastic saving on your transfer but also avoid all the stress of queues and haggling with taxi drivers. Book your airport transfer service here now >>
Airport Shuttle Bus Service from Malaga airport
In most of our gateway airports you can pre-book an Airport Shuttle Service. This is a pre-booked only service that operates between the relevant airport and holiday resort. In normal times you can expect to wait up to 30 minutes for your shuttle bus to arrive however as this is a pre-negotiated service and only available to participating travel companies then expect to pay far less to get from the airport to your destination accommodation than other traditional forms or transport such as local taxis. Book your airport shuttle service here now>>
Shopping in the Costa Del Sol
For a cosmopolitan shopping experience you should try the Miramar commercial centre where you will find a grand variety of more than 120 shops including some well known names like Dorothy Perkins, Wallace and Evans. There are numerous bars and restaurants and there is a leisure centre with a multi screen cinema (which has films in English), and a supervised children's play area/crèche for a small fee.
Marbella is the place to go for your designer items and trendy (but expensive) boutiques. You will find Gucci and Versace in abundance in its many shops. It has numerous choices of shops including jewellers, perfumeries, sports and toy shops. There are also plenty of restaurants with terraces and bars where you can take it easy after a busy few hours of browsing.
Malaga too has a good supply of shops from department stores to a good lingerie retailer. Local women produce the goods that live in the local countryside.
In all the resorts you will find souvenirs to take home as gifts, from pottery to trinkets, wood carvings and ceramics.
A more unusual gift to take back would be a kitchen utensil, hand crafted by Tolox menfolk. Tolox is a mountain village where you can go and visit the village, and watch the men making their wares. These men have a useful job to do as they are paid by the government of the region to look out for fires in the surrounding country during the summer months. They sit at isolated outposts on look out duties.
You will always be able to find a market taking place throughout the resorts on most days which we have listed below. At the markets you will be able to buy almost anything including souvenirs, lace, linen, embroidery, ceramics, leather and jewellery. Because of the close proximity to Northern Africa, there are also plenty of Arabic items for sale.
Don't feel embarrassed to barter, it will be expected!
Eating Out in the Costa Del Sol
The Spanish take great delight in their eating. It forms the basis of their culture, something that you might experience if you attend one of their fiestas during the year. They usually eat a good meal at lunch time, and then take their time over their evening meal which starts late but takes hours to complete.
For tourists who prefer to eat English style food you will be pleased to know that there are an abundance of fish & chip establishments, pizza parlours, Indian and Chinese take aways.
The Costa Del Sol owes its superb cuisine to its delightful seasonal crops and fantastic fishing industry. Not all meals are cooked with fancy ingredients, locals pride themselves on having a simple, but basic cuisine cooked with care and attention, with lots of fresh herbs for flavour.
Look out for the word typicowhich means good value, or the Menu del Dia which is the plate of the day, usually 3 courses for around 7€.
Fish and seafood is a popular choice and far less expensive than in the UK. The local fishermen usually make their catch early in the day, you can watch while they haul the catch in and then you can be sure that you will be eating fresh fish that very night. The most common method with seafood is to quickly deep-fry in very hot olive oil.
Pork is also a favourite, you will often find this being spit roasted, especially at local fiestas and festivals. Its skin is often brushed with a delicious coating of herbs, garlic, and tomatoes or sometimes it is just salted and dribbled with olive oil.
There are a few tapas bars in some of the resort, these will serve a variety of hot and cold food such as olives, mushrooms, cured ham, squid salad, garlic prawns, (delicious if you like garlic) langostinos (striped jumbo prawns) and chorizo sausage. Don't get confused about what to ask for if you feel hungry: una racionmeans half a small plateful and una porcionis a much greater helping. Don't be surprised if you see pig's legs hanging from the ceiling, it is quite a common custom.
There are some good Spanish wines to try, particularly Cava - a sparkling wine. Sangria, as always on a Spanish Island, is ever popular. If you are taking a drink in a bar, these may be accompanied with tapas, which you may find as wholesome and hearty as a main meal itself. Wines such as Rioja, Valdepeñas, and Penedes or La Mancha regions are all good choices. We mustn't forget to mention about Spanish Sherry, usually from Jerez, a pure delight as an aperitif or even with your meal. As an alternative to sherry, the wines made in Axarquia are from Frigiliana and Competa, and taste similar to sherry.
It is more economical to stick to Spanish produced spirits rather than buying the imported ones.
Beer is usually about 300 mls if you ask for a tubo, otherwise you are more likely to get a small bottle such as San Miguel and Cruzcampo which are from Andalucia. If you ask for a clarathis is a shandy, or Casera which is low calorie fizzy mineral water.
The Spanish prefer coffee to tea and usually drink this solo (black), or cortado (with a drop of milk. If you want more milk ask for con leche.
Costa Del Sol Nightlife
The two most popular night spots are Marbella and its neighbouring town of Puerto Banus. Depending upon your taste, you are bound to find something here to suit you, whatever your choice for evening entertainment. Here is our guide to some of the best places to go for an evening of entertainment.
It is not just discos and night clubs: you have a choice of plenty of bars like Frank's Corner which plays rock music, O'Gradys the Irish bar and Devils an old time bar with sawdust laying on the floor, plus plenty more. You will find plenty of Spanish bars, some with Satellite TV offering a selection of Sports. Malaga also has a good selection of nightlife, from bars and pubs to clubs. A lot of the bars play live music, Spanish and International. You could try Siempre Asà where Latin music is popular, or the Irish Pub O'Neills.
Of course you will find restaurants in the evenings serving a good choice of traditional Spanish cuisine, and some typical international restaurants serving fish & chips, bangers & mash etc.
Marbella's Golden Mile is second to none. You will find many clubs and discos here with resident DJ's and guest DJ's playing a variety of modern music to R & B.
Old Joy's Pub in Puerto Banus plays old time music which the more mature holiday makers might enjoy.
Portside at Puerto Banus is trendy and modern. It also offers incredible views of the harbour and port.
There are also some casinos where you can try your hand at Roulette or cards, perhaps you will be lucky. A popular one is Torrequebrada - Casino & Sala Fortuna where you will need to wear formal dress and a passport is necessary for entrance.
Another casino is Nueva Andalucia which also has a restaurant offering some tasty dishes. You will need to wear formal dress and a passport is necessary for entrance.
A third casino is the San Roque Casino. It has 9 gaming tables and has a restaurant plus a sandwich bar.
Clubs And Discos
Plato 68 Disco in Puerto Banus is open Thursday, Friday & Saturday nights and offers entrance fee with complimentary drinks some evenings. It is open from midnight until 7 am.
The Mambo Club - Puerto Banus is one of the most popular clubs and often hold Salsa nights
Olivia Valere is a very trendy club in Marbella with a massive dance floor and outdoor terraces. It is an upmarket club where you might see celebrities; consequently the price of drinks reflects this
Scream Disco in Puerto Banus is where you will have the music ringing in your ears the following day afterwards. Anyone who enjoys very loud music will love it.
La Comedia also in Puerto Banus is popular with locals and tourists. Here you can bop the night away until dawn breaks
Oh Marbella, as the name suggests is at the Hotel Don Carlos in Marbella. It is a very popular disco and plays the latest music until dawn. Often you will find international DJ's host nights here.
El Liceo is in Malaga you can find the disco or
Abisinia which are popular and always draw large crowds.
Kiu Disco in Benalmadena is open until the early hours
Palladium Club in Torremolinos has a swimming pool so you can cool down after all that dancing.
Torremolinos is a popular gay scene, PK2 Estrella is open 7 days a week and has more than one dance area, and it is on a split level.
Costa del Sol Beaches
Algarrobo Costa
The beach is sandy so could provide an enjoyable outing for all the family and there are plenty of bars and restaurants to choose from. Also along the coastal road, you will see the old watchtowers, built sometime during the 16th century as a defence against attack.
Estepona
There is a beautiful cove in Playa de Cristo (La Rada) which is a particularly nice beach for children. It has shallow waters and a long sandy beach, it is very well maintained, is clean and was awarded the European Blue Flag for its facilities and cleanliness. Please note there is also a small nudist beach here.
Fuengirola
Holidays in Fuengirola are all about beautiful sandy beaches, and lots of sun and swimming in the warm Mediterranean Sea. The panoramic views out across the sea are picture postcard category, you will be amazed.
There are some separate designated areas designed for water sports, which is ideal as you won't have a problem with much noise from motor boats. The Marina area is chic and trendy, and on taking a walk around the marina you can enjoy looking at the small fishing boats and yachts which are moored here.
Marbella
Marbella is a popular resort which boasts enticingly good weather and a mild climate all year round. It has many wonderful beaches with pure white sands, particularly El Fuerte and El Fontanilla, which are very popular and have plenty of facilities, as you would expect from such a modern resort.
The palm tree lined promenade takes you on a nice walk along the resort and into the marina where you will find some glitzy yachts owned by some of the millionaire's that frequent Marbella.
Mijas Costa
Mijas Costa is a cosmopolitan resort which has long since been very popular with tourists. It has golden sandy beaches and bays with an abundance of water sports like water skiing, para sailing, para gliding and sailing. The beaches are inundated with a variety of bars, cafes and shops as well as the usual must haveice cream parlours. The promenade along La Cala beach has traditional flea markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays where you will also be able to buy fresh, local produce.
Nerja
Ever the busy holiday resort, there are lots of things to do at Nerja from water sports on one of the beaches, or dining al fresco close to the waters edge.
A natural phenomenon to see is the Balcon de Europa, which is a cliff that juts out over the sea and from which, if you have your camera, you can take a fantastic picture of the scenery looking over the Mediterranean Sea and the azure water below you.
Puerto De La Duquesa
There are stretches of long, sandy beaches which you will never find too crowded. Alongside which you will find a pleasant promenade, lined with palm trees and some nice little shops. Eateries along here are in abundance with cafes, bars and other attractions.
Rincon De La Victoria
Most activity takes place around the beach where you will find plenty of things to do ranging from walking along the promenade to just sitting and relaxing while the children splash about. There are some good fish restaurants along the water front, where you can be served fresh fish, caught the same day. Another popular menu is rabbit stew, a typical local dish.
San Pedro de Alcantara
It has some delightful beaches which are all sandy, safe, shallow and kept extremely clean. There are some gentle water sports as well as the necessary watering holes to keep the thirst at bay. Parking is plentiful along the bay so you won't need to worry about having to walk far with tired children at the end of the day on the beach.
Torre del Mar
The beach is wonderfully long and sandy, it is kept very clean and the facilities are excellent with many places to eat and drink along the beach front. There are a few souvenir shops where you can browse for your holiday gifts. Views out to sea of the hills are magnificent, very picture postcard, and on a good day you might be able to spot some dolphins swimming in the bay.
we must mention that this is where the night life activities are, with many bars and discos lining the coastal stretch. Along here you will find Fish & chip eateries, tapas bars, pizza take away - you name it, Torre del Mar has it. The discos are open until the early hours so you can party the night away.
Torremolinos
There is a nice sandy beach which is well equipped with water sports and facilities to keep you occupied. The sea is shallow and warm and very enticing on a hot summers day to cool you down. Along the beach front you will find plenty of ice cream parlours, cafes, bars and take aways so you won't have to go far to get something to keep hunger or thirst at bay. There is something to suit everyone's taste.
Torrox Costa
At the beach front you will find yourself amongst many restaurants and bars, along with a grand stretch of sandy beach which is big enough to never to get over crowded. The promenades (yes there are two here) display a fine amass of palm trees and clean pavement areas which are pedestrianised so you can ensure safety from traffic. There is a plain white lighthouse standing proud on the beach front along the promenade, the lighthouse has been the background to many holiday photographs, we feel sure.
Looking away from the beach and towards land, you will see the mountains of Sierra de Almijara and many olive groves alongside vineyards. The setting is awesome with the contrasting greenery of the forests against the azure blue sky.
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