Reasons to visit the Costa del Sol

Possibly the first Mediterranean holiday us Brits will have encountered is the Costa del Sol. It discovered its popularity as a holiday destination in the 60s when abroad travel first became popular amongst holiday makers seeking sun, sand and sangria. Since then the resorts in the area have grown not only in terms of what’s on offer, but the draw has never ceased either. Admittedly far more distant climes have enticed and invited those wishing to travel but the beaches and climate of the Costa del Sol still received a huge portion of the holiday set each year and here’s why:

Where is The Costa Del Sol?

The Mediterranean coast in southern Spain, from the western Sotogrande right through to easterly resorts like Nerja forms the southern stretch of the region of Andalusia known as the Costa del Sol. Malaga takes centre stage for the area’s capital and touch down place with its airport seeing thousands of visitors arrive daily from over 100 incoming airports. Resorts like Marbella, with its own marina, have become hubs for ex-pats Brits who love the area so much they’ve decided to stay, and with a short flight from the UK taking under 3 hours it’s easy to see why this is a destination we go back to time and time again. These days it’s become a home from home and yet sitting on the golden coastline of Spain it offers much in terms of year round sunshine – something we can never rely on in Blighty, even in the summer months as this past summer has shown us.

Where should you stay?

There is accommodation a plenty on the Costa del Sol as tourism makes up the bones of their income and from villas and apartments to hotels and even glamp sites there is a plethora of choice at resorts in Costa del Sol.

What’s the climate like?

The Costa del Sol promises a guaranteed 320 (at least) days of sunshine a year taking those with seasonal affective disorder to new levels of happy and the temperatures are pretty impressive too. It may be taken as a given that a sunny July day would be delivered with warmth and bright skies but winter temperatures rarely drop below 16 degrees meaning even during the greyer UK months you can enjoy al fresco dining and feel the Vitamin D seeping into your system.

Are the beaches nice?

With 150km of sandy coastline to choose from you can find a resort that suits you. Places like Mijas are known to many yet still offer a slice of traditional life with their golden, sandy stretch and quaint homes which house locals. Fuengirola, known for it’s pristine beach, is extremely family friendly with lots of amenities on its doorstep. Or, how about somewhere like Del Cristo beach with its shallow waters and famous vantage for a beautiful sunset. Whichever beach you choose, quiet and remote or more popular and on the tourist path, it will be sandy and inviting.

What is there to do?

The glitz and glamour of Marbella asks you to enjoy the high life with yachts in the port and fine dining wall to wall in the many restaurants and bars. This is the jewel in the crown for those with a bigger purse but there’s plenty on offer for families and couples just seeking a quieter life on holiday. With churches and museums as well as historic parcs, the Costa del Sol is awash with history for those seeking some sights to soak up culturally. There’s also places like Benalmadena Pueblo (the old village) which offers cobbles streets and stunning scenery. If you’re looking to entertain the kiddos then look no further than Aqualand in Torremolinos where the whole day can be escaped to via water slides and swimming pools.

How big is the area?

You could drive from Cala de Mijas or Fuengirola in the centre out to the edges at Nerja or Sotogrande in around an hour so the area is pretty small and public transport is, as is general in Spain, very good and inexpensive. Hiring a car is another great option if you want to see more of the area with hire car fees being a lot lower than we are used to in the United Kingdom.

Who should go here?

In short, there’s something for everyone on the Costa del Sol and you will be able to find a resort, hotel, restaurant, entertainment and beach to suit whichever needs you have. Because of the small flight times it makes it ideal for those with travel anxiety or with children who don’t wish to take a longer flight.

Collaboration.