Calahonda Holidays

Calahonda sprang up in the Sixties between major players Marbella and Fuengirola. This custom-built place is a mix of larger hotels and whitewashed low-rises, and what it lacks in traditional Spanish atmosphere it more than makes up for with its energetic nightlife, provided by the mostly British-style bars and restaurants. Of course, with the Costa del Sol, you’re looking at nearly year-round sunshine – and here you’ve got a great sandy beach to make the most of it.

There’s a small beach right in the middle of town, which serves as the default sunbathing spot for locals and shoppers. But a 15-minute walk away – next to a smart marina – there’s a four-kilometre stretch at Cabopino. Soft, dusty sand and battalions of sunbeds keep the crowds happy here, while the restaurants behind the dunes serve competitively delicious seafood. It’s a watersports hotspot, too – with some of Spain’s best dive sites close by.

Just a 20-minute drive from Calahonda lies Mijas Pueblo, a traditional whitewashed village that's built into the mountainside – typical of Andalucia. There are religious shrines dating back hundreds of years, a bullring and pretty churches to discover on foot, by donkey, or even by horse and carriage. You’ll find good craft shops and cafés, too. And the gardens and walls that run around the village offer panoramic coastal views.