Costa del Sol Holidays

from £ 176 pp

Holidays to the Costa del Sol can be tailor-made to suit you. Sandy beaches, glitzy towns, historical villages and lively theme parks are just a few of the things Spain’s Sunshine Coast has to offer.

A national treasure

Britain’s love affair with the Costa del Sol has just passed the diamond anniversary point. It was slightly more than 60 years ago that holidaymakers from the UK started to head to Spain’s southern coast. Today, the relationship couldn’t be stronger. Not only do thousands of visitors travel over here every year, but 300,000 expats now call this place home.

The Sunshine Coast

The secret to the Costa del Sol’s success is in its name. The sunshine coast experiences approximately 320 days of sun every year. What’s more, the region’s 161-kilometre coastline has everything you need to make the most of the weather. In Marbella alone there are 25 kilometres of silky sand, broken up by five-star hotels and beach clubs. Torremolinos’ beaches, meanwhile, are backed by tapas bars, shops and ice-cream parlours. And in Benalmadena, a whitewashed old town sits shoulder-to-shoulder with a cosmopolitan harbour area.

Pueblo blancos

The Costa del Sol is the gateway to Andalucia. This part of Spain is known for its pueblo blancos – whitewashed villages that spill down the hillside. It’s also the location of guidebook-touted cities like Granada and Seville.

At a glance

Marvel at the glitz and glamour of the Alhambra Palace
Put the Champagne on ice in one of Puerto Banus’ beach clubs
Improve your par on one of the ‘Costa del Golf’s greens

Destinations in Costa Del Sol

Top Destinations

Benalmadena

Holidays to Benalmadena are all about choice. This upmarket resort is bursting at the seams with a variety of beaches, tonnes of children’s attractions, and an old town and marina to explore.
Fuengirola

Holidays to Fuengirola take you to one of the Costa del Sol’s big-league resorts – a larger-than-life hub of designer shops, gourmet restaurants and a non-stop beach.
Marbella

Holidays to Marbella set a fast pace, with action-packed days on its Blue Flag beaches and late, late nights in the buzzing bars and clubs. They have a calmer side, too, in the pretty old town.
Nerja

Holidays to Nerja whisk you to an authentic corner of southern Spain, where sandy beaches and nightlife sit side-by-side with momentous history.
Torremolinos

Holidays to Torremolinos get you oversized beaches, big nightlife and lots of tasty Spanish food. But there’s a home-from-home feel here, too, with a thriving local Brit population.
Frigiliana

Holidays to Frigiliana are all about cobbled streets, traditional whitewashed houses, stunning views and authentic Spanish food. With the Mediterranean coast on the doorstep, you’re in classic Andalucia.
Estepona

Holidays to Estepona take you to an Andalusian town that mixes traditional restaurants with modern bars and pulls in some great little boutiques, too.

Puerto Banus

Holidays to Puerto Banus mean celebrity-spotting, glitzy restaurants and designer boutiques, not to mention Champagne-sprinkled clubs – though Marbella’s old town is on hand for a quieter contrast.
San Pedro De Alcantara

Holidays to San Pedro de Alcantara combine an authentic Spanish town with sandy beaches – then add on trips to Ronda and Marbella.
Torrox

Torrox holidays deliver the best of below-the-radar Spain. Think whitewashed houses, fine wines and a chilled beach scene.
Calahonda

Holidays to Calahonda give you sandy beaches, British bars and dolphin-spotting trips – and you’re only 20 minutes from Marbella, Fuengirola and Mijas.
Benalmadena Pueblo

Holidays to Benalmadena Pueblo serve combine a quiet Andalusian retreat with beaches and buzzing nightlife just down on the coast.
Velez Malaga

Holidays to Velez Malaga are bursting with flavour – it’s a hotspot for wine, olive oil and tropical fruits. There’s a long silvery beach in the next town over, too.
Viñuela

Holidays to Vinuela divert you away from Andalucia’s big, beach resorts and up into the mountains, where tradition and alpine panoramas reign supreme.

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Top things to See and Do in Costa del Sol

BEACHES
SHOPPING
NIGHTLIFE
FOOD & DRINK

Status-symbol beaches

Thanks to its 161-kilometre coastline, the Costa del Sol is overrun with beaches. When you choose your favourite stretch of sand, you’re making a personal statement. A preference for Puerto Banus’ beach declares a like for the finer things in life, while a soft spot for El Cristo says you’d rather build sandcastles than a social empire.
The big beach

There’s stiff competition for the title of the biggest beach in the Costa de Sol. In this part of the world, long and wide sands come as standard. In terms of reputation, Puerto Banus’ east beach has the largest. Barely a week goes by without a celebrity being paparazzi-ed on the sand. Peter Andre, Calum Best and Simon Cowell are just a few of the faces that appear in the Puerto Banus Hall of Fame.
The secret beach

After more than six decades of tourism, the cover has been blown from all the Costa del Sol’s beaches. Having said that, some beaches have less footfall than others. El Canuelo, an hour’s drive east from Malaga, is one such beach. It’s part of the Los Acantilado de Maro-Cerro Gordo National Park and you can only reach it by parking your car and taking a shuttle bus. The snorkelling here is some of the best in southern Spain.

Bargain Buys

The Costa del Sol crams its diary full of street markets. Marbella’s stall holders set up shop on Calle Limones on a Monday morning. The market comes to town in Fuengirola’s Boliches area on Tuesdays. And Puerto Banus attracts the traders to Nueva Andalucia on a Saturday. The latter is Dickenson’s real deal territory, so keep an eye out for antiques.
Mid-Range Buys

El Corte Ingles is Spain’s answer to Debenhams. And, like its English counterpart, you can find branches in most of the big cities, including Avenida de Andalucía in Malaga and Calle de Ramón Arecesin Marbell. In Benalmadena, the Puerto Marina Mall is the shopping bulls-eye. There’s everything from clothing stores to DIY shops here.
Designer Buys

You can blow the budget sky high in the Costa del Sol. Head to Porto Banus marina to browse the rails of Bulgari, Prada and Armani. Marbella is no stranger to designer boutiques, either. You’ll find some couture collection shops around Calle Muelle de Ribera and Plaza de la Victoria.

Laid-back evenings

After-dinner entertainment comes in all shapes and sizes in the Costa del Sol. Head to the Golden Mile between Marbella and Puerto Banus to find cinemas and casinos. Or, for some of the best cabaret in this part of Spain, make your way to the plaza near Bonanza Square in Benalmadena.
Lively evenings

The Costa del Sol is Spain’s party piece. Most clubs here stay open until the sun rises. In Benalmadena, the best address for a night out is 24-hour Square. The clubs here are multi-level and open all night. In Torremolinos, the hottest tickets are issued in the big brand nightclubs on Aveida Palma de Mallorca. Bespoke nights out, meanwhile, are to be had in the Champagne bars and open-air terrace clubs around Puerto Banus marina.

Arroz a la marinera

This dish is often a victim of mistaken identity – it’s easy to pass it off as paella. However, where the original Valencian paella recipe calls for rabbit and snails to be cooked with rice, this dish is strictly fish. Only clams, squid and shrimp are allowed on the ingredients list.
Queso Valle de los Pedroches

This artisan cheese spends the first seven months of its life in the Pedroches Valley, a two-hour drive north of Benalmadena. It’s made from sheep’s milk, it’s got a buttery consistency a little like Edam, and it tastes slightly spicy.
Gazpacho

Andalucia is the birthplace of Spain’s hallmark chilled soup. The traditional recipe calls for stale bread, tomatoes, cucumber, onions and garlic to be blended together. But chefs are always looking for ways to reinvent the dish. The really rebellious do away with the tomatoes and use avocados instead.
Piononos

You should really need ID to buy these cakes, because most of the time they’re soaked in alcohol. The recipe comes from Granada and the finished product is made up of two parts – a squidgy pastry cylinder and a toasted cream top.
Calimocho

The Costa del Sol can’t claim copy write for this drink, but they can definitely say they’ve contributed to the PR campaign. This quirky mix of red wine and cola is served as a cocktail in some of the region’s most elite clubs.

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Account & Booking

Costa del Sol Holidays

A national treasure

The Sunshine Coast

Pueblo blancos

At a glance

Destinations in Costa Del Sol

Top Destinations

Top things to See and Do in Costa del Sol

Status-symbol beaches

The big beach

The secret beach

Bargain Buys

Mid-Range Buys

Designer Buys

Laid-back evenings

Lively evenings

Arroz a la marinera

Queso Valle de los Pedroches

Gazpacho

Piononos

Calimocho

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Our destinations in Costa Del Sol

Popular holidays

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