Estepona
The 'Garden of the Costa del Sol' — a genuinely Spanish old town of flower-draped streets and hand-painted murals, with a long promenade and some of the least-crowded beaches on this stretch of coast.
Costa del Sol
Málaga's sun coast — from the glamour of Marbella and Puerto Banús to the flower-filled old town of Estepona. Beaches, golf, white villages and one of Europe's biggest expat communities.
Towns on the Costa del Sol
Cancelada
A low-key village between Estepona and San Pedro, popular with residents for its weekly market, everyday-priced restaurants and easy access to the New Golden Mile beaches.
Benahavís
A whitewashed mountain village inland from Marbella, known as the dining capital of the coast and surrounded by golf resorts and river pools in the hills.
San Pedro
Marbella's more relaxed, family-friendly neighbour — a real working town with a boulevard park, a laid-back beach and a proper local buzz in the evenings.
Nueva Andalucía
The 'Golf Valley' behind Puerto Banús — a leafy residential district ringed by courses, with the famous Saturday flea market at the bullring.
Puerto Banús
The glamorous marina of superyachts, designer boutiques and late-night clubs — the coast at its most high-octane, with a good beach right alongside.
Marbella
The name that needs no introduction — but the real Marbella is the orange-tree'd Old Town casco antiguo as much as the beach clubs, with a promenade running the length of the town.
Mijas
Two places in one — the whitewashed mountain village of Mijas Pueblo, high above the coast with views to Africa on a clear day, and the easy-going beach village of La Cala de Mijas below, linked by golf valleys and a long seafront boardwalk.
Fuengirola
A proper year-round Spanish town on seven kilometres of beach — a long, flat promenade, a Moorish castle that hosts summer concerts, one of Europe's best small zoos and a huge international community that keeps it lively all winter.
Benalmádena
Three towns in one — the white hill village of Benalmádena Pueblo, the everyday bustle of Arroyo de la Miel and the beaches and marina of Benalmádena Costa — with more family attractions than anywhere else on the coast, from the cable car to the butterfly park.
Torremolinos
The original Costa del Sol resort, ten minutes from Málaga airport — seven kilometres of beach, the old fishing quarter of La Carihuela and its fried-fish restaurants, a pedestrianised centre and Spain's best-known LGBTQ+ scene.