Coastal Areas of Andalucia

Arguably the best beaches in Spain are located on the Costa de la Luz, on Spain’s south western coast. Largely unspoilt by development, they attract the more nature-inspired visitor, and those who like surfing and other water sports, as winds from the Atlantic Ocean make it something of a wind trap. The southern port of La Duquesa is one of the newer areas of the coast. It’s harbour contains restaurants, boutiques and full mooring facilities for the nautical enthusiast. The road north of the harbour leads you to several golf courses, including the world famous championship standard Valderrama complex.

Nearby is the municipality of Manilva, renowned for grape-making (and hence wine-production) and is still very traditionally Spanish.Older and more developed than La Duquesa, are the marinas of Puerto Banus and Marbella, both famous for exclusivity, with expensive shops and restaurants to match. Originally a small fishing port, it was in the 1950s when aristocrats visited the area, and liked it so much, that Marbella became the playground for the rich and famous.

At the eastern end of the Costa del Sol is a region known as Mijas, just 30 km from Malaga international airport, and encompassing a large and varied stretch of coastline and an inland village. It includes huge urbanisations like Calahonda and Riviera, which are (comparatively) densely populated by foreigners from the UK, Germany, and Scandinavia. Just twenty minutes drive away from Mijas you’ll come to the city of Malaga, the birthplace of Picasso, and Antonio Banderas. It’s recently pedestrianised central area ringed by shops and restaurants attracts thousands of tourists each year, as does its centrally located Picasso Museum.