Costa Del Sol Offers Dream Vacations

The Costa del Sol, also known as the Sun Coast or the Coast of the Sun is in the south of Spain, in the community of Andalusia, within the province of Malaga. The area was once a series of small, quiet fishing towns, but in the 1950s, developers, charmed by its beaches and local culture, thought it would be the perfect destination for international travelers and transformed it into a world-renowned tourist hotspot.

The Costa del Sol has recently taken on a new name, Costa del Golf. And that's because, as golfers will tell you, it is simply a golfers paradise. In all of Andalucia there are about 72 golf courses. 45 of that number are along the Costa del Golf. And four of those experts have ranked in the top 10 in Europe. It's an unbeatable combination of quality courses along with the warm and sunny climate that has made this area a go-to place in the winter for thousands of northern Europeans, and even some North and South Americans.

The Costa del Sol in terms of tourists is a 43-mile stretch of hotels, vacation villas, golf courses, marinas and nightclubs that runs between Torremolinos, just west of Málaga down toward the tip of Gibraltar. This sunshine coast includes the city of Malaga, which provides the airport for the area, and the towns of Torremolinos, Benalmadena, Fuengirola, Marbella and more. Tourists return here year after year for their holidays, lured by miles of beautiful, sandy beaches, clear blue water, warm, sunny weather and the gracious hotels.

Each town within the Costa del Sol has a different character. Málaga is a vibrant Spanish city, almost untouched by tourism. Along the coast, Torremolinos is an inexpensive destination; appealing mostly to young families, the gay community, and to those who come for the sun and the late-night scene. Fuengirola. is quieter, with a large, grownup foreign residential population. Farther west, Marbella is exclusive and expensive.

Fuengirola. used to be a tiny fishing resort, but in the 1960s the packaged holidays industry took it over, transforming it into a modern high-rise resort adored by Spanish nationals and international tourists. It has five miles of beautiful sandy beaches and of course, the sea. Fuengirola. has everything and anything that the modern tourist might need, including bars, restaurants, high-rise hotels, entertainment and self-catering apartments. There are also many, many shops and supermarkets in Fuengirola. that carry local products and those that aren't so local, like peanut butter and marmite, even jars of sauerkraut. Fuengirola's. natives don't forget that this was a fishing town, and so, there are many first-class seafood restaurants to choose from where local dishes are freshly and excellently prepared.

There are about half a million people living in the port city of Malaga, and it is considered the capital of the region. It is filled with ancient streets and villas surrounded by exotic greenery. The city has recently restored some of its historic buildings, especially in its city center, and its shops and bars and restaurants are becoming increasingly sophisticated. The internationally famous artist Pablo Picasso and Hollywood actor Antonio Banderas were born in the city of Malaga. It's a city filled with historic buildings and the oldest architectural remains are the Roman theater, dating back from the 1st century BC, which was rediscovered in 1951.

When you get off a plane, you will enter Malaga through the city's suburbs of El Palo and Pedregalejo, which were once traditional fishing villages. You can still find many chiringuitos, or beachside bars serving fresh fish, then take a walk down Pedregalejos's seafront promenade. You can walk a few blocks inland from there to see Málaga's bullring, La Malagueta, built in 1874.

Marbella can claim the top rung on Europe's social ladder. Not only is it considered classy and glitzy, but it is also seen as modern Spain's challenge to France's St Tropez. It plays host to glittering parties of the rich, movie stars, rock musicians and dispossessed royals, and many of those people live there too. Probably the most famous area of its seafront is the "Golden Mile", at the port of Puerto Banus, to the west of the town, where a collection of some of the most luxurious and expensive yachts in the world sit. Ferraris cruise the area, the seriously rich dine in fabulous restaurants and some people pay an arm and a leg just to sip a glass of wine and watch all the goings on. It's true, Marbella is filled with world-class restaurants offering top-quality food at sky-high prices. But there are still many back street tapas bars and restaurants that serve great home-cooked meals at a fraction of a price.

As for entertainment, Marbella is the place. There are parks and gardens where you can just sit and relax, or there's a water sport to suit everyone, in addition to hiking, golf, and horseback riding. And when the sun goes down, that's really when the party starts. There are clubs, casinos, and movie theaters. Much of the action is in the town's biggest hotels and upscale restaurants that line the waterfront for 12 miles on each side of the town center.

Torremolinos operates at a rather frenetic pace. It's a magnet for northern Europeans on their holidays who like to dress in scanty outfits, then shop for bargains on Calle San Miguel. Afterwards they might down sangria in the many bars of La Nogalera area, and then move move to the karaoke bars and the English pubs for the rest of the evening. By day, visitors head for the El Bajondillo and La Carihuela beaches, where, in high summer, they're lucky to find a space to put a towel down on the sand.

Benalmadena is divided into three parts. First, the actual city, which is the oldest section, next, is Arroyo de la Miel, where the local train station is located. And third is Benalmadena Costa, where the large hotels, the beach, the casino, the marina and the sophisticated shops come together. .

The old town, which sits over 4 miles up, on a mountainside, is a typical whitewashed Andalusian village with steep, narrow streets and relaxing squares with impressive viewpoints of the Costa del Sol. The village has much for the tourist, including museums, a castle, a sports center, and many shops, bars and restaurants.

Arroyo de la Miel, which is located between the mountains and the coast, is where most of the area's population and businesses are. It is the home of the cable car that goes to the mountain peak and down again. It also has a sports complex, a bilingual library and the world famous theme park Tivoli World.

Benalmadena Costa which sits next to Torremolinos is a tourist's delight. It has five and a half miles of beautiful beaches and small coves and a well equipped marina that holds over 1,000 boats. Apartments surround the marina, which offers sports activities like diving and sailing. This area also has its own casino, night club and golf course. A huge garden overlooking the sea, La Paloma Park contains a big lake which attracts water birds and is where a flea market is held each week. Hundreds of thousands of tourists come to this area each year, many through packaged holidays.