Fuengirola

High in the hills at the back of Fuengirola is the Buddhist Monument, easily reachable by local bus services from resorts along the coast. From here you have stunning views of not only the coast line but also the countryside surrounding Fuengirola.
Along with Torremolinos, Fuengirola was one of the original Costa's holiday resorts, and is still very popular these days with many Europeans. Many of who have a holiday home or even live here permanently.
The fishing industry here is still thriving and the fish can be seen unloaded and sold daily in the port.
Fuengirola is where one of the biggest markets on the coast is held, this can be found on the feria ground (quite near the train station) every Sunday.

Ronda - Lara Museum

In the ancient town of Ronda is the very interesting Lara Museum. Situated in a former palace where some members of the Spanish royal family stayed when they visited Ronda. The museum is split into various rooms each with its own theme. Some of the themes being music, knives, bullfighting and the very spooky witchcraft collection, but the most sickening part of the museum is the torture chamber, on show here you'll find implements of torture used during the Spanish Inquisition.

Benalmadena - Paloma Park

Not far from the beach front in the Costa del Sol resort of Benalmadena is Paloma Park. In the park is variety of birds, such as ducks and geese which have all made the large lake their home. Also to be seen walking freely about are hens and cockerels of all shapes and sizes as you walk round the park. Some even make their way through the park gates and are often seen walking up and down the pavements!
There is no charge for entrance to the park, and it makes a nice change to sit and relax away from the crowded beach in summer.

Torremolinos

Torremolinos has quite a few statues scattered about town, most are placed in the centre of the roundabouts. This large large bronze statue can be seen towards the eastern part of town near the sea front.

Marbella Views

Visiting Marbella does not always mean you are surrounded by designer shops and flashy cars. As these photo's show Marbella still retains some of the 'fishing village' character today. The narrow street above is part of the old town, and the last photo shows the back-drop to Marbella 'La Concha' mountain which rises to a height of 1,215 mts.

Views of Mijas

Two very different views of the small ''white village'' of Mijas. You only have to go a few kilometers inland from the tourist resorts of the Costa del Sol, and you are in a very different part of Spain! Everyday lots of tourists make their way up to this little village perched on the mountain side. From here you not only have the pleasure of seeing such a well kept place where the locals live, but also the fantastic views of the surrounding country side and on a clear day views of the coast.

Benalmadena Storm Clouds

Very often when a storm is on the way in Benalmadena, you only to look to the mountains at the back of the resort to see the dramatic clouds forming. These photos show the boats in the marina along with the Willow Steam Boat, which is now being renovated and will make a very popular tourist attraction when complete.

Puerto Banus Shopping

All around the very exclusive marina at Puerto Banus are the equally exclusive designer shops. The most famous of the names are located on the waterfront, alongside the huge multi million pound yachts!

Just a short walk from the marina are the Spanish favorites of Mango, Zara and the popular El Corte Ingles has a large five floor department store here.

Frigiliana

Three photos of Frigiliana, just a few kilometers in land from Malaga.



The first one above is taken looking out over the roof tops from this immaculate white washed village, towards the stunning views of the surrounding country side. This excursion is one of the most popular for holiday makers to the Costa del Sol. If you decide to pay a visit to Frigiliana during the winter months be sure to wear something warm as the temperatures here can be much cooler than down on the coast. The two photos below show the narrow streets where the locals live, spotlessly clean and looking very pretty with the flower pots on the balcony's and doorsteps!

Alora Near Malaga

These photos from the small town of Alora just 40 kilometers inland from Malaga show just how steep the streets are in these out of the way places. With hardly any of the streets wide enough to take a car, it must be really hard work for the elderly residents to get about and even do the simplest of things like just nipping to the local shop !

Ronda.

Near the bull ring in Ronda is the Hotel Reina Victoria. This hotel is very well known because of the fact that Earnest Hemingway stayed here on several occasions. Another famous visitor to Ronda was Orson Welles, both wrote about the beauty of the the town. Above is a photo of the name plate of the street which takes you round the back of the hotel to a very nice walkway where you can look out from the hotels terrace which is on the very edge of a nearly 500ft drop!

Benalmadena Marina at Night.

Evening views of the fabulous marina of Benalmadena. A very nice place to take a leisurely stroll, with the shops lining the walk way and many cafes and bars you can just come and relax after a hard day sunbathing on the beach !

Granada - The Alhambra

More views from the fantastic Alhambra in Granada.
While you are on holiday on the Costa del Sol, one of your excursions must be to the Alhambra. You will not be disappointed when you see the architecture of this great 'monument'
This is a full day excursion which will also give you free time in Granada to grab a bite to eat.

The official Alhambra website can be found HERE

Malaga - Spain

The city of Malaga is full of historical buildings, making this city one of the most popular tourist attractions on the coast. Being the birthplace of the artist Picasso and since the opening of the Picasso Museum in 2003 the tourist population has steadily grown. The streets around Calle Larios are pedestrianised making this a very good shopping area for locals and also tourists.

From the train station in Malaga you can catch trains to just about anywhere in Spain. The AVE (fast train) travels to Madrid from here in only about 2 1/2 hrs making it quite easy to make a day trip there...but at quite a high cost!

One thing always to be found in many Spanish cities is the colourful stalls along the roads selling flowers, either just by the bunch or a full display for various occasions.

Costa del Sol Markets

Throughout the Costa del Sol resorts you can find a different market to visit every day of the week. These photos are from market held in Benalmadena every Friday and Sunday near the Tivoli fair ground. The markets usually start quite early in the mornings and start to pack up their stalls early afternoon. So its always best to get there as early as possible, as some of them are quite large and you may not get chance to get all the way round before they close.

Some of the best buys are the brightly coloured Spanish ceramics, these always look good displayed on a kitchen shelf. Also many stalls sell clothing and accessories from the high street stores back home, these stalls are very popular with the expats living out here.

Here is a list of the most popular markets held....

Monday - Marbella

Tuesday - Fuengirola

Wednesday - Benalmadena nr Paloma Park. (flea market)

Thursday - Torremolinos

Friday - Benalmadena-Tivoli & Paloma Park

Saturday - Puerto Banus, Fuengirola (flea market)

Sunday - Fuengirola (nr Mosque) Torremolinos, Benalmadena-Tivoli

Benalmadena Marina

The award winning marina in Benalmadena is one of the resorts most popular tourist attractions. Here you will find a vast choice of shops, cafes, bars, a good selection of restaurants, and many nightclubs. The Kaleido pictured below is said to be owned by the Spanish actor Antonio Banderas. This is a very popular bar/restaurant and after dark is one of the busiest nightclubs on the marina.