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.

Torremolinos - Costa del Sol

Back in the late 60s Torremolinos was quickly growing to be one of the most liveliest resorts in Spain. Visitors came from all over Europe to make the most of the excellent year round climate and laze on the long sandy beaches and also to sample the cheap alcohol! Since those days though Torremolinos does seemed to have calmed down a little and is now a favorite destination for families where there are plenty of activities to keep all age groups happy.

In the centre of Torremolinos is a lively shopping area built all around Calle San Miguel. This street stretches from the main road at the back of town down to the sea front and is just one continual street of shops, bars and restaurants. To the west side is the oldest part of Torremolinos, this is the area of La Carihuela originally where the fishing village was in years gone by. Here is a street like no other around, with smart shops and restraunts its a pleasure to walk on the nicely tiled traffic free street. Every Sunday the restraunts fill the street with their tables and chairs for the traditional Spanish Sunday lunch menu of the day.

To the eastern side of town is the relatively new areas of Playamar and Bajondilla, with smart new hotels and modern apartment blocks