family travel guide
Spain's southernmost coastline has a simple but apt name: Sunny Beach, Costa del Sol. Tiny, sun-whitened houses, mountains shivering in the heat, a fragrant mix of pine and orange — this is the coast of the sun, sung by the poet Federico García Lorca, one of the best sons of Andalusia. It's also a favourite destination for celebrities and a great place to take your children on holiday in the Costa del Sol. You can find all the helpful information about family holidays in Sunny Beach in our overview.
The Costa del Sol is the coastline of the province of Málaga in the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is situated in the south of Spain and is washed by the waters of the Alboran Sea (the westernmost part of the Mediterranean Sea). The sunny coast stretches from Gibraltar in the west to Nerja in the east. The region's main resorts are located west of the provincial capital, Málaga. The distance from Málaga to Torremolinos is 18 km, to Benalmadena 20 km, to Fuengirola 33 km, to Marbella 70 km and to Estepona 92 km.
The Costa del Sol is warm all year round, and many tourists come here in the winter for tours of old towns. But it is during the summer, when sunbathing and bathing are at their height, that Sunny Beach receives the most visitors.
Travelling to the Costa del Sol is like chasing a dream. Hot summers, luxurious beaches, fashionable hotels and crowds of celebrities strolling along the beach or passionately playing golf - that's what Sunny Beach looks like in the advertising brochures. The exciting thing is that all this is true. And there are many celebrities, hotels are expensive, and the beaches are marvellous. But the Costa del Sol is where you can relax with your child in a serene, happy environment.
One only has to remember that during the peak season, the Malaga province's coast is flooded with tourists, and few quiet corners are left. For a holiday with a baby at this time, it is better to find a small resort without much entertainment but without the crowds on the beaches. Holidays in the Costa del Sol can be both lazy and busy. You can enjoy the comforts of a five-star hotel or the beach or travel all over Andalusia to see Moorish palaces, bullfighting and flamenco.
Little ones won't be bored in Sunny Beach, either. The Costa del Sol has plenty of attractions for children: water parks, animal parks and play centres. Many resorts have good museums, but most are concentrated in Málaga.
The only thing that can spoil a holiday in the Costa del Sol with children is the cold sea. It's not the same year yearly: sometimes the water gets warm, but sometimes the sea stays cold all summer.
The weather on the Andalusian coast is a gift for those who can't wait to sunbathe on the beach in May and aren't ready to say goodbye to summer in September. The beach season in the Costa del Sol runs from the beginning of May to the end of October, and there's no room for clouds or rain: the sun is at its best. And yet the choice of when to go to the Costa del Sol is not easy. On the one hand, it's undesirable to holiday with a child on this hot beach in July and August, when temperatures are off the charts.
On the other hand, it's not until July that the water in the sea gets relatively warm, so coming here in early summer is unprofitable. You can get around this weather discrepancy. Firstly, in May and June, the season's opening in Costa del Sol, water parks start working. Secondly, many hotels have swimming pools.
The ideal balance between water and air temperature is reached in September. The heat sinks and the sea stays relatively warm.
Spring, early summer or autumn is also the best time to visit Seville and Granada. That's because it's always hotter away from the coast; for example, while the temperature on the beach is around +30ºC, in Seville, it can be as hot as +40ºC.
The calendar of events shows that the resorts of the Costa del Sol are not just the hottest months. On 1 May, the town of Mijas hosts the Sardinada, the opening day of the sardine season. On 23 June, bonfires and celebrations are held all along the coast to mark St. Juan's Day. Carnival festivities are held throughout Andalusia during Feria del Rosario in October. It is mainly celebrated in Fuengirola.
Whichever time of year you check weather websites, the Costa del Sol weather forecast is laden with "sunny" icons like oranges.
The Costa del Sol's climate is generous with sunshine and warmth. There are 300 days of sunshine a year, with occasional frosty days in winter. Rainfall comes only in late autumn, winter and early spring, while rain is rare in summer.
Summer comes to the Costa del Sol as early as May. Daytime temperatures are around +23°C, and holidays in the Costa del Sol can be spent travelling to Granada and Seville or on excursions to Spain's African coast. Apart from a panama and sunglasses, pack some warm clothes in your suitcase, as night-time temperatures drop to around 13-14°C.
As early as June, the pleasant heat gives way to heat. When the thermometers don't rise above +27°C in early summer, you can visit the Costa del Sol with an infant. But July and August, when the temperature stays around +30-35°C, are less suitable for a holiday with a baby. Although the sea breeze cools the African-flavoured heat of the sun, it's advisable to hit the beach in the mornings when the thermometers show +25-27° C.
The best conditions for holidays in the Costa del Sol with children are in the first half of autumn. The heat comes down to a low of +28°C in September and +25°C in October. Occasionally it may rain, but this does not bother tourists at all.
November to March is the coldest time.
This means temperatures rise to +15-18°C during the day and drop to +6-7°C at night. It won't be until April that the weather starts to warm up: the nights will still be freezing, but daytime temperatures will rise to +20°C. It should be noted that Marbella and Estepona have a slightly different climate to the rest of the coast, with slightly cooler nights and fewer sunny days.
Although the Costa del Sol summers are sweltering, the sea is never particularly warm. The nearby Atlantic Ocean brings cold currents, and even in summer, the water temperature in the Costa del Sol does not rise above +24°C during the summer months. Such warm water can only be experienced between August and September. During the rest of the year, the temperature does not exceed 20-21°C. Take a look at how the sea warms up between May and October (based on three years of meteorological observations):
Three meals a day in a hotel is not typical of Spain. Often hotels only offer breakfast, which can be convenient in the Costa del Sol: cafés and restaurants in the resorts don't open until 9 am.
As for lunches and dinners, they can be turned into more than just a meal and an introduction to Andalusian cuisine. The famous gazpacho and salmorejo soups come from, where jamón is as honoured as mojama (cured tuna), where sherry and malaga wines are produced. Not all Andalusian dishes are suitable for children, but it's easy to find something for the children's table, such as a Malaga salad (ask them not to add dried cod) or a potato tortilla.
Andalusians have a rather late dinner. While restaurants serve lunch from 1 pm to 3 pm, dinner is from 8 pm to 9 pm.
If you are going to cook on your own, you can buy all your food from the markets or shops. The markets open early, and the shops don't open until 9 am.
The Costa del Sol public transport is less popular than bicycles, taxis, or hire cars. Most resorts are small towns that are more pleasant to walk around than to drive. The only resort to public transport is Málaga and parts of Benalmádena and Torremolinos. Local buses cost approximately 1.30 Euros, and Malaga's high-speed tram costs up to 1.50 Euros, depending on the ticket type. There is no discount for children.
Buses in the Costa del Sol follow a strict timetable. They run every 10-15 minutes in Málaga and every 30-40 minutes in the other towns.
There are bus services between all resorts on the coast. But the intercity transport in the Costa del Sol tourists actively use. Practical routes are 110 (Malaga - Torremolinos - Benalmadena) and 120 (Torremolinos — Fuengirola). You can also take the train that connects Málaga, Benalmádena and Fuengirola.
Taxis can be used to get around the Costa del Sol. The cost of a taxi ride within the city is about 10-20 Euros. All taxis are equipped with meters. Look for the "Libre" sign behind the window to find out if a car is available.
If you want to travel a lot during your holiday and not suffer from the heat, renting a car makes sense. Rental companies have offices at Malaga Airport and in all resorts. A nice feature of the Costa del Sol is free parking near the beaches. If the free parking spaces are occupied, there are always spaces for a fee.
Why don't hotels on the Costa del Sol have playgrounds, large green areas and animation teams? Because there's so much to do in the resorts that travellers only spend the night and wait out the siesta at the hotel. Find out what's fun for your child in Sunny Beach.
The list of ideas for things to do in the Costa del Sol with a child starts with the water parks. The water there is always warmer than in the sea. Aqualand in Torremolinos is a massive park with incredible slides and a colourful children's area.
Mijas in Fuengirola is smaller but also a lot of fun. To the east of Málaga, in the town of Torre del Mar, there is another water park called Aquavelis.
Here are the main attractions for children:
All these activities are within the province of Málaga. If the roads of Andalusia beckon, however, the list of excursions expands. For example, visiting the Oasys Mini Hollywood park in Almeria can get into a real Western. In Seville, the Isla Magica amusement park is worth spending time with the kids.
There are no traditional zoos in the Costa del Sol, but there are places where you can see animals in their natural habitat. To learn more about the lives of animals and birds, visit the Selwo Aventura Safari Park in Estepona, the Biopark in Fuengirola, and the Crocodile Park in Torremolinos.
The Sea Life Aquarium, Selwo Marina Dolphinarium, Eagle Park and Butterfly Park are some of the most popular destinations in Benalmadena. Moving further inland, you can visit Lobo Park and Donkey Farm.
Entertainment is entertainment, but you also need places to take your child on holiday. Benalmadena has the sprawling Paloma Park with picnic grounds and playgrounds (it's lined with cyclists and rollerbladers, but a particular option for families is to rent a quad bike).
In Málaga, shade and freshness are found in La Concepcion botanical gardens and the Palmeral de Las Sorpresas park. The giant playground in Torremolinos is at La Batería Park. And in the local botanical garden Molino de Inca, you can find yourself in a green maze.
Fuengirola has the most parks, and the Parque de Poniente, with its maritime theme, is especially fun for children.
Mount Calamorro in Benalmadena is more than just a natural attraction. The mountain is accessed by a cable car that rises so high you can see the shores of Africa. The African countryside is also visible from the slopes of El Parque de San Isidro Nature Park in Estepona.
Finally, the ferry journey to Africa takes just over an hour and takes you to Algeciras, where the African city of Ceuta, although separated from Spain by the Strait of Gibraltar, is a Spanish territory. The travel possibilities don't end there. For example, you can easily reach the Atlantic coast if you're holidaying with a child on the Costa del Sol. An ordinary trip to neighbouring Portugal is made adventurous by taking the cable car across the Guadiana River.
The beaches of Costa del Sol, as elsewhere in Spain, are free and well-equipped. The authorities take care of their cleanliness, and the infrastructure is mainly managed by the hotels (so every beach is free to lay out on your towel or rent a sun lounger).
The many Blue Flags awarded to the Costa del Sol's beaches year after year are the best testimony to the cleanliness of the coastline, the safety of recreation, and the availability of beach infrastructure.
Almost all the sandy beaches on the Costa del Sol are suitable for holidays with children. For example, Pedregalejo is considered the most child-friendly beach in Malaga: breakwaters divide it into small coves with a gentle entrance to the sea. However, the central beach in Malagueta is also worth visiting for its sand imported from the Sahara. And if it weren't for the cold Atlantic currents cooling the water off the coast of Andalusia, Costa del Sol could be considered the perfect place for a family holiday at sea.
The best place to enjoy Los Alamos with the little ones in Torremolinos is Los Alamos, where the water is easy to enter, and the sea is usually calm. The shallow sea at Montemar Beach on the border of Benalmadena is warm and worth visiting with the kids. Playamar Beach is livelier and offers windsurfing and catamaran rides.
In Benalmadena, families with kids most often vacation at Bil Bil beach — although it is usually crowded, the flat bottom and shallow shoreline are very suitable for little bathers.
Nerja has many good beaches. One of the best holidays with children is Burriana, the longest (800 metres of clean sand and small pebbles), with a gentle entrance to the sea, rows of sun loungers with umbrellas, children's and volleyball courts and showers.
According to tourist reviews, the best beach holiday in the Costa del Sol is a holiday in Fuengirola. San Francisco Beach, close to the port, is small but has the most accessible entrance to the water and the calmest sea. Las Gaviotas Beach has a kids' play area. For holidays with teenagers, the Carvajal and Torreblanca marginal beaches are suitable, with plenty of youth activities.
Marbella also has the most tranquil beach area at Artola. San Pedro de Alcantara beach is perfect for holidays with children but lies just outside the city. All imaginable water activities can be found at Puerto Banus Beach. Windsurfers catch waves at Guadalmina beach. Estepona is famous for El Cristo Beach in a small cove. The most famous beach, La Rada, a Blue Flag awarded beach, runs along the central part of the town for 2.5 km. There are walking trails in the shade of the palm trees growing along the shore.
Holidays in the Costa del Sol with children most often occur during the hot summer, when you don't feel like visiting museums. But a list of things to see in the Costa del Sol will be helpful if you visit Spain in May or September.
And there is no way to avoid the ancient fortresses of Alcazaba and Jibralfaro in Málaga and Soayl (aka Castillo Soje) in Fuengirola. The archaeological site near Fuengirola is a great place to learn about ancient history. It is especially significant to visit the summer market, which sells unusual souvenirs and traditional local sweets.
A unique attraction on the Costa del Sol is the Colomares Castle in Benalmadena.
It is a modern structure, often called the most significant monument to Columbus. In the castle's towers, you can recognise Columbus' ships, the royal palace in Seville, the silhouettes of Indian temples and the mysterious West Indies we know as America.
The list of things to see with children in the Costa del Sol can be completed by other attractions in Andalusia. For example, the Alcázar Palace and the House of Science in Seville, the Alhambra Castle and the Parque de las Ciencias in Granada, the Archaeological Museum in Córdoba and the remains of an ancient Roman temple. For pre-schoolers, however, the best place to visit is Huscar, the village home to the Smurfs.
The variety of places to stay in the Costa del Sol can confuse one. Almost every resort boasts five-star hotels (far more than any other resort in Spain) and luxury villas. Followed by solid 4*, cosy 3*, artlessly furnished but quite suitable for sleeping 2* hotels. When choosing where to stay with children, we recommend considering apartments.
As such, there are no family hotels in the Costa del Sol. Indeed, the hotel will provide a cot for a baby and a high chair for feeding, but you can't count on a playground, mini club, or animation (resorts in Spain offer so much entertainment for children that hotels do not need to take care of it).
When choosing where to stay in the Costa del Sol with children, you only need to know whether the hotel has a pool. As the sea water is often too cold for children, you can sunbathe on the beach and swim in the pool.
ЕIf you are planning an independent holiday in the Costa del Sol with children and want to rent an apartment, check whether there is access to a communal pool (one for several houses).
All Sunny Beach resorts are respectable and well-appointed, but they have their unique features. Marbella and Estepona, for example, are always a little colder than the other towns. To help you choose the right holiday destination, here's a brief description of the Costa del Sol.
The best holiday option if you're in the mood for an active sightseeing programme. While retaining its ancient charm, Málaga has acquired all the hallmarks of a decent modern resort. It's an excellent place to take your kids on a trip to Andalucía, and the city itself deserves a long walk through its old narrow streets. Buses and trains run from Málaga to other towns in Andalusia, so this is the perfect base for exploring the rest of the Costa del Sol.
A 7km strip of beaches and the cosiness of a small town. Some of the hotels are on a mountain, and you can take lifts or use stairs to get to the sea. The best place to stay with children is in La Carihuela, away from the bustling centre.
"The 'grey cardinal' of the coast. The little white town is home to half the entertainment of the Costa del Sol. Most hotels are located in the coastal area of Benalmadena Costa. Benalmadena is well adapted to the influx of tourists and has everything a holiday-maker could need.
A great option for holidays with children if you like a quieter, more relaxed holiday. It's the easternmost resort town on the Costa del Sol. Unlike other seaside resort towns, Nerja has avoided the boom of multi-storey hotel developments and, even today, is a small and pretty green low-rise town with lots of villas and apartments for rent. The landmark of Nerja is the Balcón de Europa (a viewing platform in the form of a snow-white arcade decorated with flowers).
A resort with the cleanest coastline. All its beaches have earned the " Blue Flag ". Most of the hotels in Fuengirola are close to the coast. There are no fancy five hotels, but the four and three offer the same high-quality service.
A luxury resort, which is chosen by celebrities. However, there are many affordable three- and four-star hotels. Golf and lounging by the sea are favourite pastimes. The resort's clean coastline has been awarded several blue flags.
The town resembles a kindly grandmother who bakes delicious biscuits for her grandchildren. The streets do have a whiff of pastry in Estepona — round, fluffy pastries used to be eaten only at Christmas time but now are available all year round. Estepona has a wide range of budget and expensive hotels. Near the Costa del Sol, east of Málaga lies the Costa Tropical. It is less posh and therefore has a lot of inexpensive hotels and apartments.
The nearest airport is in Málaga, 8 km from the city. From the airport, there are trains and buses to the resorts.
How to get to the Costa del Sol from the airport:
Information on transport to the resorts is available on the airport website.
From Málaga airport's terminal T-3, there are trains towards Fuengirola. The C-1 suburban train goes to central Málaga. The timetable is available on the website of the Spanish railway company RENFE: https://www.renfe.com/.
Malaga Airport has regular bus services to the resorts. Bus no. 19 or the express bus no. 75 will take you to central Málaga — the M128 bus runs to Torremolinos and Benalmadena, and the Avanzabús buses to Marbella and Estepona. Tickets are sold at the ticket office.
If you are planning to travel around Spain, renting a car at Málaga airport is possible.
How to get to the Costa del Sol from Málaga:
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