Things to Do in Costa del Sol: Sights, Beaches and Towns

If you only have a few days, Málaga gives you the densest run of Costa del Sol attractions. The Cathedral Basilica of the Virgin of Incarnation is the city's great Renaissance church, and a short walk brings you to the Alcazaba, a palatial fortification, with the Castle of Gibralfaro above it and the Roman Theatre of Malaca at its foot. Art lovers can choose between the Museo Picasso Málaga, the Carmen Thyssen Museum, the Museum Jorge Rando and the Museo de Málaga.

Outside the city, the Cueva de Nerja is the natural highlight, a cave on the eastern end of the coast. Castles turn up in unexpected places too: Castillo de Suel in Fuengirola and the Castillo Monumento Colomares in Benalmádena are both easy half-day outings from the central resorts.

For the beaches of the Costa del Sol, Playa de La Malagueta is the city beach in Málaga, next to the Plaza de toros de la Malagueta, the bullring that is listed as a cultural property.

Málaga is the cultural centre: the cathedral, the Alcazaba, Gibralfaro, the Roman theatre, four museums, the Al-Andalus Mosque and the Malagueta bullring and beach. Torremolinos and Benalmádena sit just west, 6 and 10 minutes from Málaga airport respectively, and Benalmádena adds the Castillo Monumento Colomares. Fuengirola, close to Mijas and La Cala de Mijas, has Castillo de Suel and the Fuengirola Mosque.

Further west, Marbella is home to the King Abdelaziz Mosque, while Estepona and Manilva are closer to Gibraltar airport, 32 and 23 minutes away. East of Málaga, Rincón de la Victoria, Torre del Mar, Torrox and Nerja form a quieter run of coastal towns, with the Cueva de Nerja as the main draw; Granada airport reaches Nerja in about 43 minutes.

Short transfers make life easier with children: Torremolinos, Benalmádena and Mijas are all within 13 minutes of Málaga airport, so you can be on the beach the afternoon you land. Castles tend to win over younger travellers, and both Castillo de Suel in Fuengirola and the Castillo Monumento Colomares in Benalmádena are close to the family resorts.

The Cueva de Nerja makes a good change from the sand for a day, and Playa de La Malagueta is handy if you combine a city visit with a swim. With July and August highs around 33°C, plan sightseeing for the morning and keep afternoons for the water; April, May, June and September are milder, at 23°C to 28°C.

You can compare tours and tickets for the coast's sights directly on this page, alongside car hire, which makes it simpler to reach the Cueva de Nerja or the castles on your own timetable. If you are still choosing your base, package holidays with flights, hotel and transfers can be compared here too, with direct UK flights into Málaga, Gibraltar, Granada and Jerez.

Timing matters as much as the booking itself. October is the wettest month at Fuengirola, with around 117 mm of rain over 10 days, so keep a museum day in reserve. School holidays bring the most demand for family packages, so booking well ahead gives you more choice.