Costa del Sol, Spain

There is a part of the Mediterranean coast that flows majestically to the east from Gibraltar to Almeria. An area of ​​small and quiet fishing villages, today this "beach of the sun" is a world-famous tourist destination. Yes, this is the Costa del Sol - a unique place with a passionate atmosphere, coming from the Andalusian spirit and the hospitality of the locals, engulfing the Mediterranean coasts of the provinces of Malaga and Cadiz.
The Costa del Sol is not a child of the New Age. It has been urbanized and developed since the Bronze Age and is colonized by many cultures, including the Phoenicians, Carthage, Rome, the Vandals and the Moors. At one time, its population lived in fishing villages not far from the interior of the country, nestled at the foot of the mountains down the coast.
The Costa del Sol was discovered and developed to meet the requirements for a tourist center in 1950, when it began its transformation and revival as a destination of international importance. Today, the Costa del Sol is preferred not only for its appearance and landscape, but also for its local culture. There is no way this heavenly place is not a highly urbanized area. Architectural styles range from low white villas mostly in local Andalusian style to tall residential buildings, hotels, casinos and restaurants.
The Costa del Sol has a place for everyone, whether rich and famous, or the average visitor. His calling card and pearl in the crown is Marbella, where hotels, casinos and restaurants are from four stars up. The old beautiful center starts from the Plaza de la Constitucion, where the town hall and the fountain from the 16th century are located, as well as the castle of Castillo de Madera. Marbella's shores are bustling with nightlife, and super-luxury vehicles around countless bars and restaurants dictate class here. The average tourist can indulge in a vacation on the beaches of the winner of the gold medal for tourism - Puerto Banus. No less famous is El Palo, where one can witness the pilgrimage to the Virgin Mary in July. The statue is taken out of the church and placed in a boat, which the fishermen launch into the sea and follow it in honor of their protector.
East of Malaga is another pleasant resort town - Nerja. Nerja is the most important shopping center in this part of the coast, which is growing at a good pace. Many of the hotels that house visitors to the Costa del Sol are located here. The town is connected with one of the biggest landmarks of the Costa del Sol - the caves of Cuevas de Nerja. Here you can see the 800-meter-long halls with stalactites and stalagmites, as well as see Paleolithic rock paintings in the upper hall and the small museum of prehistoric objects.
Southwest of Malaga, Torremolinos and Fuengirola await their visitors. Each of them is famous for its high hotels, many bars, shops, discos and other attractions for holidaymakers, but Fuengirola has much more to offer. In it you can see the open ruins of a Moorish castle, and its beach is almost 6 km, which provides a great opportunity for lovers of water sports. For those who want to escape the vanity of the glittering world, 8 km inland, is the beautiful and well-preserved steep village of Mijas, once a haven for artists. Here you can walk through the remarkable remains of the Arab walls and the hermitage hut Virgen de la Peña from the XVII century, but the main attractions are the picturesque corners of the city, craft shops and the beautiful views that are revealed during the donkey taxi ride.
In recent years, the Costa del Sol has added another asset after becoming famous among golf enthusiasts. The beach has over 50 high-quality golf courses, mostly around Marbella. Golf is the reason for the birth of new complexes to take the flow of golfers from Europe and around the world. Thus, the Costa del Sol is even more prosperous, and people around the world call it the Costa del Golf. Apart from golf, which can be played all year round, the Costa del Sol has a whole range of other activities available to tourists such as sailing, diving, horseback riding, dolphin safaris, etc.
The Costa del Sol is the biggest "corner" of the Mediterranean coast, where the fun does not end, and boredom is an unfamiliar word, where everything is on level. This is the place where everyone will find a way to feel at home regardless of the luxury and charming appearance of the resorts, simply because the Costa del Sol was developed by the people to serve the people.