57 Best Sights in Costa del Sol and Costa de Almeria, Spain

This 2-km (1-mile) stretch of sand running from the Torremolinos headland to Puerto Marina in Benalmádena is a perennial favorite with Málaga residents as well as visitors. Several hotels, including the Tropicana, flank a beach promenade that's perfect for a stroll, and there are plenty of beach bars where you can rent a lounger and parasol—and also enjoy some of the best pescaíto frito on the coast. The gray sand is cleaned regularly, and the moderate waves make for safe bathing. Towel space (and street parking) is in short supply during the summer months, but outside high season this is a perfect spot for soaking up some winter sunshine. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (mid-June–mid-September); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: swimming; walking.

This botanical garden was created in 1855 by the daughter of the British consul, who married a Spanish shipping magnate—the captains of the Spaniard's fleet had standing orders to bring back seedlings and cuttings from every "exotic" port of call. The wisteria pergola, in bloom in early April, is one of the highlights. The garden is just off the exit road to Granada—too far to walk, but well worth the cab fare or the bus journey (No. 2 from La Alameda, then a 20-minute walk or on the Málaga Tour Bus) from the city center.

Europe's major nesting area for the greater flamingo is a shallow saltwater lagoon. In February and March, these birds arrive from Africa by the thousands to breed, returning to Africa in August when the water dries up. Flamingo hatching time is April–June. The visitor center has information on wildlife. Bring binoculars if you have them. Guided tours are available in English (from €9 per person; book ahead online).

One of the string of coves on the coastline west of Nerja, this beach of gray sand mixed with shingle is backed by pine trees and scrub that perfume the air. Reachable only via a stony track down the cliffs, this protected beach is one of the few on the Costa del Sol to be almost completely untouched by tourism. Its moderate waves mean you need to take care when bathing. The snorkeling around the rocks at either end of the beach is among the best in the area. This spot's seclusion makes the beach a favorite with couples and nudists—it's reasonably quiet even at the height of summer. Limited parking is available off the N340 highway, but there are no amenities, so take plenty of water. Amenities: none. Best for: nudists; snorkeling; solitude.

Built between 1528 and 1782, the cathedral is a triumph, although a generally unappreciated one, having been left unfinished when funds ran out. Because it lacks one of its two towers, the building is nicknamed "La Manquita" (the One-Armed Lady). The enclosed choir (restored in 2019), which miraculously survived the burnings of the civil war, is the work of 17th-century artist Pedro de Mena, who carved the wood wafer-thin in some places to express the fold of a robe or shape of a finger. The choir also has a pair of massive 18th-century pipe organs, one of which is still used for the occasional concert. Adjoining the cathedral is a small museum of religious art and artifacts. A walk around the cathedral on Calle Cister will take you to the magnificent Gothic Puerta del Sagrario. A rooftop walkway (guided tours only) gives you stunning views of the ocher domes and the city.

Marbella's best beaches are to the east of town, between the Monteros and Don Carlos hotels, and include Costa Bella and El Alicate. The 6-km (4-mile) stretch of yellow sand is lined with residential complexes and sand dunes (some of the last remaining on the Costa del Sol). The sea remains shallow for some distance, so bathing is safe. Beach bars catering to all tastes and budgets dot the sands, as do several exclusive beach clubs (look for Nikki Beach, for instance, where luxury yachts are anchored offshore). Tourists and locals flock to these beaches in the summer, but take a short walk away from the beach bars and parking lots, and you'll find a less crowded spot for your towel. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (mid-June–mid-September); parking (fee in summer); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: swimming; walking.

From the Plaza Felix Saenz, at the southern end of Calle Nueva, turn onto Sagasta to reach the Mercado de Atarazanas. The 19th-century iron structure incorporates the original Puerta de Atarazanas, the exquisitely crafted 14th-century Moorish gate that once connected the city with the port. Don't miss the magnificent stained-glass window depicting highlights of this historic port city as you stroll around the stalls filled with local produce. The bars at the entrance offer good-value tapas, open at lunchtime only. Fish stalls are closed on Monday.

Like Madrid, Málaga has its own branch of this museum, with more than 200 works from Baroness Thyssen's private collection. Shown in a renovated 16th-century palace, the collection features mainly Spanish paintings from the 19th century but also has work from two great 20th-century artists, Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida and Romero de Torres. The museum also hosts regular exhibitions, concerts, talks, and art workshops. If you're looking for art-based souvenirs and books, the museum shop provides great inspiration and the adjoining café has a good-value lunchtime menu. 

Málaga's most famous native son, Pablo Picasso, was born here in 1881. The building has been painted and furnished in the style of the era and houses a permanent exhibition of the artist's early sketches and sculptures, as well as memorabilia, including his christening robe and family photos.

Housed in the historical 18th-century Casa de las Tejerinas palace, this art museum, which opened in 2018 and is known as MAD, showcases contemporary Andalusian and Spanish artists. Focusing on work produced this century, it has 50 pieces from artists including Málaga-born Dadi Dreucol and Chema Lumbreras, Santiago Idáñez from Seville, and Judas Arrieta from the Basque Country. Also worthy of note are the central patio and ornate facade.

The town's pride and joy is Efebo, a beautiful bronze statue of a boy that dates back to Roman times. Standing almost 5 feet high, it's on display along with other ancient, medieval, and Renaissance art and artifacts in this impressive museum.

In a restored 16th-century palace in the casco antiguo, this museum shows some of the best in contemporary Spanish prints. Some of Spain's most famous 20th-century artists, including Picasso, Miró, and Tàpies, are on display. Temporary exhibitions are also mounted here.

More than 3,000 pieces of glass and crystal, lovingly collected by the owner, are displayed throughout this 18th-century mansion, which is a museum piece in its own right. The pieces, whether ancient Egyptian or from Europe's Lalique and Whitefriars, give a unique insight into man's decorative use of glass. Visits are by guided tour only.

In the old Mesón de la Victoria, a 17th-century inn, this museum displays horse-drawn carriages and carts, old agricultural implements, folk costumes, a forge, a bakery, an ancient grape press, and painted clay figures and ceramics.

Facing the cathedral's main entrance, this is a fine 18th-century mansion with one of the most stunning facades in the city, as well as interesting interior details. Temporary exhibitions, usually with a religious theme, take place regularly.

Birds are the main attraction at this nature reserve just south of San José; it's home to several species native to Africa, including the camachuelo trompetero (large-beaked bullfinch), which is not found anywhere else outside Africa. Check out the Punto de Información visitor center in Rodalquilar, which has an exhibit and information on the region and organizes guided walks and tours of the area.

The narrow streets and alleys on each side of Calle Marqués de Larios have charms of their own. The most famous is Pasaje Chinitas, off Plaza de la Constitución and named for the notorious Chinitas cabaret here. Peep into the dark, vaulted bodegas (wineries) where old men down glasses of seco añejo or Málaga Virgen, local wines made from Málaga's muscat grapes. Silversmiths and vendors of religious books and statues ply their trades in shops that have changed little since the early 1900s. Backtrack across Larios, and, in the streets leading to Calle Nueva and Calle San Juan, you can see shoeshine boys, lottery-ticket vendors, street guitarists, and tapas bars serving wine from huge barrels.

The dramatic silhouette of the Peña de los Enamorados (Lovers' Rock) is an Andalusian landmark. Legend has it that a Moorish princess and a Christian shepherd boy eloped here one night and cast themselves to their deaths from the peak the next morning. The rock's outline is often likened to the profile of the cordobés bullfighter Manolete.

Named after the Genovese sailors who landed here in 1127 to aid King Alfonso VII, this beach is one of the area's best known and most beautiful. The long, sandy expanse is backed by pines, eucalyptus trees, and low-rising dunes. The sea is shallow, warm, and crystal clear here—snorkeling is popular around the rocks at either end of the cove. Free parking is available late September through early June; in summer, you must park in nearby San José and take a free shuttle bus to the beach. The beach can also be reached via an easy coastal walk from San José, a 7-km (4½-mile) round trip. The beach has no amenities to speak of, so take plenty of water if it's hot. Amenities: parking. Best for: snorkeling; solitude; sunset; walking.

This part of the Atlantic coast consists of miles of white and mostly unspoiled beaches, and this, to the north of Tarifa and the town's main beach, is one of the longest. Backed by low-lying scrub and lagoons, the beach is also close to the odd campground, boho-chic hotel, and kitesurfing school. Its windswept sands make for perfect kitesurfing: together with Punta Paloma (just up the coast) it's where you'll see most sails surfing the waves and wind. Amenities are concentrated at the Tarifa end of the beach, where there are a few bars and cafés, usually open mid-June–mid-September, and this is naturally where the crowds congregate in the summer. Otherwise, most of the beach is deserted year-round. Swimming is safe here, except in high winds, when there's a strong undertow. Amenities: food and drink (mid-June–mid-September); lifeguards; showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; sunset; walking; windsurfing.

These small sandy coves are packed almost to bursting in the summer, when they're crowded with young, bronzed, perfect bodies: topless sunbathing is almost de rigueur. The sea is shallow along the entire stretch, which is practically wave-free and seems warmer than other beaches nearby. In the area are excellent Caribbean-style beach bars with good seafood and fish, as well as lots of options for sundown drinks. This is also home to the famous Ocean and Sala Beach clubs with their oversize sun beds, Champagne, and nightlong parties. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (mid-June–mid-September); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; sunset; swimming.

Marbella's appeal lies in the heart of its casco antiguo, which remains surprisingly intact. Here, a block or two back from the main highway, narrow alleys of whitewashed houses cluster around the central Plaza de los Naranjos, where colorful, albeit pricey, restaurants vie for space under the orange trees. Climb onto what remains of the old fortifications and stroll along the Calle Virgen de los Dolores to the Plaza de Santo Cristo.

Marbella's wealth glitters most brightly along the Golden Mile, a tiara of star-studded clubs, restaurants, and hotels west of town and stretching from Marbella to Puerto Banús. A mosque and the former residence of Saudi Arabia's late King Fahd reveal the influence of Middle Eastern oil money in this wealthy enclave. About 7 km (4½ miles) west of central Marbella (between Km 175 and Km 174), a sign indicates the turnoff leading down to Puerto Banús. Though now hemmed in by a belt of high-rises, Marbella's plush marina, with 915 berths, is a Spanish answer to St. Tropez. Huge yachts and countless expensive stores and restaurants make for a glittering parade of beautiful people that continues long into the night. The backdrop is an Andalusian pueblo—built in the 1960s to resemble the fishing villages that once lined this coast.

The Axarquía has a number of tourist trails that take in the best of local scenery, history, and culture. Two of the best are the Ruta del Sol y del Vino (Sunshine and Wine Trail), through Algarrobo, Cómpeta (the main wine center), and Nerja; and the Ruta de la Pasa (Raisin Trail), which goes through Moclinejo, El Borge, and Comares. The trails are especially spectacular during the late-summer grape harvest or in late autumn, when the leaves of the vines turn gold. A visit to nearby Macharaviaya (7 km [4 miles] north of Rincón de la Victoria) might lead you to ponder this sleepy village's past glory: in 1776 one of its sons, Bernardo de Gálvez, became the Spanish governor of Louisiana and later fought in the American Revolution (Galveston, Texas, is named for him). Macharaviaya prospered under his heirs and for many years enjoyed a lucrative monopoly on the manufacture of playing cards for South America. Gálvez was named Honorary Citizen of the United States in December 2014, and his portrait now hangs in the Foreign Affairs Committee room in the Capitol. A sculpture of the family around a fountain stands next to Málaga train station.

At this above-average aquarium at the marina, you can find rays, sharks, and sunfish; there's also a turtle reef with rare green turtles, an Asian otter family, and an Amazon rain-forest area with poisonous frogs, plus information about various conservation projects. Nearby is a pirate-themed miniature golf course. Book online to save on admission.

The capital of the Axarquía is a pleasant agricultural town of white houses, mango and avocado orchards, and vineyards. It's worth a half-day trip to see the Thursday market, the Contemporary Art Centre (CAC), the ruins of a Moorish castle, and the church of Santa María la Mayor, built in the Mudejar style on the site of a mosque that was destroyed when the town fell to the Christians in 1487. The town also has a thriving flamenco scene with regular events, usually on Fridays ( www.flamencoabierto.com).