Spain > Costa del Sol
The best way to explore the Costa del Sol is by car, as this allows you the freedom to visit the different towns and villages as and when you want, without needing to rely on public transport. Car hire in Spain is cheap and available at all the airports.
Here is a guide to just some of the cultural and historical attractions surrounding Costa del Sol that you can visit during your holiday:
The city of Malaga should be the first stop for any culture lover on a holiday on the Costa del Sol. Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga in 1881 and you can visit the house in which he was born, the Casa Natal de Picasso, which is situated in the Plaza del Merced. The three-storey building contains personal items belonging to the Picasso family together with examples of Picasso’s prints, ceramics and graphic art. There is also a large collection of works by other contemporary artists.
A few minutes walk from the Casa Natal de Picasso is the Picasso Museum (Museo Picasso Málaga), which opened in 2003. It is housed in the 16th century Palacio de Buenavista and has twelve permanent exhibition halls where you can see paintings, drawings, sculptures and ceramics by Picasso. The museum also holds regular temporary exhibitions. If you’re a history buff, you’ll also be in for a treat on the lower ground floor, as you’ll be able to see the preserved Roman and Phoenician ruins discovered when the museum was in construction.
Other Costa del Sol attractions that you can see if you stop off in Malaga during your Costa del Sol holiday include the Alcazaba, Malaga’s historic fortress, and the 14th century Gibralfaro Castle.
If you are interested in architecture, make sure that you make time to visit Fuengirola. Getting around Costa del sol is easy - Fuengirola and is about 30 minutes’ drive from Malaga and has a rich history and of course the excellent family attraction Fuengirola Zoo
Having been settled in by the Romans, Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Arabs over the centuries, its architecture displays many influences and archaeologists have discovered some fascinating ruins and artefacts there. The most famous artefact to have been discovered in Fuengirola is a Roman sculpture known as the “Venus of Fuengirola”. You can see this, along with many other artefacts, in the town’s Museum of History (Museo de Historia).
You can also drive to the Castillo de Sohail, on the edge of the town. This now restored castle dates back to the 11th century and is now open to the public. It is also used as a location for theatrical performances and festivals.
From Dave:
It’s true that driving around the many Costa del Sol villages is a great way to explore the region.
Nice picture too, thats the badger and loving car hire Spain?
From DDG:
Ive lived here for 5 years now and there is lots to see here on the Costa del Sol and inland Andalucia. One word of advice though. If you plan on venturing inland of the beaten track, make sure you have a 4×4 as the roads can take a toll on your car.
We took the kids to the Castillo de Sohail recently and was extremely dissapointed. There is hardly anything there. If you like looking at old rocks then you may find it exciting but apart from some nice views not really worth the money.
From Trevor:
I absolutely love the Costa Del Sol. All of it! But honestly, what puts me off is, as you mention in this article, simply having to spend on car hire to get anywhere. It’s an added expense on an already tight holiday budget these days, so I tend to stick with destinations where I can see everything on foot.