Living in the city of Malaga provided me with what felt like infinite travel opportunities. Hence I spent much of my year in Southern Spain exploring the region’s key historical sights. In fact, so essential were Andalusia’s landscapes, palaces, fortresses, churches and pretty villages, it was often a struggle prioritising.

On the flip side, there’s The Costa del Sol, one of Europe’s most derided strips of coastal resorts. A place where working class British folk flock to eat British food, read British newspapers and generally ignore the fact that they’re in Spain. 

So many people told me not to bother with the towns and beaches that line The Costa del Sol. I kept hearing words like “soulless”, “tacky” and “ugly”. And yet, somehow, I felt fascinated by the prospect of a visit.

I wanted to see this weird, Britain-in-the-sun place for myself. Moreover, these towns were virtually on my doorstep, just a short train ride from Malaga. Thus I resolved to go and see The Costa del Sol for myself. To go with low expectations and see how things panned out.

Without giving too much away, let’s just say I was pleasantly surprised by my discoveries. For the full lowdown on my time in The Costa del Sol, why not read my travel reports from:

Benalmadena

Fuengirola

Marbella

Nerja

Torremolinos

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