The Costa del Sol – the perfect base to explore Spain

If you are planning on moving to Spain and travelling around to some of the most famous sights is on your priority list, we’d recommend choosing the Costa del Sol. Its location in the middle of many of the most famous national treasures, with a great road network, makes it the perfect base to explore Andalucía and beyond. Plus, Malaga airport is within easy reach for internal flights to the most important cities further afield.

If you choose to rent long-term on the Costa del Sol you can take day trips to explore many world famous locations, or spend the weekend to really get the feel for the place.

Here are our favourite day trips from the Costa del Sol –

1. Experience the glitz and glamour of the famous Puerto Banus, with its superyachts, supercars and designer shops
2. Drive up the winding Ronda road and in less than an hour you can admire the impressive gorge, the bull fighting museum and visit a winery
3. Meet the monkeys and take on the challenge of the Med Steps on the peak of the Gibraltar rock, or explore the caves where the last known Neanderthals were found
4. Watch polo or golf or visit the marina in Sotogrande
5. Visit the pretty white village of Casares
6. Sample some of the incredible restaurants and charm of Benahavis

Something for the weekend

As you will have the luxury of time when you are living on the Costa del Sol, we recommend taking the time to spend a weekend in these fantastic places.

Granada and the Sierra Nevada – Just a few hours’ drive from the Costa del Sol is Granada, home to Spain’s most popular tourist destination the Alhambra. Granada is a beautiful city in its own right, with a great tapas scene, the winding streets of the Moorish Quarter, the Albayzin, and plenty of buzz and charm. Definitely a great place for a weekend break, which feels very different to the Costa del Sol.

Just above Granada is the ski resort of the Sierra Nevada which is open between December and April. You can do it in a day from the coast, but it means an early start, so if you can stay for one night, you can enjoy two days on the slopes. If you can take a day or two off work, you’re better to go up during the week to avoid the crowds.

Morocco – You can easily do a day trip to Tangiers and there are many tours available to make it less intimidating. But if you have a little more time, you can explore Tangiers and then take an overnight train down to Marrakesh, even stopping of at Rabat and Casablanca and venturing into the Atlas Mountains to get the full experience.

Kite surfing in Tarifa – This is a fantastic little town, just an hour and a half from Marbella, feels like a world away, with its bohemian charm and world-famous windsurfing and kite surfing culture. While close enough for a day trip, if you want to learn some kite surfing and enjoy the bohemian nightlife of Tarifa town, we’d recommend an overnight stay.

If this sounds good and you think it’s the right place for you, take a look at our selection of Costa del Sol long-term rentals. We have properties from Benalmadena to Manilva and everywhere in between.

Which location you choose will depend on your work, family, or travel commitments. If you don’t know the area well, we are here to assist you. Our team have lived and worked all over the Costa del Sol and so we can offer personal advice to guide your decision making process, as well as showing you the different long-term rental properties in alternative locations. Get in touch – we look forward to helping you!