Malaga’s Golden Coastline: A Guide to the Best Beaches
Malaga’s stunning coastline, stretching 150 km from Cadiz’s border in the west to the coves beyond Nerja in the east, is a sight to behold. With Torremolinos and the city of Malaga roughly in the middle, it’s essential to plan your visit before booking a hotel or packing your car. Last year, over 4.5 million people flocked to the Costa del Sol, searching for the perfect beach spot. Here are some of the top choices:
Playa del Cristo, Estepona: A Family-Friendly Haven
Playa del Cristo in Estepona is a suburban dark sand beach, gently sloping with safe, shallow water, making it ideal for families with young children. The beach is concave and the most sheltered bay on the coast, offering beautiful views west towards the Rock of Gibraltar and spectacular sunsets.
Playa Alicate / Costabella / Pinomar, Marbella: A Relaxing Retreat
This continuous stretch of straight beach, accessed through upmarket villa urbanizaciones 15 minutes east of Marbella, is a haven for relaxation. Bars and restaurants are tucked in low dunes at 100-metre intervals, offering a variety of food and drink options.
Playa de las Cañas, Marbella: A Natural Beauty
This beach near Cabopino Marina is famous for the well-preserved squat lookout tower, Torre de Lance de las Cañas. It offers a more natural feel than most, with a low cliff covered in lush succulents and pockets of sand between rocky outcrops.
Playa de Artola /Cabopino, Marbella: A Wild Feel with Family-Friendly Facilities
Located 14 km east of Marbella, Playa de Artola offers a wild feel with family-friendly facilities. It’s a lovely, wide expanse of pale sand, running along the Artola Dunes nature reserve.
Playa de Bil-Bil, Benalmádena: A Traditional Town Centre Beach
Playa de Bil-Bil in Benalmádena is a traditional town centre beach, tucked below the busy Paseo Maritimo. Named for the attractive Arab-style castle built as a private home in 1927, it’s an ideal and easy choice for families with small children.
Playa de la Carihuela, Torremolinos: A Seaside Playground
Playa de la Carihuela in Torremolinos is a seaside playground of vast proportions. The wide, 2 km soft sand beach is sub-divided into distinct playas, each with blocks of loungers and umbrellas, screened by windbreakers.
Playa de la Malagueta, Malaga: The City’s Most Famous Urban Beach
Malaga city’s most famous urban beach, Playa de la Malagueta, is located east from Malaga’s old town, just beyond the commercial port. It’s popular with chic Malaga families and offers a variety of amenities.
Playa Burriana, Nerja: A Local Favourite
Nerja offers a spectrum of urban beaches, but Playa Burriana is a local favourite. Backed by low cliffs covered in fig trees and stands of prickly pears, it offers a variety of activities and amenities.
Maro Beach, Nerja: A Wilder Alternative
Maro Beach in Nerja is a wilder alternative, set in the protected Acantilados de Maro nature reserve. It offers a small beach made up of sand and shingle and calm, clear water popular with snorkelers and divers.
Las Calas Torre del Pino, Nerja: A Rugged and Natural Option
Las Calas Torre del Pino in Nerja is a rugged and natural option in the reserve. The sand is coarse and pebbly, but the upside is good visibility for exploring underwater rock formations and spotting fish.
