Costa del Sol
Fuengirola
If you are thinking of purchasing property in Fuengirola, it is just 20 minutes from Málaga airport and is probably most famous for its 5 miles of sandy beaches, flanked by high-rise hotels and residential blocks of apartments. A recent landscaping drive by the local municipality has resulted in a wider promenade and plenty of palm trees interspersed with colourful flower beds and additional seating.
The beaches known as Boliches, Gaviotas and Torreblanca hold a European blue flag. Fuengirola is particularly popular with Spanish nationals, but also a considerable percentage of other nationalities with the result being an impressively wide variety of entertainment and restaurant choice, ranking from the Andalucían traditional tapas and shellfish dishes to the British bangers and beans standard, together with Guinness on tap. Follow the shopping baskets on Tuesdays and you will find yourself at the largest and liveliest street market on the coast. There is also a Saturday boot sale here with the predictably intriguing selection of items on sale.
There is certainly no shortage of things to do for holidaymakers in Fuengirola, ranging from such family fun activities as aqua park, a trip to the zoo and a host of sea sports to a leisurely sightseeing tour on a horse-drawn carriage, or by foot, particularly recommended for Fuengirola's neighbour, Los Boliches which still reflects the ambience of a bygone era with narrow streets, neighbourhood shops and traditional white washed houses which once belonged to the local fishermen.
Annual fiestas here include the feast of the Virgin del Carmen in July when local fisherman carry an effigy of the Virgin out to sea, while the colourful feria takes place in October and is the time when the town really comes to life with flamenco, fino ... (dry sherry) and fun which carries on from dawn to dusk for a week.