10 Of The Best Beaches In The Costa Del Sol

With more than 100 gorgeous beaches to choose from, the Costa del Sol has a beach for everyone.

Whether it’s soft sand, Blue Flag beaches with plenty of activities to keep the kids happy, a palm tree-lined city beach buzzing with bars and restaurants, or wild, romantic bays and rocky, sheltered coves that feel a world away from the livelier resorts, you’ll find them all here.

The Costa del Sol’s best beaches are all easy to reach too, with even the most unspoilt stretches of sand rarely more than about half an hour’s drive from Málaga airport. These are some of our favourites.

1. Playa de Burriana, Nerja

View of boats and kayaks on the soft sand Burriana Beach with mountains in the background

Regularly voted one of the Costa del Sol’s best beaches, this long and wide child-friendly bay lies just a leisurely 15-minute stroll from Nerja’s town centre.

Set against the mountain backdrop of the Alhama Natural Park and the Sierras de Tejeda and Almijara, the beach has pretty much everything you could ask for, from crystal-clear waters and fine sand to a seafront promenade lined with shops and restaurants.

If you’re feeling active, you can take to the water in pedalos or kayaks and there’s also jet-skiing and diving.

Perla Marina Hotel & Apartamentos

Nerja, Costa Del Sol, Spain

25 October 2025
5 nights
Bed & breakfast
From Leeds/Bradford

Prices and availability shown can change. Always check pricing with the provider before booking.

Prices from

£564 pp

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2. Playa de Artola, Cabopino, Marbella

Brilliant blue waves lapping the empty, golden shores of Artola Beach

Another contender for the title of ‘most gorgeous beach on the Costa del Sol’, this wonderfully wild stretch of sand near Marbella feels like a real escape from city life.

Sat within the protected Dunas de Artola o Cabopino dunes, the shallow waters are perfect for dipping your toes in the water – although strong currents mean it’s not recommended for swimming.

However, there’s a watersports centre for kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding, as well as a chiringuito beach shack on the sand. If you feel like baring all, there’s even a naturist section at one end.

Princesa Playa

Marbella, Costa Del Sol, Spain

17 July 2025
4 nights
Self-catering
From Luton

Prices and availability shown can change. Always check pricing with the provider before booking.

Prices from

£485 pp

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3. Playa de la Malagueta, Málaga

View of the golden sands and turquoise waters of Malagueta city beach in Malaga

If you’re sightseeing in Málaga and want to squeeze in some beach time without heading beyond the city centre, look no further than La Malagueta.

A leisurely ten-minute walk from the main sights of the old town, it may be a city beach but with its clean water, this long stretch of soft, dark sand has been awarded Blue Flag status.

You’ll find everything you could want here from sun-lounger and parasol rental to a children’s play area. If you get peckish or thirsty, there are plenty of bars and restaurants just behind the beach.

Sercotel Tribuna Málaga

Malaga, Costa Del Sol, Spain

9 September 2025
7 nights
Room only
From Birmingham

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£569 pp

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4. Playa de Pedregalejo, Málaga

Aerial view of a string of horseshoe-shaped beaches along the coast of Malaga

With its clear, shallow waters and soft, dark sand, Playa de Pedregalejo, just to the east of Málaga, is another favourite with families. Made up of four small bays separated by low breakwaters, the beach gets busy in the height of summer, but it still has a laidback vibe.

It's got all the seaside essentials, including sun-loungers, parasols, showers and lifeguard services, as well as assistance for visitors with special needs. There’s also a children’s playground and beach volleyball court for added entertainment value.

When you’re feeling peckish, the restaurant-lined promenade is the place to come for superb local seafood, including sizzling fried fish and super-fresh fish skewers.

Hotel Málaga Alameda Centro Affiliated by Meliá

Malaga, Costa Del Sol, Spain

7 July 2025
7 nights
Room only
From Gatwick

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Prices from

£541 pp

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5. Playa de Fuengirola, Fuengirola

Aerial panoramic view of the beach and marina of Fuengirola beach

Walking along the golden sand on Playa de Fuengirola, it’s not hard to see why this is one of the most popular resorts on the Costa del Sol.

Barely a pebble’s throw from the town centre, the beach sits right behind the seafront promenade and is fabulously family-friendly, complete with a mini water park with inflatable toys.

As well as the usual loungers and showers, the beach also has specially adapted facilities for people with reduced mobility, and the seafront promenade has bars and restaurants aplenty.

ILUNION Miramar

Fuengirola, Costa Del Sol, Spain

20 July 2025
5 nights
Bed & breakfast
From Edinburgh

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£580 pp

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6. Real de Zaragoza Beach, Marbella

Just ten minutes from Marbella town centre by car or bus, Real de Zaragoza is one of the Costa del Sol’s most popular beaches.

It’s also one of the region’s longest, which means it rarely feels crowded even at the height of the summer as there’s so much space.

With no high rises in sight, it’s wonderfully unspoilt, though there are still plenty of chiringuitos and restaurants to choose from, as well as basics like showers, sunbeds for rent and easy parking nearby.

Monarque Sultán Aparthotel

Marbella, Costa Del Sol, Spain

17 October 2025
7 nights
Self-catering
From Gatwick

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£510 pp

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7. Playa de la Rada, Estepona

View across the palm tree-lined sands of Playa de La Rada in the Costa del Sol

This is yet another of those wide, long beaches that make the Costa del Sol such a great choice for a beach break in the sun.

With miles of soft, grey sand and beautifully clear water, you’ll find sun-loungers and showers, as well as plenty of activities for kids, including playgrounds, trampolines and climbing frames.

There’s no shortage of bars and restaurants either, and the Paseo Maritimo, which backs the beach, has everything from paellas to fried fish and local specialities.

8. El Cristo, Estepona

View of an empty horseshoe-shaped beach on a sunny day in Spain

Boasting Blue Flag status, the silky sand and beautifully clear and calm shallow waters at this horseshoe bay make El Cristo another great choice for families, as well as anyone else who loves a great beach.

Just to the west of the marina at Estepona, the wooded area around the beach provides natural shade and shelter and there are also children’s play parks if the kids want some respite from building sandcastles.

Look out for sun-loungers, parasols and paddle boats to rent as well as a couple of beach bars if you get thirsty.

9. La Cala de Mijas

View across a palm-tree-lined promenade on to the pristine sandy shores of La Cala de Mijas

Although there are several beaches stretching along the coast at La Cala de Mijas, this long, wide stretch of palm tree-fringed, soft sand is the main one attached to the town.

As with so many of the beaches in the Costa del Sol, you’ll find everything you could want here from sun-loungers, parasols and beachfront chiringuitos, to children’s playgrounds and watersports, including pedalos and jet-skis.

If you fancy a stroll, there’s a lovely boardwalk and seafront promenade, and with the town centre right behind the beach there’s no shortage of shops, bars and restaurants on your doorstep.

Hotel ILUNION Hacienda de Mijas

Mijas, Costa Del Sol, Spain

20 August 2025
5 nights
Room only
From Gatwick

Prices and availability shown can change. Always check pricing with the provider before booking.

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£414 pp

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10. Playa del Cañuelo, Nerja

High angle view of an empty, gravelly beach with small rock formation jutting out of the azure water at one end.

Tucked away in the protected Maro-Cerro Gordo Natural Area near Nerja, Playa del Cañuelo is one of the Costa del Sol’s most unspoilt gems.

Accessible by a steep hike or a shuttle bus from the car park above, this peaceful bay is well worth the effort. Its crystal-clear, turquoise waters are perfect for snorkelling, and the rocky seabed teems with marine life.

You won’t find sun-loungers or watersports here, but there are a couple of low-key beach bars serving fresh fish and cold drinks.