COSTA DEL SOL PROPERTY GUIDE
Europe’s premier holiday and second home destination
Costa del Sol property insights
Costa del Sol is the coast of Malaga province that is one of the most well-known regions in the south of Spain with visitors and residents from all around the world. Featuring an array of top-notch activities and attracting the interest of foreign jet-setters and family holiday makers alike, there is really something for every need and nationality. In addition, high-quality properties, including luxury villas, rural country houses and fincas, as well as fantastic holiday rental opportunities can all be found on the Costa del Sol.
For properties listed in 2017, an average price for apartments for sale in Costa del Sol is 3,600 € per sq. meter. Prices for houses registered this year move around 4,100€ per sq. meter in average. The most exclusive developments offering stunning Mediterranean sea views are valued with a premium of 49% more on the selling price.
In Costa del Sol, there were more than 2380 properties sold in the present year. One of the most notable agencies in the region is Michael Moon with more than 1145 listings registered in 2017. It is followed by Solvilla, Marbella Pads, and Engel & Völkers with 439, 399 and 349 offers this year, respectively.
The region can be divided into two sections: East and West, comprising the coastal municipalities and towns, with Malaga city at its center.
The Western Costa del Sol is the part of the coast that curves southwards in the direction of Gibraltar and includes all of the key resorts, each of them with its own unique appeal. The areas of Fuengirola, Benalmadena and Estepona are filled with extensive beaches, and Torremolinos is the choice if you’re after a lively nightlife.
Plus of course, the ritzy celebrities’ hotspot of Marbella with its renowned marina at Puerto Banus is very lively with regards to nightlife and beach clubs. It has a buzzing cosmopolitan atmosphere all year round.
The eastern Costa del Sol is much shorter, stretching through the provincial capital as far as Nerja, offering a delightful promenade and a famous cave. Also, it comprises such resorts as Rincon de la Victoria, Vélez-Málaga, Frigiliana and Torrox.
Why the Costa del Sol?
Over several years the Costa del Sol has developed into the number one vacation and second home destination. The actual infrastructure of the region has enhanced greatly since the early visitors times and now meets the needs of northern Europeans – be it international schools, specialist clinics and hospitals, shopping malls or golf courses.
Today, the Costa del Sol appeals to a greater variety of international investors, particularly from Great Britain, Scandinavia, Russia and the Middle East, than ever before. Let’s have a look at the main factors as to why the region is so famous and what is driving the demand for owning a holiday home on this stunning coastline.
The mild Mediterranean climate
An important reason for many coming to the Costa del Sol either to visit or live is the great weather with more than 325 days of the sunshine per year. There are very warm summers and mild winters, with an early temperature of 18ºC in average. Temperatures rise to 27ºC-30ºC in summer, whereas in winter during the day they never go below 14ºC. This way, visitors and residents alike can enjoy beaches, as well as alfresco dining and a wide variety of outdoor activities, all year round.
Costa del Sol property selection
The region is a wonderful location to own a property whether it be for your own use or as a source of revenue. There is a large variety of luxury properties in and around high-quality resorts. Ones of the most popular areas include Fuengirola, Estepona, and Marbella, offering the high standard of living, infrastructure, entertainment and outstanding homes available.
For example, the exclusive area known as Marbella’s Golden Mile starts at the western border of the city and stretches to the port. It offers some of the region’s most outstanding villas and estates, with many high-worth-net individuals choosing to make their home here. Marbella is said to be really flourishing with new developments and there is a large demand for holiday property rentals as well.
Ease of travel
International Airport of Malaga (also known as Málaga Costa del Sol Airport) and its modern state of the art terminal is the key gateway to the region which attracts thousands of annual visitors. It provides flights to over 100 worldwide destinations with the number of passengers of over 14 million in 2015. The greater part of traffic through the airport comes from within the EU; however, there are also regular flights to New York, Montreal, Moscow, Riyadh, and Kuwait. The airport services the region particularly well. It is found 8km from the city of Malaga and only 7km from its nearest major resort of Torremolinos.
The main train station located in Malaga City provides a high-speed train service that connects with other major cities such as Madrid, Seville and Barcelona.
There is a partial coastal train service that operates from Malaga to Fuengirola via the airport, and it is planned to expand it to Estepona. The region also features an excellent highway system spanning from the west to Gibraltar and to the most eastern resort of Nerja.
The motorway network links up all the main cities and resorts as well as other towns and provinces in Andalusia.
Hospital
Hospital Costa del Sol, situated in Los Monteros near Marbella, is one of the best-managed public hospitals with modern state facilities in Spain. It is completed with emergency centres and clinics that are located in Málaga City and along the coast. There are also numerous private high-quality medical services in the region.
Education
Whether you are looking for a Spanish state-run or a private international school for your children, you have many options to select from. Numerous establishments offer excellent educational facilities, including pre-school nurseries, primary, junior, and secondary. Higher education is available at Malaga University and there are several private universities as well.
Beaches
The region has a lot to offer beachgoers in search for sea, sand, and sun. The variety ranges from extensive golden sand beaches offering all kinds of services, to tucked-away unspoiled coves in wild natural areas.
In general, there are 124 major beaches on the Costa del Sol, 19 of which are Blue Flag awarded. Many popular spots are lined by promenades full of restaurants and bars. All seasonal water and nautical sports are also well catered for up and down the coastline.
Range of activities
The Costa del Sol is not merely about resting on the beach, there is way more to it. It has an incredibly dynamic leisure industry that also fosters the local economy and makes it not only a sought-after location to live but also to spend a vacation that suits to all your demands.
Golfing heaven
The Costa del Sol boasts the largest concentration of first class golf courses not only in Spain but in the entire Europe. Thus, it is also named as the Costa del Golf. It is a great place for avid golfers, where golf can be played year-round amid charming views of the mountains and the Mediterranean Sea.
There are 60 golf courses in the region to select from, including Marbella Golf, La Quinta Country club, Santa Clara, Los Naranjos, Parador de Malaga Golf, and much more, each offering superb golfing facilities.
Marinas
The region of Costa del Sol is also the leading in yachting and boating with a number of ports, numerous nautical and sailing clubs, and water sports centres along its coastline. All in all, there are 11 major marinas, perfect for both those with yachts who need a berth and for those, who simply enjoy the harbour environment.
Located just beyond Marbella, Puerto Banus is Costa’s most luxurious port and is said to be Spain’s answer to St. Tropez. Here, some of the most spectacular and high-class luxury yachts are moored.
Vibrant nightlife
The Costa del Sol offers a diverse nightlife scene with a large choice of top-class venues. Places vary from beach bars, city centre cafes, traditional Spanish bars serving tapas to the late-night music clubs and trendy exclusive spots.
The main international locations for nightlife on the Costa del Sol are La Nogalera and Los Alamos in Torremolinos, the so-called 24-hour plaza in Benalmadena, and ”the chic and glam mile” of Marbella’s Puerto Banus, where you can dance the night away until the early morning.
Likewise the bar scene, the restaurant scene on the Costa is providing a variety of dining experiences, ranging from the fancy and sophisticated to something more authentic. In many resorts, apart from the local cuisine, you’ll also find international and gourmet cuisine spots. There are Spanish, Indian, Chinese, Danish, Lebanese, Moroccan and many other restaurants throughout the coastline.
Culture
The centre of the Costa del Sol, the city of Malaga has reinvented itself recently as a cultural hub, offering Spanish traditions in a modern setting. It has more museums than any other city in Andalusia. Moreover, its heritage as being the home to Pablo Picasso means that there are plenty of art galleries to keep all tastes satisfied.
Mountains and nature
Almost the whole coastline boasts an incredible backdrop of the varying mountain ranges that run along the Costa del Sol. All the main resorts and towns of the region are situated on the coastline and up to the foothills of the mountains, extending in the east to Costa Tropical and to the west to Costa de la Luz (near Gibraltar).
Antonio, Embalse de La Concepción (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Trips into the mountains do not only provide the fantastic views. If you are looking for an outdoor activity you can immerse yourself in wild swimming, mountain biking, hiking, caving, horse-riding and many other exciting pursuits.
Montes de Malaga
Montes de Málaga Natural Park is situated quite close to the capital of Malaga and is considered to serve as ”green lung” for the city.
This park is situated in the central-western part of the Baetic Range and includes a mid-mountain landscape of little valleys inhabited with lush pine forests. Here you can indulge in a variety of outdoor activities, and also try some awesome food, like for example the locally famous ”plato de los montes”.
Olives & Olive Oil
Olive groves line most of the roads in Malaga province. In contrast to the bitter tasting olives of some other countries, olives in Spain, especially the manzanilla variety, are juicy and, in many cases, sweet. Iberian olives are often cured and eaten, usually after being stuffed with pickled pepper, anchovies, or other fillings and packed in brine in jars or tins. And surely, almost everything is cooked in olive oil.
This way, with the year-round outdoor lifestyle, the best infrastructure of any other coastlines, authentic Spanish culture, selection of properties and new developments, Costa del Sol has become the most sought-after area for international property buyers moving to the Malaga province.
Nevertheless, there is way more to it. And so, we invite you to check our Neighbourhood Guides for a more detailed description and analysis of the areas of the Costa del Sol to make your choice for the perfect property investment in the sun.