Fuengirola guide · Fuengirola Paradise

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All places

Eat and drink

La Cubana Carvajal
Our everyday beach bar since we moved here, right by the building, with tables in the sand. Open since 1992, with cocktails, barbecue and sun beds to rent. Service is slow everywhere on this coast, so wave without shame.
Gecko Beach Shack
The best sunset spot: a cocktail bar on the cliff about 400 m to the left along the road. Food only some days.
La Cubana (promenade)
The colourful La Cubana on the promenade, one of our favourites for a drink on the walk towards the centre of Fuengirola.
El Kalifato
Excellent paella and fish, a short walk from the building, with attentive staff. In summer they usually have live music on Wednesday evenings.
Restaurante La Viborilla
A family restaurant in a lovely spot by the cove, at the start of a beautiful cliff-top path. About 200 m along it you reach a nudist beach.
Soluna Sushi
Cheap and very good sushi right by the beach.
Almarina Beach
A beach club in Benalmádena with a chill-out zone by the cove.
Maracas Beach Bar
A good beach bar in Benalmádena.
La Cala restaurant
A restaurant in Benalmádena that we like and recommend.
Trocadero
A fancy restaurant on the cliff, famous for signature cocktails, a rooftop bar and sunset views. We go there to celebrate special occasions.
Yucas
Another fancy restaurant on the cliff, good for a special evening.
ByCosmos Skybar
A sky bar in Fuengirola with a lovely view.
Max Beach
A terrace by the beach in Mijas Costa with a Marbella feel. Worth the drive for a long lunch.
Kamana
One of the many chiringuitos on the promenade, with delicious seafood and amazing sangría. Less than 1 km from the apartment on the way to the centre.
Tulum
Our personal favourite for great cocktails, a modern menu and live music. Book ahead for evenings.
La Ola
One of our tips for eating out in Fuengirola.
Bora Bora
Directly across the road from the building and open from 09:00 to 02:00, so it is the place to eat after a late arrival.

Cafés and sweets

Calma Specialty Coffee
The only really good coffee we have found around here.
Brunchit
A new, upscale brunch place.
Kale Yeah
Juices, smoothies and healthy shots.
Heladería Morango
Our top ice cream, and they make it themselves.
Granier
Have a coffee or a glass of fresh orange juice with one of many cakes or sandwiches, in Spain's most popular bakery chain.

Beach

Playa de Carvajal
Our beach, right in front of the building. A parasol, two wooden loungers and a beach bag are in the apartment.
Paseo Marítimo
More than 6 km of promenade with shops, restaurants and bars on one side and the sea on the other. Walk it, or rent a bike.

Short trips

Benalmádena cable car (Monte Calamorro)
Ride the cable car up Monte Calamorro for the best views of the coast. On clear days you can see Africa. It is two train stops from us (Arroyo de la Miel), or you can walk up if you are fit.
telefericobenalmadena.com
Puerto Marina
A walk around the marina out to the lighthouse, with restaurants, shops and nightlife. From here you can walk on to Torremolinos along the sea.
Benalmádena Pueblo
The old village up the hill: the Stupa of Enlightenment, Plaza de España, the view from Iglesia de Santo Domingo and Pizzeria Vistamare.
Stupa de la Iluminación
The Stupa of Enlightenment, a Buddhist stupa with a big view over the coast.
Ferry Fuengirola – Benalmádena
Take the boat between Fuengirola and Benalmádena for wide views of the coast and its beaches from the sea. Dolphin trips run from the same harbour.
costasolcruceros.com/ferry/?lang=en
Castillo Sohail
A short walk uphill from the beach to the castle, with fantastic views over the town.
Fuengirola old town
The typical Spanish old town, full of hidden streets with bars and plates of tapas on every corner. A great evening out.
Mijas Pueblo
A perfect white Andalusian village in the mountains, known for its donkey taxis.
La Cala de Mijas
A small seaside town to the west of us. There is a playground right next to the beach bar, which the kids love.
Cabopino
A marina and a long beach with dunes, between Fuengirola and Marbella.
Málaga
Go by train, not by car. Parking is nearly impossible, and not only in summer.
Torremolinos
Walk there along the sea from Puerto Marina, with Montaditos, The Beach and the Meliá Costa del Sol on the way. It is also where Aqualand is.
Rincón de la Victoria
Beautiful cliffs with tunnels for walkers and cyclists, wonderful views, a playground, a promenade without a road, and caves.
Marbella: Playa del Pinillo and Puerto Banús
Playa del Pinillo by the coastal path, Puerto Banús and Pizzeria Picasso. A whole day out.

Kids and families

Castillo de Colomares
A beautiful castle with little fountains and a view, close to the apartment. Take a Bolt, then walk the rest of the way through the old village.
Parque de la Paloma
A free city park with a really great main playground, animals and a cactus section.
Sould Park
A small funfair by the harbour of Fuengirola.
Bioparc Fuengirola
The Fuengirola zoo, built around respect for nature and the protection of its species.
Holiday World aquapark (day pass)
The Holiday World resort has an aquapark on the rock you can see to the left from the terrace. You can buy a day pass for about €70.
Selwo Marina
Dolphins and parrots.
Aqualand Torremolinos
Three areas for small children, and the rest is proper adrenaline.
Gran Parque de Mijas
New and the biggest park on the Costa del Sol, with four playgrounds and a water playground.
Parque Mediterráneo, Marbella
Two lovely new playgrounds right by the coastal path and the beach.
Parque Natural de Fuengirola
A nature park along the river on the edge of Fuengirola, good for a walk with children.

Shopping

Plaza Mayor
A great open-air outlet by the airport with clothes shops, nice playgrounds, plane spotting, go-karts and a Monkey Park.
Alehop
A shop full of cheap toys, beach things, towels and gifts, about 1.5 km along the promenade.
Mercadona
Where we do all our grocery shopping. There are several in the area, but 3 to 5 km is too far to walk with bags, so take a Bolt. Like the other big shops it is closed on Sundays. If you go by car, tell the cashier you parked there so they mark your receipt for the exit.
Covirán (promenade)
A bigger beach supermarket on the promenade, about 1.5 km towards the centre of Fuengirola. Open on Sundays. The meat is frozen only.

Essentials

Supermercado Carvajal
Open 09:00 to 22:00, about 350 m from the apartment by the promenade. Fine for the basics and everything you need for the beach.
Carvajal station (Cercanías C1)
Cercanías line C1: Málaga airport and Málaga one way, Fuengirola centre the other. About 300 m from the building.
Hospital de Benalmádena (CHARE)
Public hospital with 24/7 emergency care. It has no paediatric emergency, so with a child go to Hospital Materno-Infantil in Málaga. In an emergency call 112.
Vithas Xanit International Hospital
A private hospital, also open 24/7, with a paediatric emergency. With good travel insurance you are usually seen faster here.

Day trips further away

Each one is worth a whole day out. They are too far away for the map, so here they are as a list.

Estepona
A pretty white old town with a flower-filled centre and a long seafront, to the west of Marbella.
Ronda and Setenil de las Bodegas
Ronda is the dramatic gorge town with its famous bridge, and Setenil is the village built under the rocks. Together they make one long day in the mountains.
Granada
The Alhambra and the old Moorish quarter. Book Alhambra tickets well ahead.
Sierra Nevada
The highest mountains in mainland Spain, with skiing in winter and cool walks in summer.
Gibraltar
The Rock, Europe's only wild monkeys and views of Africa, about 1.5 hours by car. Bring your passport.
Nerja and Frigiliana
Beaches and caves in Nerja, and a white mountain village in Frigiliana, east of Málaga.
Sevilla
The cathedral, the Alcázar and Plaza de España. A long day trip, so many people stay a night.
Caminito del Rey
A walkway clinging to the wall of a gorge. Tickets must be booked in advance.
Córdoba
The Mezquita and the old Jewish quarter. Another long day, or an overnight stop on the way to Sevilla.
Tangier (Morocco)
A day in Africa by ferry from the Strait of Gibraltar. Bring your passport.

Tips from David and Pavla

Sunset is free

Watch it from the BBQ terrace, or with a cocktail at Gecko Beach Shack, a bar on the cliff about 400 m away.

Wave at the waiter

Service in the beach bars can be slow, almost everywhere. Don't be shy about waving. Everyone does.

Book restaurants ahead

Popular places such as Tulum and Los Palangreros fill up in the evening, especially in summer. Book a day or two ahead.

Walk there, train back

The Paseo Marítimo runs from our door to the centre of Fuengirola. Walk there along the sea and take the train back. Or rent a bike and ride the promenade.

Beach shower not running?

Walk about 100 m along the promenade towards Benalmádena and cross the wooden bridge. The showers on that side usually run without a time limit.

Dolphins and jellyfish

Now and then dolphins swim past close to the beach. Jellyfish are rare.

Spanish meal times

Lunch usually starts around 14:00 and dinner from 20:30. Many kitchens close in the late afternoon.

Gibraltar needs a passport

Gibraltar is outside the Schengen area, so take your passport for the border.

Getting here and around

From Málaga airport by train

Take the C1 Cercanías train from the airport terminal towards Fuengirola and get off at Carvajal. It takes about 25 minutes, runs roughly every 20 minutes and costs about €2.70. The building is about 300 m from the station: take the steep steps down to the main road, or walk round by the road.

By Uber, Bolt or taxi

About €30 from the airport. Uber and Bolt pick up on the ground floor of the terminal.

By car

Follow the A-7 coast road or the AP-7 toll motorway towards Fuengirola. A free covered parking space in the building's shared garage is yours during your stay. We send the details before you arrive.

Getting around

The train runs one way to Málaga and the other to Fuengirola centre. For Málaga city it beats the car, because parking there is nearly impossible. Local buses stop next to the building but are slow. Uber and Bolt work well, and long-distance buses leave from the bus station in Fuengirola centre.