Costa del Sol

The Costa del Sol is the destination people fly to for the beaches but stay for because of its Andalusian character — far more than a strip of coast, it's your gateway to the heart of Spain. The single most important tip? Don't stay only in Málaga or Marbella: rent a car and head up into the mountains. The pueblos blancos (white villages) like Ronda are simply unmissable — the town sits on a jaw-dropping cliff, a wild contrast to the heat and humidity of the coast below. In the evening, come back down and hunt for a local tapas bar with no English menu — that's where the real experience lives. And the food here is a story of its own: the espeto — a skewer of sardines grilled over coals right on the sand — is the best street food you'll ever taste; eat it at the simplest chiringuito (little beach restaurant) you can find, with an ice-cold local beer, and that's the moment you understand that Spain isn't just sightseeing, it's a way of life. In short, use the beach as your home base but get out and explore Andalusia — Seville and Granada — because that's where the soul of this region lives. It's the perfect place to pair a lazy beach morning with an evening of culture, history and food that will make you want to stay another week. Pack swimwear, comfortable shoes and, above all, a big appetite — you're going to fall in love.

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