Costa del Sol, with 160km of beaches and more than 300 days of sunshine per year, does itself justice and is the ideal destination for any time of the year, even in the winter.
Do you have a few free days and want to enjoy beautiful weather? Then keep reading, because we’ll be telling you about the best beaches in Málaga province where you can enjoy an unforgettable holiday swimming in the sea, sunbathing on the sand, and tasting the local sardines at the beach bar.
Romantic beaches
When they think about Málaga beaches, many people think of crowded Torremolinos or the famous Playa de la Malagueta in the city. However, the Málaga coastline is full of little beaches and hidden coves unknown to most travellers.
We think that the most romantic beaches in Málaga province are those in the Acantilados de Maro y Cerro Gordo Natural Park in Nerja. These three are our favourites:
Maro beach
With lush vegetation and crystal-clear waters, this beach is ideal for snorkelling or kayaking. It is about 500m long and 20m wide, and the parking area is not too large, so you should get there early, particularly on weekends and in July and August.
Cala del Pino
This unspoilt beach, only 350m long, is hidden among cliffs, which makes it cosy and quiet. The beach has to be reached on foot, and the paths are quite steep, which means that there is hardly anyone there, even in the summer.
Alberquillas beach
Its underwater caves and clean, transparent waters are wonderful for scuba diving and snorkelling. However, there aren’t usually many swimmers, which is why you will find some nudists too.
If you don’t feel like moving around a lot, you can also find romantic spots on some beaches in Málaga city. One good example is Peñón del Cuervo beach, where you can enjoy a stunning sunset in almost complete solitude.
Idyllic beaches
If you are not really a romantic or just want to enjoy a quiet day on the beach in a natural environment, we recommend Punta Chullera beach in Manilva and Cabopino beach in Marbella.
The former is considered one of the best beaches on Costa del Sol, due to its environmental and landscape richness and its good state of preservation.
The latter, about twenty kilometres from Málaga city centre, is surrounded by vegetation and moving dunes (Artola Dunes), which were declared a Natural Monument by the Regional Government of Andalusia in 2001.
Kid-friendly beaches
Costa del Sol is internationally known as one of the best tourist destinations for families, and it offers many suitable beaches for children. Practically all coastal towns have a beach adapted to accommodate the little ones.
Even though it depends on taste, we think that the best beaches for children in Málaga province are Malapesquera beach in Benalmádena (it offers one of the widest range of leisure and sports activities in Costa del Sol) and Burriana beach in Nerja, which, in addition to having a scuba diving centre and a boat rental service, has won the Tourism Quality “Q” award several times.
Dog-friendly beaches
If your pet is part of your family, Costa del Sol is your ideal holiday destination. Málaga is the Andalusian province with the highest number of dog-friendly beaches. So you can find beaches to swim with your pet along the Málaga coastline:
- Playa de Torrox (Torrox)
- Playa de Torre del Mar (Torre del Mar, Vélez Málaga)
- Playa de Arroyo Totalán (Málaga city)
- Playa de Arroyo Hondo (Benalmádena)
- Playa del Castillo (Fuengirola)
- Playa El Pinillo (Marbella)
- Playa Ventura del Mar (Nueva Andalucía, Marbella)
- Playa de Piedra Paloma (Casares)
Even though you will be able to play with your pet on all these beaches, only two of them (Arroyo de Totalán and Torre del Mar) are officially authorised by the Regional Government of Andalusia, i.e., you can’t swim in some coastline areas.
Nudist beaches
The nudist situation on Costa del Sol beaches is similar. Even though there are some official nudist beaches in Málaga province, others are nudist just through an official agreement among bathers, or, otherwise: nudists and non-nudists live in harmony, regardless of municipal regulations.
In any case, these are the beaches where you can go nude on the Costa del Sol:
- Cala del Pino (Nerja)
- Playa de Almayate (Vélez-Málaga)
- Playa de Guadalmar (Málaga city)
- Playa de Benalnatura (Benalmádena)
- Playa de Playamarina (Mijas)
- Playa de Artola-Cabopino (Marbella)
- Playa de Arroyo Vaquero (Estepona)
Almayate beach is the largest nudist beach in Málaga, and one of the best-known and most visited in Andalusia.
Even though it is only 8km from the town of Vélez-Málaga, it is a practically unspoilt beach, so it has no promenade and hardly any services. But if you want to enjoy the full experience, you can stay at that Almanat Naturist Camping Site by the beach, which is considered one of the best camping sites on Costa del Sol.
We are sure that you will find something to your liking on this route through the best beaches in Málaga province, so – grab your swimsuit and book a flight to Costa del Sol!
