This attractive resort is situated nine miles from Benalmádena. It has many hotels, apartment complexes, shops, cafés and restaurants, as well as one or two delightful little squares. The Salon Varieties Theatre provides continuous entertainment in English and on Tuesdays a large open-air market offers the chance of a bargain.
Adjoining Fuengirola is the quiet resort of Los Boliches. Lively, popular and always buzzing – the resort of Fuengirola has come a long way from its days as a simple Spanish fishing village. Today it’s a fascinating mix of local Spanish residents and international visitors, many of whom have made their permanent home in the urbanization housing complexes that stretch up into the hills.
Lying to the east of Marbella it is a bustling little town during the height of the tourist season. The town is full of bars and nightclubs, offering something for most tastes. The castle has become the town’s symbol; situated outside the town on a hill it commands an impressive view over Fuengirola and the sea. Although the castle may be the town’s symbol it is probably better known for its beaches.
Fuengirola’s amazing beach is overlooked by one of the longest promenades in the Mediterranean and takes just a little over two hours to walk from one end to the other. From the walkways gently swaying palm trees it’s only a short stroll to one of the resort’s oldest areas, the Santa Fe quarter where fishermen once worked and lived. Today this is an attractive alternative to Fuengirola’s modern face, a maze of white washed buildings and narrow streets, where the restaurants are some of the best in town.
There’s literally tons of watery fun on offer at the spectacular Parque Aquatico Mijas waterpark – easy to reach from Fuengirola bus station via a 10-minute shuttle bus service. Open daily from May-September. Parklandia at Puerto Deportivo, Paseo Marítimo means you can stay on dry land while the kids take their pick from countless swings, slides, frames. The Fuengirola Zoo is a paradise of tropical vegetation, which allows the visitor to explore the natural habitat of its 140 species.