Spanish Cities and Towns

Once you have selected your preferred region of Spain read up on some of the towns and cities to narrow your choice for a property purchase. The most popular of these are described in the following pages.

Alicante, Almeria, Altea, Andalusia, Aspe, Barcelona, Baza, Benalmadena, Benidorm, Benitachell, Blanes, Calpe, Cartegena, Castilla la Macha, Catalonia, Crevillent, Denia, Elche, Estepona, Fuengirola, Granada, Guadix, La Romana, La Vega Baja, Lorca, Malaga, Mar Menor, Marbella, Mazarron, Mijas, Murcia, Nerja, Orihuela, Puerto Banus, Quesada, Salinas, Salou, Sitges, Sotogrande, Spanish regions, Tabarca, Taberno, Tarragona, Torremolinos, Torrevieja, Tossa del Mar, Valencia, Valencian Community, Zurgena

Fuengirola

The coastal holiday resort of Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol, has enjoyed a tourist boom since the 60's. Every year hundreds of thousands of holiday makers head for Fuengirola which is now the most densely populated area within the Malaga province. High-rise hotels and apartments have now swamped the traditional Spanish buildings and tourism has replaced the fishing industry, once popular here. It's long, sandy beaches sport numerous bars and restaurants and one of the longest sea-front walks along the coast. The large holiday companies have long since had a firm hold within Fuengirola but it is possible, with research to find small, friendly accommodation. In the summer months the whole place is alive with entertainment yet out of season it is possible to find peace and tranquillity. Roman history is quite evident if you look for it. The thermal baths in Torreblanca and the Roman columns in Los Boliches are worth searching for. The sports marina is an attraction in itself with a mix of fishing boats and large yachts. There are markets on a Tuesday, which is the largest on the coast, Saturday is a giant car boot sale and a craft and tourist market on Sunday in the port. Look for the Castle of Sohail on the way into Fuengirola.

Fuengirola offers entertainment for all tastes and ages from a ride on the tourist train or horse and carriage around the town to a visit to the local zoo. Enjoy a day at the water park or spend time in the Sohail River Park. At night, Fuengirola truly comes alive with every kind of bar, restaurant and club you can imagine. Here you will also find cinemas with a wide range of films, theatres with a full programme and in the summer, regular festivals and concerts at the castle. See local fiestas. There is usually something going on at the feria ground.
Fuengirola is an international resort, with tourists and residents of every nationality and this is evident, everywhere you look. There are very few home comforts you can't find here and the local residents will always offer you a warm welcome. The English speaking community is vast and has developed a full programme of activities and local groups.

Fuengirola also offers a wide range of sports, including water sports at the marina.
The Tuesday market is of massive proportions and is very busy.
It is located on the Recinto Ferial site. Catch a carriage ride at the entrance. Crime is low here but be careful in the market and watch your bags.
Fuengirola may appear to be over-developed but, if you look hard enough, you will find several sunny parks in which to sit. One such park is the Parque del Sol. It is close to the zoo. Walk along the Paseo Maritimo towards Los Boliches and Torreblanca to see the Roman columns, the statue to Virgen Carmen (patron saint of fishermen) and the Plaza San Rafael with its tall statue. A new underground car park has been built under this square.

The zoo can be found at the west of the town, next to the bullring and makes for a great day out. Don't be fooled by the small exterior of the zoo. It covers a remarkable area. Heading along the N340 in the direction of Marbella, you will find the local racecourse. The Hipodromo del Costa del Sol makes an entertaining day out. The course is open every day and entrance and parking are free.When it comes to history, much of the town centre has been built over. There are several churches that remain though and the council have allowed for several large squares and parks. One of the central squares, the Plaza Constitucion, has just been totally re-built, with a large underground carpark beneath - a real engineering feat.

There are the remains of a Roman villa worthy of a visit. These can be found in Los Boliches which is a small community tagged onto the end of Fuengirola. Los Boliches itself has it's own beaches, shopping centres and much more. It is a little quieter than Fuengirola centre.

Fuengirola is host to many events and celebrations during the year one such event is the International Fair. This takes place in March or April each year. The Carmen celebrations are also something to behold. The statue of the Virgen del Carmen, patron saint of fishermen stands on the seafront in Fuengirola. There are also many other bronze statues along the Paseo Maritimo. Look for the unique monument erected in memory of the Peseta. Fuengirola's port consists of two parts; The original fishing port which still works to this day, bringing in a daily catch for the local markets. The traditional Andalucian boats can be seen early morning and late afternoon. At night you may see them with their floodlights, night fishing. The sports marina has berths for pleasure craft of all sizes. There are also several companies that offer boat charters, pleasure trips, dolphin spotting trips and fishing trips. There is also a boat that goes to Benalmadena and back. The port is currently a hot topic in Fuengirola and there are plans to improve the port, making it the largest in Europe. Other local plans include the building of a new hospital.
All in all, Fuengirola is an international resort that is well established. If you are visiting Spain, Fuengirola is a good place to make base from which to explore Andalucia and the Costa del Sol. There is also a large community of foreign residents. The local authorities are spending a great deal of money on the town at the moment with vast improvements to roads and facilities. Fuengirola also has its own television station, broadcast on satellite.