GENERAL INFORMATION
Fuengirola is a great place for both living and holidays because of the diversity the city has to offer to its visitors and residents! Currently there are over 70.000 people living in Fuengirola all year round and this number rises well over 100.000 during the summer months.
Fuengirola is very easy to reach! The train from Malaga centre and the Malaga International airport stops at your doorstep, with several stops before reaching the main train station in the centre of town. Buses also take you all over to nearby areas like Mijas, Benalmadena and Marbella!
Most people are familiar with the town centre around the ´Plaza de Constitucion´ where you find the main church and lots of small streets, mainly only accessible on foot, with a great choice of restaurants, bars and a variety of shops. From the centre it is also a short walk to the beachfront promenade that stretches all the way from the Medieval Castillo Sohail on the west part of town until Carvajal! Midway you find the sports marina with lots of water sports facilities, several fish restaurants where you can enjoy ´the catch of the day´, and an area with attractions and minigolf, ideal when travelling with smaller children.
Furthermore Fuengirola organises the largest street market on the Costa del Sol every Tuesday and Saturday, except for when the local Feria is on, which is held on the same square, where you can see the local people in their original Flamenco clothing, riding their horse and carts through the main streets and enjoy the finest Spanish ´tapas´ this region has to offer. The Feria is always organised in October and if you are in the area, it is a must to visit!
If you want to do some shopping during your stay, the best places to go are the Miramar shopping centre, where you find all the high street brands, and off course the El Corte Ingles department store, both situated along the main road N-340.
Another great day out, would be visiting the Bioparc, Fuengirola´s zoo, located just a few hundred meters from the city centre, next to the bullring. Here you find a large range of wild animals walking around free, instead of in cages like in most zoos nowadays. In summer the Bioparc is also open at night and you can combine it with a meal if you wish.
Fuengirola also has the largest waterpark on the coast! There are various slides suitable for all ages and is open daily from 11.00 to 18.00 hours from May to September. If you visit the waterpark, the Kamikaze is a must do! If you do not want to wait in a queue, the waterpark offers the possibility to rent a floater for the day for an additional 6 Euros, which in July and August is recommended.
If you are considering Fuengirola as a place to relocate to, it is good to know that there are various International schools, where students will be taught in their own language and in Spanish. Like this it will be a lot easier to integrate as there are also lots of spanish children attending these schools.
RESTAURANTS
As we are all living in this area for a long time, we would also like to introduce some of the great restaurants you can find in Fuengirola.
La Farola offers great food, both meat and fish dishes and is located on a small square, which makes it ideal for families with children as they will be able to play in between courses so you can have a little break yourself while enjoying a nice bottle of wine! Tel. 952 461 464. A real gem which is not so easy to find. Go down from the local police station towards the beach and after +/- 150 meters there is an arch on you left. Hope you find it!
Casa Colon is a modern tapas bar right in the centre of town behind the post office and offers all sorts of dishes at reasonable prices. Unfortunately you can not make reservations in this restaurant, but they do have a bar where you can have a refreshing drink or cocktail while waiting to be seated. Tel. 629 575 417.
MezzaNotte is a family run restaurant on the frontline of Fuengirola beach, a few hundred meters west from the port. It offers great Lebanese dishes but also has fantastic pizzas. If you did not know otherwise, you would think the chef was Italian! Tel. 952 592 014.
Tanicos is an upmarket restaurant of which lots of locals think would qualify for a Michelin star. Great meat and fish dishes in a modern ambiance for reasonable prices. If you fancy a cocktail before getting seated, you can enjoy it at the bar which is separate from the restaurant area. Open for lunch and dinner. The restaurant is 100 meters away from the square in front of the new town hall building. No terrace! Tel. 952 468 178.
La Despensa del Aceite is a typical spanish restaurant in which you will savour the best spanish ground products, Serrano ham first choice, amazing patés, marvellous cheeses,… and we cannot forget to mention their fabulous wines. This restaurant is more and more popular and it is not a coincidence; just entering in the restaurant you will be probably welcomed by Juan who will explain you the menu with lots of professionalism and will attend you like a king! You cannot miss it.
GOLF
The Costa del Sol is also referred to as Costa del Golf so we can not miss out the nearest golf courses in the area.
Mijas Golf is just up from Fuengirola and gives you the choice of two 18 hole golf courses. Los Lagos, as the name says it already, involves a lot of water hazards or Los Olivos. You can reach the clubhouse on Tel. 952 476 843.
El Chaparral Golf is tucked away between lots of pine trees and is a lovely course to practice your skills! Pretty unusual with 6 par 3, 6 par 4 and 6 par 5 holes, but definitely worth a visit. You find El Chaparral by car 5 minutes in the direction of Marbella. Tel. 952 587 733.
La Cala Golf resort is about 10 minutes away and offers you the choice of three 18 hole courses. And it gives you the possibility to enjoy one of the coasts best Spas as well! If you are a keen golfer, they might do you a discount if you play all three courses within a week! Tel. 952 669 016.
In my personal opinion, the nicest course near Fuengirola is Santana Golf. Not as well known as the others, but very peaceful and amazing scenery. Do not forget the 19th hole before going back to your hotel or apartment. Tel. 951 062 560.
