Cidade Turismo
Spain
Costa do Sol and Ronda

Andaluzia · Spain

Costa do Sol and Ronda

The coast of Málaga and Marbella, with beaches and mild winters, and Ronda, an inland town built on the edge of the Tajo gorge.

South

In the photo: Praia de Calahonda in Nerja

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Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

The Costa do Sol is the coastline of the province of Málaga, in Andalusia, facing the Mediterranean. The gateway is Málaga itself, Picasso's birthplace, with the Alcazaba, the Castillo de Gibralfaro, the Cathedral and museums such as the Museo Picasso Málaga and the Centre Pompidou Málaga. The city's airport is the busiest in Andalusia.

About 60 km to the west is Marbella, at the foot of the Sierra Blanca. The old town revolves around the Plaza de los Naranjos, opened in 1485, with white houses, orange trees, the town hall, the Casa del Corregidor and the ermita de Santiago. On the other side of the municipality is Puerto Banús, a marina inaugurated in 1970, surrounded by shops and restaurants.

Ronda is inland, about 100 km from Málaga and at 723 meters altitude. The town sits on a plateau cut by the Tajo, a gorge carved by the Guadalevín river. The Puente Nuevo, built between 1751 and 1793, links the two parts of the town at a height of 98 meters. Nearby are the Plaza de Toros da Real Maestranza, completed in 1785, and the Baños Árabes, by the old bridge access.

Ronda, in the mountains, is colder in winter.

This destination brings together 3 cities: Málaga, Marbella, Ronda.

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where Costa do Sol and Ronda is
MálagaMarbellaRonda

Contornos: IGN/CNIG, unidades administrativas, CC BY 4.0. Adaptação do Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Costa do Sol and Ronda

✈ Aeropuerto de Málaga-Costa del Sol (AGP) · 8 km to Málaga

Arrival is via Málaga airport, 8 km from the center, connected to María Zambrano station by suburban train. Those coming from Madrid take the AVE to Málaga, in about 2h30. Marbella has no train station: you go by bus or car. Ronda has bus and train services. Confirm before booking.

Suggested arrival point: Málaga

Marbella
Andaluzia · Costa do Sol and Ronda

Marbella

Marbella is on the Costa del Sol, in the province of Málaga, between the Mediterranean and the Sierra Blanca. The Casco Antiguo preserves the Plaza de los Naranjos, opened after 1485, and remains of the Arab castle. From the square, the Avenida del Mar, with sculptures by Dalí, descends to the Paseo Marítimo and the beaches. To the west is Puerto Banús, a sports marina from 1970. In the center is the Museo del Grabado Español Contemporáneo. The language is Spanish.

The local experience

Things to do in Costa do Sol and Ronda

Alcazaba de Málaga
Málaga · Andaluzia · Fortress

Alcazaba de Málaga

Islamic palace-fortress from the 11th century on the slope of Monte Gibralfaro, with double walls, courtyards, gardens and fountains, next to the Teatro Romano.

Casco Antiguo de Marbella
Marbella · Andaluzia · Historic neighborhood

Casco Antiguo de Marbella

Marbella's old town, within the layout of the former Arab wall, with white, flower-filled streets, the Plaza de los Naranjos, the Iglesia de la Encarnación and the remains of the 10th-century castle.

Puente Nuevo
Ronda · Andaluzia · Bridge

Puente Nuevo

The stone bridge, 98 meters high, completed in 1793, spans the Tajo de Ronda and links the old town to the Mercadillo neighbourhood. An interpretation center operates inside it.

Avenida del Mar
Marbella · Andaluzia · Street

Avenida del Mar

Pedestrian promenade between the old town and the beach, with gardens, fountains and a collection of ten bronze sculptures by Salvador Dalí displayed outdoors.

See 29 more places in Costa do Sol and Ronda
Castillo de Gibralfaro
Málaga · Andaluzia · Castle

Castillo de Gibralfaro

14th-century Nasrid castle atop Mount Gibralfaro, with walkable ramparts and views over the port, the Malagueta and, on clear days, the mountains of Africa.

Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda
Ronda · Andaluzia · Monument

Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda

Stone bullring inaugurated in 1785, one of the oldest in Spain, with a 66-meter arena, galleries of Tuscan arches and museums of the Real Maestranza on horsemanship and bullfighting.

Baños Árabes de Ronda
Ronda · Andaluzia · Archaeological site

Baños Árabes de Ronda

Muslim public baths from the 13th and 14th centuries, among the best preserved on the Iberian Peninsula, with vaulted rooms and star-shaped skylights, beside the river at the bottom of the town.

Paseo Marítimo de Marbella
Marbella · Andaluzia · Beach

Paseo Marítimo de Marbella

Seafront promenade along the Mediterranean that follows Marbella's central beaches, such as La Venus, El Faro and La Fontanilla, and continues west for several kilometres towards Puerto Banús.

Teatro Romano de Málaga
Málaga · Andaluzia · Archaeological site

Teatro Romano de Málaga

Ruins of the Roman Malaca theatre, from the early years of the Empire, at the foot of the Alcazaba, with seating, orchestra area and wooden walkways.

Catedral de Málaga
Málaga · Andaluzia · Cathedral

Catedral de Málaga

Renaissance cathedral, Catedral da Encarnação, built from 1528 to 1782 and never finished: it has only one tower, 84 meters high, and is therefore called La Manquita.

Puente Viejo
Ronda · Andaluzia · Bridge

Puente Viejo

Single-arched bridge over the Guadalevín, 31 metres above the river, rebuilt after 1616, beside the Arco de Felipe V, the old entrance gate of La Ciudad.

Puerto Banús
Marbella · Andaluzia · Port

Puerto Banús

Marina opened in 1970, built like an Andalusian village of white houses, with about 900 berths for boats, large yachts, designer shops, restaurants and nightlife.

Casa del Rey Moro
Ronda · Andaluzia · Garden

Casa del Rey Moro

Complex on the edge of the Tajo including the 14th-century Mina de Agua, a stairway excavated in the rock down to the river, and the garden designed in 1912 by Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier.

Museo del Grabado Español Contemporáneo
Marbella · Andaluzia · Museum

Museo del Grabado Español Contemporáneo

Museum devoted to Spanish printmaking, with works by Picasso, Miró, Dalí, Tàpies and Chillida, housed in the former Hospital Bazán, a 16th-century Renaissance building in the old town.

Museo Picasso Málaga
Málaga · Andaluzia · Museum

Museo Picasso Málaga

Museum dedicated to Picasso in the city where he was born, housed in the Palacio de Buenavista from the 16th century, with works from all phases of the painter donated by his family.

Museo Casa Natal Picasso
Málaga · Andaluzia · Museum

Museo Casa Natal Picasso

Building on Plaza de la Merced where Picasso was born in 1881, now a museum with family objects, prints, drawings and ceramics by the painter.

Palacio de Mondragón
Ronda · Andaluzia · Palace

Palacio de Mondragón

Palace of Muslim origin, remodeled after 1485, with a Mudéjar courtyard and a garden on the cliff edge. It houses the Museo Municipal de Ronda, covering the period from prehistory to the expulsion of the Moriscos.

Centre Pompidou Málaga
Málaga · Andaluzia · Museum

Centre Pompidou Málaga

Branch of the Centre Pompidou of Paris at the port, housed in the building El Cubo, with art from the 20th and 21st centuries and Daniel Buren's colourful cube on the roof.

Iglesia de Santa María la Mayor
Ronda · Andaluzia · Church

Iglesia de Santa María la Mayor

Ronda's main church, built from 1485 on top of the city's main mosque, with Gothic naves, a Mannerist chancel, a tower atop the former minaret and a gallery facing the square.

Alameda del Tajo
Ronda · Andaluzia · Park

Alameda del Tajo

Tree-lined park from the early 19th century next to the bullring, with a viewpoint of balconies over the abyss and views of the Serranía de Ronda.

Museo Carmen Thyssen Málaga
Málaga · Andaluzia · Museum

Museo Carmen Thyssen Málaga

Museum of 19th and early 20th-century Spanish and Andalusian painting, in the 16th-century Palacio de Villalón, with works by Sorolla, Fortuny, Romero de Torres and Zurbarán.

Museo de Málaga
Málaga · Andaluzia · Museum

Museo de Málaga

Large museum of fine arts and archaeology in the Palacio de la Aduana, a neoclassical building by the park, with pieces from prehistory to the Islamic period and 19th-century painting.

Museo Lara
Ronda · Andaluzia · Museum

Museo Lara

Private museum in an 18th-century palace in the old town, with collections of clocks, weapons, scientific instruments, cinema and photography, and exhibitions on the Inquisition and witchcraft.

Muelle Uno
Málaga · Andaluzia · Port

Muelle Uno

Open-air commercial promenade in the port of Málaga, with shops, restaurants, a yacht marina and the Centre Pompidou, between the centre and La Malagueta.

Setenil de las Bodegas
Ronda · Andaluzia · Historic village

Setenil de las Bodegas

White village in the province of Cádiz, about 19 km from Ronda, with houses built beneath the rocks of the Guadalporcún river gorge and a Nazarid castle on the hill.

Mercado Central de Atarazanas
Málaga · Andaluzia · Market

Mercado Central de Atarazanas

19th-century municipal market of iron and glass, with a 14th‑century nazari marble gate, a colorful stained‑glass window and stalls selling fish, fruit, cured meats and tapas.

Calle Marqués de Larios
Málaga · Andaluzia · Street

Calle Marqués de Larios

Málaga's main pedestrian street, with late‑19th‑century buildings, shops and cafés, linking the Alameda Principal to the Plaza de la Constitución.

Playa de la Malagueta
Málaga · Andaluzia · Beach

Playa de la Malagueta

Urban beach of dark sand next to the port and the centre, about 1.2 km long, with fish kiosks, a promenade and the bullring just behind.

Jardín Botánico-Histórico La Concepción
Málaga · Andaluzia · Garden

Jardín Botánico-Histórico La Concepción

English‑style botanical garden created around 1855 in the north of Málaga, with more than 2,000 species, palm trees, lakes, waterfalls and a wisteria pergola.

Museo del Automóvil y la Moda
Málaga · Andaluzia · Museum

Museo del Automóvil y la Moda

Museum with about 90 vintage and luxury cars on display and a fashion collection of haute-couture hats, housed in Málaga’s former tobacco factory.

Caminito del Rey
Málaga · Andaluzia · Trail

Caminito del Rey

Walkway of more than 3 km fixed to the walls of the desfiladeiro de los Gaitanes, up to 105 metres above the river, about an hour from Málaga. Reservation required.

Cueva de Nerja
Málaga · Andaluzia · Cave

Cueva de Nerja

Cave discovered in 1959 in Maro, near Nerja, about 55 km from Málaga, with huge chambers of stalactites and stalagmites and prehistoric remains.

Balcón de Europa
Málaga · Andaluzia · Observation deck

Balcón de Europa

Seafront viewpoint in the center of Nerja, on the site of an old watchtower, with views over the coves, the cliffs and the Sierra de Almijara.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From April to June and from September to October the weather is usually good for city and beach at the same time. From July to August it is hot and the coast gets crowded. From November to March the coast is usually mild, good for museums and walks, but the sea is cold and Ronda can have nights below zero.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Three days in Málaga cover the city and a day trip. Add one day for Marbella and one or two for Ronda. With five to six days you can combine museums, beach, the Caminito del Rey or Nerja and spend a night in Ronda.

Which city to stay in

In Málaga, the historic center, between the Cathedral, Calle Larios and Plaza de la Merced, leaves almost everything within walking distance. La Malagueta, next to the beach and the port, combines sea and city center. Those who want only the beach can stay in Marbella, either in the old town or on the seafront, or in areas near Puerto Banús. In Ronda, the historic center around the Puente Nuevo and the Plaza de Toros is the most practical for visitors arriving without a car.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Costa do Sol and Ronda

How many days to allocate for Málaga, Marbella and Ronda?

Five to six days allow you to see all three well. Use Málaga as a base for three days, do Marbella in one day and set aside one or two for Ronda. If you only have three days you can stay in Málaga and make a day trip to Ronda.

Do you need to rent a car to visit Ronda and the villages in the area?

It is not mandatory. Málaga is walked on foot, and there are buses from Málaga to Marbella and to Ronda. A car helps to link Ronda with the white villages in the mountains, where public transport is scarce, and to stop at viewpoints along the road. In the centers of Málaga and Ronda, parking is difficult.

Can the trip be made by train?

Partly. Málaga receives high-speed trains from Madrid and other cities at María Zambrano station. From the airport to the center there is a suburban train. Ronda has its own station, but the trip from Málaga usually takes more than two hours. Marbella has no train station, and access is by bus or car.

Can you make day trips to Ronda and Marbella leaving from Málaga?

Yes. Marbella is about 60 km away, and the bus takes around an hour. Ronda is about 100 km away, with two hours or a little more by bus. The day trip to Ronda is tiring; staying overnight allows you to see the Puente Nuevo at night and early in the morning with fewer people.

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