Stretching for nearly 100 miles along the Mediterranean coast from Nerja to Gibraltar is Costa del Sol, Spain -- the Sun Coast. The beautiful beaches, rustic mountain countryside, and 325 days of sunshine annually attract visitors all year round. People come to escape the winter and enjoy the variety of amenities that gorgeous Spain coastline has to offer.

English is widely spoken throughout Costa del Sol, and you could easily find yourself sitting in a British-style pub watching the BBC while enjoying tapas. Choose from several seaside towns -- including Malaga, the fifth largest city in Spain, or Marbella, one of Spain’s most cosmopolitan coastal towns.

Golfing and getting around Costa del Sol

Costa del Sol is a golfer's paradise with nearly 70 golf courses, including a nine-hole par three course as well as a 60-hole world-class, tournament course. Most of the golf courses are 18 holes, and with the area's mild winters, they're open all year round!

Getting around Costa del Sol is easy due to a well-developed transit system. Buses take you from one town to the other for just a few Euros. The light rail system runs from Malaga to Fuengrola. Rent a car and drive the coastal road, or head into the mountains and follow the route of the Pueblos Blancos (white villages).

Day trips from Costa del Sol

Day trips are easily arranged to some of the major sights in southern Spain. Visit Ronda and see one of the country's oldest bullrings. Take a day trip to Seville to tour the famous Cathedral that is allegedly the final resting place of Christopher Columbus. Spend the afternoon in Granada at the Moorish Castle Alhambra. Take the bus to the sleepy little village of Mijas. Go underground at the caves of Nerja.

Many visitors to Costa del Sol spend at least a day at Gibraltar, where you can visit St. Michael’s Cave and the great Siege Tunnels. Take the cable car up the top of the rock where you will enjoy a spectacular view of the coast. On a clear day from Gibraltar you can see Africa. And if you'd actually like to set foot in the exotic African city of Tangier, take a high-speed ferry across to another continent.

Shopping and dining in Costa del Sol

At the weekly outdoor markets up and down the Sun Coast, you'll find a variety of crafts, clothing, artwork, and leather goods -- practically anything you want, including the kitchen sink! The shopping in Marbella rivals that of the French Rivera. Here you will find large shopping malls with designer stores.

International cuisine is available all along the coast -- in seaside restaurants, chic bistros and family-friendly fast-food spots. In Torremolinos, enjoy Spanish food in a restaurant run by a former bull fighter. British-style pubs with a Spanish flavor dot the coast. Three-course meals are offered at nearly every fine dining establishment. And of course the seafood fresh from the ocean is divine. You'll never go hungry when you stay along Costa del Sol!