Costa del Sol holidays between Malaga and Marbella are classic family breaks. But as Kim Jones recently discovered, they give you more than just sun, sand and sea.
Marbella Old Town, Costa del Sol holidays
The sun dipped low in the sky, casting golden highlights onto the rippling seas surrounding our boat. The captain cut the engines, and as we floated peacefully, enjoying the sultry heat of the evening, he peered through his binoculars, searching for the elusive dolphins we’d hoped to spot during our sunset cruise from Fuengirola along the coast of the beautiful Costa del Sol.
Though we weren’t lucky enough to get a sighting this time, simply being out on the water, watching the sun sink down behind distant mountains, with chilled music playing on deck and glasses of cava to toast the view, we were in sunny seventh heaven.
Wyndham Grand Costa del Sol, Mijas Costa
An ideal base for an easy Costa del Sol family holiday
With our two sons, we were enjoying a week away in southern Spain. Our base was the Wyndham Grand Costa del Sol, Mijas Costa. Situated between Malaga and Marbella, near the popular tourist resort of Fuengirola, it’s well placed to explore the region.
The huge all-suite resort, overlooking the sparkling Mediterranean, is set amongst swaying palm-tree gardens.
Our two-bedroom Santa Cruz garden suite had a fully-equipped kitchen, two bathrooms, a huge spa bath and an outdoor hot-tub, the perfect spot to unwind under the stars after a busy day.
You can stay on a self-catering basis or treat the resort like a hotel and go half-board, or just choose bed and breakfast.
We opted for the latter – and enjoyed starting our mornings at the Safari restaurant, sipping fruit juices and coffee, either under the shade of umbrellas overlooking one of the resort pools, or in the cool interior. A super-stocked buffet breakfast set us up for the day.
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Beachfront at Wyndham Grand Costa del Sol
It’s tempting to stay put, but exploring is irresistible too
There’s plenty to do on resort if you can’t tear yourself away. As well as pools a-plenty for families and grown-ups, there are several restaurants and bars on site, a complimentary kids club for children aged four to 12, organised activities for 13 to 15 year olds, a teen games room, tennis courts, a small gym, plus spa area offering massages and wellness treatments.
Given the resort’s size and hilly terrain, there’s a charming little train on wheels that can transport you around – kids love hailing a ride!
Evening entertainment showcases local talent and we enjoyed watching a fiery flamenco show while dining alfresco in the sultry evening heat of the Mediterraneo restaurant’s patio.
Day trips are easy by car or bus from the resort – we headed to Malaga, Marbella and glitzy Puerto Banus.
Remarkable Ronda, Andalusia
It’s easy to add Andalusian legends to this Costa del Sol family holiday
Fancy a day at the beach? Although there’s one close to the resort, it’s backed by a busy road. So we found a prettier one just a few miles along the coast in the picturesque coastal town of Mijas. Playa de la Calas Mijas is just a minute’s walk from the town centre, a wide expanse of sands with a boardwalk stretching for miles, lined with shops, cafes and bars.
The resort can organise day trips for you to places like Ronda, the stunning, much-photographed historic Andalucian town perched high on a rocky peak. Or the Caminito del Rey, a 7.7 km aerial path walk through cliffs, canyons and gorges, on mountain paths and suspended walkways and bridges. Not for the faint-hearted or those scared of heights, like me!
Of course, there are days when you’d rather not leave the comfort of the resort. You could start the day with a swim, play a little table tennis, or book a VIP Pool experience where you get the use of a super-comfortable Balinese Bed for the day with an ocean view, waiter service, chilled mineral water and a fresh fruit platter. Ah yes, we could certainly get used to this kind of treatment.
Plan this Costa del Sol family holiday
How to get there
Direct UK flights to Malaga from 2 hours, 55 minutes
Malaga to Wyndham Grand Costa del Sol from 30 minutes
Where to stay
Wyndham Grand, Costa del Sol, Santa Cruz Suite from £100 per night
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