Fuengirola beaches are famous all around Costa del Sol. The city has one of the longest stretches of sandy beaches, spanning over 7 kilometres from Castillo Sohail all the way to Carvajal.
Thanks to the wide availability of good quality beaches with serviced facilities, it’s one of the most popular destinations on Costa del Sol. Fuengirola is much more Spanish compared to the other destination, and Spanish visitors love to come down here in the summer time to enjoy a full day on the beach with the whole family.
If you’re planning a holiday here, this article will cover everything you need to know about Fuengirola beaches.
Paseo Maritimo in Fuengirola
Lining the whole length of the beaches is a wide promenade called Paseo Maritimo. It starts at the Sohail Castle and ends at the little roundabout in Carjaval.
It’s lined with Chiringuitos (seaside restaurants), public toilets and shaded by palm trees. The promenade has marked entrances to each beach, where you will see a sign with the facilities and also recycling bins provided by the entrance.
In the evenings, Paseo Maritimo is a very popular place to take a stroll with the family, take dogs out for a walk, but it’s also used by runners (and more so annoyingly people riding bikes).
If you want to enjoy the best views from the promenade, I highly recommend taking a stroll early in the morning, when you also get a chance to experience a sunrise! It’s beautiful from almost any spot on the Paseo, but the best views are from Los Boliches, Torreblanca or Carvajal beaches.
Facilities at Fuengirola Beaches
Opening Times
The facilities in Fuengirola beaches open usually in April and close down in October.
Sunchairs & Umbrellas
Sunchairs and umbrellas are open to use in the main season, from April to the end of September. Public toilets are still open even in the winter season.
The rental of a chair with umbrella is 6 euros, some beaches also offer beds for rental, which are 30 euros. The price is valid for the whole day, and the same for all the beaches. Prices are displayed on the little plastic flags by the entrance to the beach.
The lifeguard only provides service between the months of April to September.
Shower Facilities
The city installed brand new showers and paving stones leading to the beach this year. The showers run most of the winter time, but I noticed sometimes they switch them off in the middle of the winter, in the months of December to February (well who would want to have a shower in cold weather!)
Toilets
Public toilets are also available on all Fuengirola beaches – they are the blue and yellow container type of buildings. They are what you would expect of a public toilet – so nothing luxurious or clean, but in emergency, they are a good option to use. The other alternative is using the toilet facilities at a nearby chiringuito.
Bins
Right by the entrance to the beach which is marked by the metal pillars with shades, you will find bins – both generic bins and also dedicated recycling bins.
Food
If you fancy some lunch at the beach, you can pop to the nearby chiringuito, alternatively walk across the road to one of the restaurants. If you paid for a chair rental, you can just tell the guy running it that you will be back and they can’t take your spot and give it to someone else.
Without going into another lengthy rant, the food quality in chiringuito is pretty average, to put it politely. They also happen to be more expensive compared to the restaurants across the road, so adjust your expectations if you’re visiting one.
Fuengirola has invested in remodelling and refurbishing of a number of Chiringuitios around Los Boliches area, but don’t let that fancy decor and brand new building fool you – the quality of the food is as bad as it was (as experienced by myself as recently as last weekend).
What is not Allowed on the Beach?
Since the introduction of a new law in 1982, all beaches are public, so you won’t encounter any private beaches.
The rules and regulations for beaches in Andalusia are laid down in Ley de Costas law, which prohibits the following activities on the beach:
- riding horses
- driving cars or quad bikes
- bringing dogs or other pets (something locals love to ignore all year round)
- light bonfires
- camp overnight
- bring gas barbeques
- sell goods or services (also widely ignored)
- use soap or shampoo in the public showers (fine of 750 euros, so it will be an expensive shower)
- swim in yellow buoyed channels
- no smoking or drinking alcohol (probably the most ignored law on the beach)
- new rule as of 2022: not wearing appropriate clothing in town (bikinis, trunks or men walking around with bare chest) – fine of 150 euros
In the summer you will see locals erect canopies and tents, and bring – what looks like – half of the content of their kitchen with them. Of course, erecting any canopies or tents is also illegal, and just because you will see it on the beach, doesn’t mean it’s right.
Dog Beaches
If you’re traveling with your dog, there is a dedicated beach for dogs close to Sohail castle. Taking your dog to other public beach has the risk of fines imposed by the police.
Most people tend to walk their dogs on the Paseo Maritimo. By law you are also required to wash off the pee with a bottle of water, but again, it’s a legal requirement widely ignored by most people.
Jellyfish
The arrival of jellyfish (medusas in Spanish) is a common sight in Fuengirola beaches, especially in the month of August. You will see a white flag with a blue jellyfish picture next to the lifeguard station, which means that you can still swim but need to be cautions.
The arrival of Jellyfish is usually caused by warmer water conditions and clears out within a day or two.
Pelagia Noctiluta is the variety of jellyfish that visits the coastline here. They are quite small almost transparent with a slight pink tone and some dots. If you see one, stay away where possible – especially important to advise children.
If you’ve been stung, seek the help of the lifeguard or call 112 for ambulance. The wound needs to be washed in 5% solution of acetic acid (or vinegar) and immersed in the solution for 15 to 30 minutes. If you don’t have either available, you can immerse the wound in salt water, but never in sweet water.
If you see anything sticking out of the wound, do not attempt to remove it by hand – you might cause injury to your fingers. Use an object with a sharp edge such as knife or card.
Keep an eye on the wound and if you see any signs of infection or complications, go to the hospital immediately for further treatment.
Nudist Beaches
There are no nudist beaches within the town of Fuengirola, however, seeing topless ladies of all ages is a very common sight.
Location of Fuengirola Beaches
Below are the locations for the biggest Fuengirola beaches tagged on Google map. The list is not complete as some smaller beaches with sun chair facilities have not been marked on the maps.
The location of the toilets is not available on the maps, but you will see instructions for the nearest toilet on the signs by the entrance to the beach.
In terms of the beaches themselves, there are no big differences in terms of how they look like or what facilities they have – it’s pretty much the same for all of them.
The only difference comes from the access to water – some of these have more shallow waters suitable for kids and those who are not confident swimmers. Some beaches are also more popular than others, especially if they offer sun late in the afternoon.
On that note – don’t expect to see any sunset on Fuengirola beach. In late afternoon, the sun hides behind the apartment blocks so most of the beach will remain in the shade. There are some spots with gaps between the buildings, where you can enjoy sunshine even in the late hours – these spots are known by the locals are usually stay busy till late afternoon or early evening.
Which beaches are the busiest?
In my experience it’s the area around Los Boliches and Torreblanca. The beaches closer to Carvajal and the castle tend to be less crowded.
Playa del Ejido
Playa de Santa Amalia
Playa Alexis
Playa de Fuengirola
Playa de San Francisco
Playa de Los Boliches
Playa de las Gaviotas
Playa Torreblanca
Playa de Torre
Playa de Carvajal
Tips for Visiting Beaches in Fuengirola
- arrive early in the morning if you want to get a spot close to the water
- renting a sun chair and umbrella will save you a lot of hassle dragging a lot of stuff to the beach
- if you need to make any last minute purchase for the beach, the small kiosks across the road have everything you can think of, from chilled drinks, to beach toys and even inflatables
- ideally bring your own sun lotion, as those you buy in the local shops tend to be very overpriced
- some beaches offer option to order drinks from the guy running the chair rentals, even though officially this is not allowed
I hope this article covered all the questions you might have about visiting Fuengirola beaches.
If there was something specific you wanted to know, feel free to leave a comment below.
To explore more in Fuengirola, I recommend checking one of the article below, or browsing the category by navigating to the main menu.
Fuengirola: Recommended Day Trips & Experiences
- Caminito del Rey Day Trip with Guide – explore the world-famous pathway of the king, and admire the stunning views from the gorge El Chorro. Includes pick up in Fuengirola, entrance to Caminito del Rey and helmets.
- Day Trip to Gibraltar – with pick up from Fuengirola with a minibus, with free time in Gibraltar for shopping and an optional tour of the nature reserve.
- Gibraltar Sightseeing Day Tour – a more structured day trip with a full tour of the nature reserve, showing you all the highlights, with free time for shopping. Pick up from Fuengirola.
- Ronda and Setenil de las Bodegas Day Trip – see the famous Puente Nuevo bridge in Ronda, with one of the oldest bullrings in the country, and admire the homes and restaurants built into caves in Setenil. Pick-up in Fuengirola – includes a walking tour of Ronda and a complimentary glass of wine in Ronda.
- Day Trip to Granada with Alhambra Tour – see one of the architectural wonders of Spain, the Moorish Palace complex of Alhambra, with free time to explore Granada. Includes pick-up from Fuengirola, tickets to Alhambra and a guide.
Explore More in Fuengirola
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Fuengirola Market: All Your Questions Answered
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Fuengirola Old Town: An Insider’s Guide by a Local
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