Fuengirola is a coastal town in Southern Spain, in the province of Malaga and the autonomous community of Andalusia. It’s located on Costa del Sol and belongs to one of the most popular summer holiday destinations, thanks to over 300 sunny days per year and over 8 km of sandy beaches.
I have been living in Fuengirola for over three years now, so in addition to the details about the location, I will also share some local insights on what’s great about the city, where to eat, what to do and much more!
Where is Fuengirola?
The location of Fuengirola is marked on the map below. If you zoom out of the location you will see that it’s located in the Southern part of Spain, not far from Malaga and Marbella.
- Total area: 10.2 km2 (3.9 sq mi)
- Population: 75,396
- GPS coordinates: 36°32′30″N 4°37′30″W
Closest Airport to Fuengirola
The closest airport to get Fuengirola is Malaga international airport, also known as Malaga Costa del Sol airport. The airport is well connected with regular travel connections to nearly all European destinations, and also serves some domestic traffic, like flights to the Spanish islands.
You can get from the airport to Fuengirola in about 20 minutes, with a distance of about 25 km.
What’s Unique About Fuengirola?
Fuengirola stands out from the rest of the sunny destinations on Costa del Sol thanks to a long 8 km stretch of sandy beaches, which are very well-serviced with sunbed rentals and brand-new beach showers, shaded beach entrances and paths installed in 2022.
What makes the city unique is its history – coming from an old fishing village and going through a mass development starting in the 60s, Fuengirola has changed dramatically and transformed itself into one of the most popular holiday hotspots in Southern Spain, but also a very popular expat destination.
Fuengirola has a massive market for holiday rental apartments, with apartment blocks lining most of the coastal promenade in the city, with a few hotels sandwiched in between. The city is also home to a huge Finnish ex-pat community, in fact, the second biggest outside of Sweden. There are Finnish food shops, Finnish bakeries, Finnish schools and even Finnish nurseries in the city. If you go to a restaurant, don’t be surprised to see the menu available in Finnish.
The ex-pat community’s presence is especially noticeable in the winter months, when retired ex-pats venture out here for the sun, and spend a good part of winter on Costa del Sol. On the streets, you will hear a lot of Finnish and the overall population’s average age suddenly increases. In addition to Finns, you will also see a lot of other expats from Nordic countries, and the city has also a large British expat community.
Fuengirola is also known to have one of the biggest and best Feria celebrations on the whole coast, held traditionally in October, and attracting thousands of visitors each day. It’s a party that goes on for a full week, usually up to 4 am in the morning.
Pros and Cons Of Staying in Fuengirola
If you’re considering Fuengirola for your summer holiday, here are the benefits of choosing this location:
- easy and fast access to the airport
- long sandy beaches so you have plenty of space and no issues with the availability of sunbeds
- wide availability of rental apartments making it easy to find something that fits your budget
- coastal promenade stretching for 8 km
- lots of events and concerts in the summer, in the Marenostrum venue next to Sohail castle
- good availability of boat rents, charters and water sports activities from Fuengirola marina
- Fuengirola makes a wonderful off-season destination as it benefits from beautiful sunny weather and a climate that is still much warmer than the rest of Europe
- good options for shopping and entertainment
- good nightlife
- family-friendly destination
- even though there are not that many attractions in Fuengirola (apart from Bioparc – highly recommended), you can venture out to next door Benalmadena which offers a lot more, within a short driving distance (Butterfly Park, Benalmadena Pueblo, Buddhist Temple, Castillo Colomares as the highlights).
On the other hand, it is lacking some of these things:
- no beach hotels (well there are hotels on the other side of the road from the beach, but they do not have access to their own beach)
- quality of existing hotels that are in the city is pretty. basic, except the El Higueron Hotel which is further out from the city
- the city gets super crowded in the summer months, which makes it hard to find a parking spot, a place to eat, or even walk on the promenade. Supermarket shopping becomes an extreme sport.
- parking, always issues with parking, especially if you’re driving down to the coast for a beach day
- the quality of restaurants is very low, as it’s expected for such a touristy destination – most of the places you will find on the main coastal road are pretty bad, especially the chiringuitos. There are a few local gems in between, check them out in this article.
Distances to Fuengirola
- Malaga to Fuengirola: 25 km
- Marbella to Fuengirola: 32 km
- Benalmadena to Fuengirola: 17 km
- Torremolinos to Fuengirola: 20 km
- Nerja to Fuengirola: 90 km
- Granada to Fuengirola: 150 km
- Seville to Fuengirola: 230 km
- Madrid to Fuengirola: 555 km
- Estepona to Fuengirola: 62 km
- Gibraltar to Fuengirola: 108 km
What to See and Do in Fuengirola
If you’re looking for some activities, I have written a dedicated post about it here.
For those travelling with kids, check out this article on the best things to do with kids in Fuengirola.
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.
Weather for Fuengirola: Monthly Breakdown
- January: January in Fuengirola: A Guide by a Local Expat
- February: February in Fuengirola: A Local Update
- March: Weather in Fuengirola in March: Local Update
- April: Weather in Fuengirola in April: Local Update
- May: May in Fuengirola: Local Expat’s Guide
- June: June in Fuengirola: Local Guide
- July: Fuengirola Weather in July: A Local Update
- August: August in Fuengirola: Local Expat’s Guide
- September: Weather in Fuengirola in September: Local Update
- October: Fuengirola in October: A Report from a Local Expat
- November: Fuengirola in November: A Guide by a Local Expat
- December: December in Fuengirola: a Guide by a Local Expat
Frequent Questions About Fuengirola
Where is Fuengirola in Spain?
Fuengirola is located in Southern Spain, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, and the province of Malaga. It’s about 25km from Malaga international airport.
Where is the Market in Fuengirola?
The local markets in Fuengirola are held in the feria grounds, marked on the map below. The official address is Av. Nuestro Padre Jesús Cautivo, s/n, 29640 Fuengirola, Málaga
Where is Fuengirola train station?
Fuengirola’s main train station is located close to the center of the city, with the location marked on the map below. The address for the train station is P.º Jesús Santos Rein, 5, 29640 Fuengirola, Málaga.
Where is Fuengirola old town?
Fuengirola old town is centered around Plaza de la Constitution and spills into the small streets around it. The location is marked on the map below.
Where is Fuengirola Tuesday market?
The Tuesday market in Fuengirola is held at the Feria grounds, which are located at Av. Nuestro Padre Jesús Cautivo, s/n, 29640 Fuengirola, and marked on the map below.
Where is beach in Fuengirola?
Fuengirola has 8 km of sandy beaches which stretch from Sohail Castle all the way to the Carvajal district.
Where is best Benalmadena or Fuengirola?
It depends on what your preferences are. I would say Benalmadena is more child friendly as it has more parks and more attractions that are fun to see with kids. On the other hand, Fuengirola has a much wider availability of holiday apartments and over 8 km of sandy beaches, which makes it more suitable for a beach holiday.
Wheres is bio zoo in Fuengirola?
The Bioparc in Fuengirola is not a traditional ZOO, as the animals are kept in natural-looking enclosures and the park resembles more a natural jungle than a typical concrete zoo. It is located right next to the town hall of Fuengirola, at this address: C. Camilo José Cela, 6, y 8, 29640 Fuengirola, Málaga. The location is also marked on the map below.
Where is Fuengirola bus station?
The main bus station in Fuengirola is located just a short walk away from the train station, at C. Alfonso XIII, 5, 29640 Fuengirola. The location is marked on the map below.
Explore More In Fuengirola
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