Calahonda is situated between Marbella and Fuengirola and is an area chiefly developed for tourism, with extensive apartment blocks and timeshare facilities stretching from the coast into the hills behind.

This self-sufficient resort provides an excellent base for exploring the Costa del Sol. Since the majority of visitors to this part of the coast are British, this is the perfect location if you are looking for a home away from home, in the sun and located on top of the beach. However, if you prefer something a little more traditionally Spanish, then Calahonda probably isn’t the best option for you.

Places to visit

Located a couple of kilometres along the road is Puerto Cabopino, which has the reputation for being the most secluded and picturesque port on the Costa del Sol and is a popular venue for tourists who want to enjoy a good meal before taking a walk along its sandy beaches. Some of the Coasts most popular restaurants, such as Alberts and Giuseppes Pizzeria, are located here.

Nearby you’ll discover Miraflores, a popular golf and lawn bowls resort and a little further on, you come to the area of Mijas and Mijas Pueblo, Andalusia’s most popular white village, which is situated slightly further northeast in the hills.

Calahonda is a new area in terms of human development and so has only one monument. If you travel into the hills of Calahonda, just past the El Portón complex, you will encounter a small Christian monument which, due to its location, stands out like a beacon; on a clear day you should be able to see the whole coast from here, including Africa and Gibraltar. If you’re visiting in summer then take a car, because the walk in the worst of the heat and humidity wont be a practical option.

Beaches

Calahonda is broken in two by the coastal road, and therefore has a beach-side area, which has a lovely long stretch of sandy beach and a number of pretty villas and urbanizations which back the beach area. There are a number of Chiringuitos (beach restaurants) dotted along the beach.

Close by are the natural sand dunes at Cabopino and the nudist beach and if you are looking for a beach resort with more facilities, then head in either direction, left or right and you will come to one of the popular destinations of Fuengirola (to the left) and Marbella (to the right), where you have great beaches and leisure facilities galore.

Local facilities

The main area of Calahonda, which is visible from the main CN-340 road, has many restaurants and shops, with the best options for shopping, dining and entertainment, located in the El Zoco commercial centre in Calahonda. There is also the excellent Club del Sol which features a gym, tennis, paddle, swimming pool and aerobics.

Eating out

The gastronomy in this part of the Coast is 100% international with influences from all over the globe – British fish and chips, Hungarian goulash, Japanese sushi, Italian pasta and pizza, whatever takes your fancy, it’s available. You could eat a different cuisine every night of your holiday!

Local Festival

Calahonda’s local fiesta provides visitors with the opportunity to sample the pleasant Spanish tradition of Churros, a fried and battered dough, which is generally served with a cup of thick hot chocolate, in which the Churros are dunked – delicious!

Nightlife

Being one of the smaller, but more developed urbanisations on the coast, there are few large nightclubs due to noise pollution laws, but there is a choice of smaller venues, including the Trafalgar Bar in the El Zoco complex, which is busy with visitors all evening until about 3am.

David’s Bar in neighbouring urbanisation Riviera del Sol is also very popular and if you fancy a more upper class, but pricy option then the famous Nikki’s Beach is located around 10 minutes away in the charming area of Elviria, between Calahonda and Marbella.

Across the motorway and adjacent to the El Zoco complex you will find more shops and restaurants, not to mention a gymnasium and other fitness venues.

Climate

Calahonda enjoys a sub-tropical Mediterranean climate, with hot summers and warm winters. Cooling breezes from the sea make the summer heat manageable; temperatures average 32 ºC during the summer.