The Costa de Sol has long been a popular holiday resort but it has changed and moved with the times and now rates as one of the best and most reliable holiday destinations in Europe.

The Costa del Sol experienced its first rush of popularity with British holiday makers in the 1960´s with the advent of the "package holiday."

The intoxicating mix of guaranteed sunshine, cheap beer, safe, sandy beaches combined with the opportunity to go abroad for the first time in many people's lives not to mention to fly, was just too good to be resisted. Add to this the chance to stay in a hotel instead of a boarding house in Blackpool and the result was a forgone conclusion with hoards of British holidaymakers burning themselves on the beaches by day and throwing up in the discos by night.

Eventually a few of the more enterprising visitors began to explore the countryside and even began to take advantage of the incredibly cheap property prices as the locals, who for generations had eked out a poor living from the land, decided to sell up and live more comfortable lives in the pueblos.

Taking full advantage of the lack of building regulations it was possible to build your dream house on a fantastic sunny hillside surrounded by peace, tranquility and nature with some stunning views thrown in, at a fraction of the cost of a similar property back home in dreary old blighty.

Once these homes were completed and the coffers running a bit low these enterprising individuals started to look around for ways to replenish them. Realizing that there were plenty of Brits who did not belong to the sun, sea and sangria brigade but who expected from their holidays rest, relaxation, the chance to recharge their batteries and experience something of the true nature of Spain they decided to open up their homes and thus rural tourism in Spain was born.

Rustic villas in the most idyllic settings imaginable were rented out to eager tourists wanting to get away from it all and experience the "real Spain." What a revelation this was. To be able to rent a beautiful property with a pool surrounded by nothing but nature and perhaps a few goats. The peace, the sunshine - it was a winning combination.

For a few years these pioneers had the stage to themselves but it did not take long for the developers to catch on and move in.

Apartments on the coast started to go up at a rate of knots with the next stage in the Costa del Sol tourist industry being residential tourism. Mortgages with very favourable interest rates were offered to foreigners for the first time and it became increasingly easy for EU nationals to reside in Spain. Pensions could be paid into Spanish banks and the health care on offer was deemed to be as good, if not better, than back in the U.K.

The result was the purchase of thousands of second homes on the Costa del Sol. Some being bought with the intention of renting as holidaymakers makers began to have the confidence to move away from the security and all inclusiveness of the package tours and decided to go it alone by renting an apartment and shopping around on the "net" for cheap flights.

In tandem with this was the promotion of golf tourism with the construction of many first class golf courses and the renaming of the Costa del Sol to the Costa del Golf.

All this development has obviously bought incredible change to the area, some of it good and some of it bad. The roads and all infrastructure have improved beyond bounds. There are many more and varied attractions for visitors now from 2 fabulous aqua parks, to Selwo wildlife Park and Selwo Marina, The Picasso Museum, Mijas Race Course, Sea World, the list goes on. The town's and city's streets and parks are always beautifully kept with exotic plants and plenty of colour. The original attraction, the beaches, have not been left out either as many of them now have lovely long, clean promenades, they are all kept immaculate and have their share of coveted blue flags.

And so the Brit's love affair with Spain continues unabated and for very good reason. The Spanish are a friendly, obliging nation, we get on well together with no underlying historical frictions. The weather is reliable, the language not difficult, the cost of living still reasonable and the distance from home and the cost of travel quite acceptable. To make things even more attractive the recent modernizing and up grading of the Costa del Sol has resulted in some very attractive and luxurious developments, albeit perhaps one or two too many, along with much improved town planning, banking, shopping and all general facilities. Foreign and national and EU investment in the area has made all this possible and it not only has much to offer all types of tourists but also the many foreign residents who have chose to make it their second home.

Ruth Polak is the owner of www.costadelsol-vacationrentals.com, a web site specializing in holiday villas and apartments on the Costa del Sol and in Rural Andalucia. You will also find lots of information about Spain and Andalucia, in particular. 

Unlike the busy towns of Marbella and Fuengirola, Estepona is relatively quiet - and the centre of town is still very traditionally Spanish.  The winding narrow streets are lined with older houses, with balconies decorated with bright geraniums, and the sound of pet birds singing in their cages makes a lovely musical background as you stroll along.  Relax in the Plaza de las Flores (pictured right) - a beautiful town square lined with flowers and several excellent cafes and bars. 

There's a coffee bar on virtually every corner of town and you will never go short on somewhere different to eat dinner, or have a light snack, or "tapas".  On the beach you will find the famous beach "chiringuitos" serving excellent sea food and other dishes, or just an ice cold drink when you need one... read more

Wonderful sandy beaches, relatively empty out of season, stretch along the coast with many restaurants, bars and chiringuitos (beach cafes) to choose from. Plenty of good shops including fashion, food, shoes, etc. and some excellent new shopping centres have opened up on the border of Fuengirola and Mijas... read more