Does any other worldwide tourist region have such a lovely
and evocative name? The Costa del Sol certainly lives up to
its name, with 325 days of sunshine a year and warm
temperatures. No wonder so many tourists from Spain,
Europe and the rest of the world flock to the magnificent
Costa del Sol's beaches that rim the warm waters.
The 300-km region would get plenty of attention anyway, but
another exciting event soon to come is the 1997 Ryder Cup,
the most important biannual golfing event in the world, which
pits the top European players against the top Americans.
Golf lovers already revere the Costa del Sol for its
magnificent courses, and now the region is soon to become
a golf mecca.

Local hotspots include famous places like Malaga, the
capital, and the swank Marbella. We'll leave the discussion
of Malaga to another guide -- a City Guide, that is -- and
focus on Marbella instead.

The area has been the chic-est spot on the Costa del Sol
since a wealthy playboy transformed his luxurious seaside
house into the select Marbella Club in the 1950s. Now the
town is famous for its "Golden Mile" with its luxury hotels,
gardens and the residences of aristocrats, society
gadabouts and successful business people. Visitors enjoy
strolling the streets grouped around Orange Square and
gathering at Puerto Banús to see the luxury yachts and
sailboats anchor. Upscale bars, sidewalk cafes and gourmet
restaurants abound.
Other regional hotspots include Mijas, a charming example of
an Andalucian "white village" and home of a beautiful spa
and golf course; Ronda, the historical city perched on the
edge of a rocky precipice, and Jaen, an old medieval
fortress surrounded by extensive olive groves, an 11th
Century Moorish baths and the castle of Santa Catalina.