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.