The Costa del Sol Coastal Path in Malaga

• Posted on August 23, 2023
• 6 Comments
• Posted in Leisure
• Reading time: 9 minutes

Join us in discovering the coastal path along 14 municipalities that make up the coast of Malaga.

This magnificent project, which is currently 85% complete, offers the possibility of walking along the Mediterranean Sea along more than 160 km of coastline:

From Manilva to Nerja, passing through Estepona, Marbella, Mijas, Fuengirola and Benaládena, Torremolinos, Málaga, Rincón de la Victoria, Torre del Mar, Algarrobo and Torrox, join us and discover it!

The Costa del Sol Coastal Path

While in some sections it is allowed to ride a bike, the vast majority of the Coastal Path is covered on foot.

Along the way we can enjoy all kinds of beaches, from the most urban ones next to the promenades where the Path runs, to the most natural ones (yes, there are still some!)

Current state of the coastal path

In this link you can find all the sections in use and in project here.

Reasons to walk the Coastal Path

We tell you about the many good reasons why it is worth walking some of the stretches of this path next to the Mediterranean Sea.

• Relax with the beauty of the natural spaces at the same time that we oxygenate our mind and spirit.
• Exercise that is good for almost everybody, as we can walk slower or faster and thus tone the whole body, heart and lungs. There are also a large number of bio-healthy circuits on boardwalks.
• Breaking the daily routine: getting off the beaten track, seeing the sea and the open sky, especially at sunrise or sunset.
• Discover beautiful beaches, each with its own special charm, and pleasant beach bars by the sea, where you can refresh yourself.
• Discover the coastal towns, with their history and heritage.
• Learn about the fauna and flora along the sections through the information panels.

Discover spaces of great natural value

This path, made up of promenades and wooden walkways, passes through some of the most beautiful natural spaces, cliffs, rivers and beaches of the Malaga coast.

With places as beautiful as La Araña, Peñón del Cuervo, Punta Chullera, the Artola Dunes, the delta of the Vélez River, the Guadalhorce Mouth or the rocky stretch between Calahonda and Calaburras in Mijas.

Information panels have been installed at 14 points that stand out for their wealth of underwater flora and fauna.

The panels have been located in Punta Chullera (Manilva), Torre de la Sal (Casares), Roquedo de Alfaro (Estepona), Punta Nabules (Marbella), John Charles reef in Calahonda (Mijas), Los Boliches (Fuengirola), Punta Negra and Torrequebrada (Benalmádena), El Bajondillo (Torremolinos), Peñón del Cuervo (Málaga), the cliffs of El Cantal (Rincón de la Victoria), Valle Niza and Punta de las Ballenas (Vélez-Málaga), Algarrobo, Calaceite (Torrox) and La Torrecilla (Nerja).

Historical and cultural heritage

Along the coastal path we can discover more than 40 beacon towers, some of them hidden between buildings or integrated in their urban environment while others still stand tall on coves and rocks.

The origins of these beacon towers date back to the Andalusian period and the 14th century, with the function of watching over the coasts and warning of the frequent pirate incursions.

Complete information and photos of Nazarite beacon towers along the Coastal Path here.

Discover the province’s marinas

The Costa del Sol is bathed by the Mediterranean Sea and is therefore closely linked to it through its 11 marinas.

We can find the most varied, from charming ports to great luxury, with history, good food and shops, to walk and enjoy restaurants and bars, where deserve special mention Puerto de Duquesa, Puerto de Estepona, Puerto Banús or Puerto de Cabopino in Marbella, Puerto Marina in Benalmádena or Muelle Uno in Malaga city and El Candado east of the city.

Complete information and photos of the Marinas along the Coastal Path here.

Video of the Coastal Path

At present, all coastal towns have some operational sections, but some are more beautiful because of their wooden walkways.

The Coastal Path municipality by municipality

Manilva and Casares

The route between the two most western municipalities of the Costa del Sol has many sections of promenades, but also beautiful walkways and wooden bridges, passing along the castle de la Duquesa and the marina.

The latest addition to the project has been a wooden bridge over the stream connecting the existing path to the Torre de la Sal.

Estepona

Casares and Estepona are now linked by the coastal path through a new footbridge over the La Jordana stream.

Estepona has stood out in the last few years for its good pace in building new sections of the path and today we can enjoy a beautiful walk by the sea in this municipality, with landmarks of scenic and historical value, such as the Guadalmansa Tower.

Marbella

While the urban area of Marbella offers a beautiful and well-cared for promenade along more than 9 kilometres, the easternmost part of the city offers a totally different experience next to the protected natural area of the Artola Dunes, where the route runs along wooden walkways.

Mijas Costa

The municipality of Mijas Costa currently has more than seven kilometres of coastal path and was one of the first to have almost all the sections.

Specifically, from the border with the municipality of Marbella to just before the Chaparral beach, one of the most complete paths of this great provincial coastal route can be made there.

This route also stands out for passing through more varied landscapes and viewpoints with explanatory panels on coastal biodiversity.

Fuengirola

Since Fuengirola is practically entirely urban, it already “had the job done”, as it has its own promenade.

In fact, until recently, Fuengirola was the Andalusian municipality with the longest promenade, with more than 7 km lengh. A good urban walk from the Sohail castle, crossing the Fuengirola river and its fluvial park, passing by an infinity of beach bars. In the last kilometre before reaching Benalmádena, the beach becomes a little more natural.

Benalmádena

Benalmádena stands out in its most western part by beautiful cliffs and some sections of high landscape value with wooden footbridges.

The rest of the path in this municipality runs along its long and very busy promenade, passing by the Neo-Arabic castle Bil-Bil and Puerto Marina, awarded on several occasions as the best marina in the world.

Torremolinos

The Coastal Path is also almost complete and runs almost entirely along the promenade of this popular coastal town.

Torremolinos has also provided a bicycle lane along most of the section. The last section of the Senda litoral in eastern Torremolinos, already bordering the city of Málaga, is a wooden footbridge, currently under construction.

Málaga

From Torremolinos to Malaga, the path passes through the natural area of the Guadalhorce River. There is a great biodiversity of birds and flora.

At the beginning of October 2020 was inaugurated a 120-metre wooden bridge; this bridge allow us to contemplate the rich fauna, without disturbing it when migratory birds nest, etc.

We cycled from Los Alamos in Torremolinos to Sacaba in Malaga. The route along the coast is interrupted for several kilometres, where you have to go on a road, which is still not very optimal.

However, once you have reached the river estuary, there is plenty of space available to spread out. There are several paths to choose from to follow the riverbed to the beach.

We were surprised by the large volume of water that the Guadalhorce River carries; even after so many months without rain. As a little advice, if you don’t like crowds of people, try to go early and avoid weekends.

Entering Malaga, the path also runs entirely along the long promenade, passing directly along the old town and Pier One.

Rincón de la Victoria

From the centre of Málaga you can walk about 14 kilometres along the beach to Rincón de la Victoria.

The Senda Litoral de Málaga crosses Cantal Bajo between La Cala del Moral and Rincón de la Victoria.

In Rincón de la Victoria the path is almost complete, only its easternmost section bordering Vélez-Málaga is missing.

Vélez-Málaga

In this municipality, in addition to the existing promenade, several sections of the coastal path have been built, the last one between Benajarafe and Chilches.

Torrox

Between Vélez-Málaga, Algarrobo and Torrox there are quite long stretches of promenade that are used as a coastal path.

It passes through Puerto de la Caleta and several watchtowers, such as La Ladeá de Algarrobo, the one in Lagos (Vélez-Málaga) or one in El Morche (Torrox) or the important archaeological sites of the Torrox Lighthouse.

Nerja

The coastal path from Torrox to Nerja runs partly along spectacular cliffs with magnificent views. It passes next to the river Chillar, and finally along the promenade that ends at the Balcón de Europa.

Have you walked any section of the Costa del Sol Path? Let us know!