About the Costa del Sol
Up until the late 90's Marbella and San Pedro was the virtual 'line in the sand', that magical one hour from the airport that very few tourists considered crossing. But then with new motorways, better link roads and improved public transport solution, the New Golden Mile emerged as the new hot commodity. West of Puerto Banus, past Guadalmina and down the coast to Estepona.
From the turn of the century, development continued westwards, encompassing Manilva, Sotogrande, and San Roque; in fact reaching all the way down the Costa del Sol to the Gibraltar shoreline.
Whilst many families took advantage of newer properties and better value for money in the area west of San Pedro, many families and investors preferred the more established settings of Mijas Costa, Cabopino, Elviria, Nueva Andalucia and the original Golden Mile in Marbella.
This difference of opinions is still prevalent today; which side do you favour?
| Let’s take a look at the main differences (talking from a locals perspective) | |
| Marbella East (Marbella to Malaga) | San Pedro West (San Pedro to Gibraltar) |
| Schools – an excellent of established international schools for all ages. | Schools – predominantly Spanish schools plus one or two International Schools. |
Infrastructure – improved road sections of the N340 and the new A7 toll road. |
Infrastructure – New A7 toll road. |
| Public Transport - A train link as far as Fuengirola. Reliable bus routes 7 days a week. |
Public Transport - Reliable bus routes 7 days a week however there are often changeovers to be made in Marbella |
Entertainment, Restaurants and Shopping – A wide choice of chic boutiques, department stores, international dining, nightclubs. |
Entertainment, Restaurants and Shopping – a good choice of restaurants, bars and supermarkets. |
Golf – Golf courses galore that cater for every handicap |
Golf – some of the best golf courses in the world |
| Sporting clubs – a wide choice of sporting clubs, many of which are well established including tennis, sailing, bowls. | Sporting clubs – a limited number of clubs, mostly due to a lower year round population of international residents. |
Living here – due to most employment being found in this area and a higher population, there tends to be a more stable year round vibe with plenty going on thoughout most months of the year |
Living here – this area of the Costa del Sol is still relatively new and far more prone to seasonal closures during the winter months which can lead to more travelling in order to satisfy your social requirements. |
| Medical – The Costa del Sol Hospital is located just east of Marbella, there are a number of very good hospitals in Malaga, plus a selection of private hospitals along the coast. | Medical – several clinics and local consultancies are found in this area, but for anything serious you will normally have to travel along the coast to one of the major hospitals. |
| Future – the brand new marina that is soon to be constructed in Marbella will no doubt bring a return of celebrity names and a further stamp of approval for the town. Neighbouring towns and communities will see an upturn in interest and increasing prices. | Future – the new by-pass in San Pedro will heavily reduce the traffic chaos that the town has become infamous for especially during the summer months. With easier ‘toll-free’ access to the western towns, the quality communities are sure to fare well in the coming years. |
MARBELLA, PUERTO BANUS, CABOPINO
This stretch of the Costa del Sol is one of the principle locations for second home buyers who appreciate proximity to world class restaurants, shopping and entertainment. Beautiful communities including Nueva Andalucia, Elviria and the New Golden Mile are set in idyllic surroundings, just minutes to the stunning beaches of the Mediterranean. Many of the communities in these areas are predominantly residential which means that your neighbours are really your neighbours.
With mortgages of 100% now available on select developments buyers can take advantage of brand new properties that have dropped an average of 50% from just a few years ago and now represent excellent value for money
FUENGIROLA, TORREMOLINOS AND MIJAS COSTA
Some fifty years ago Torremolinos became the first hotspot for package holidays in southern Spain; bustling with northern Europeans in search of year round sun, cheap drinks and for some reason stuffed donkeys! Over the years tourism numbers have increased beyond belief as international visitors claimed several areas of the Costa del Sol as their own.
In search of a great climate, hundreds of thousands of Europeans now call the popular towns such as Fuengirola, Benalmadena, La Cala, Calahonda and not forgetting the famous white village of Mijas where you can probably still buy one of those stuffed donkeys.
A host of established recreational and social clubs, world class restaurants, new shopping centres and great beaches there is no wonder that soon to be residents from colder climates are once again revisiting the area now that prices are at bargain levels.
ESTEPONA, SOTOGRANDE, MANILVA
Continue west of Puerto Banus and you will shortly be able to circumnavigate the once infamous traffic jams at San Pedro on the N340 (supposing you do not wish to take the A7 toll road). Down the New Golden Mile to the old fishing town of Estepona and then onwards to the exclusive Puerto Sotogrande and the world famous golf courses of San Roque and Valderrama with the rock of Gibraltar rising gracefully in the distance and the African continent on the near horizon.
This area of the western Costa del Sol was one of the last to be developed, partly due to poor accessibility, but this has now been vastly improved and is now just over an hour from Malaga airport at its furthest point.
Prices here have dropped between 50-70% and 100% mortgages are available on a select number of new resorts.
The Costa del Sol has seen prices drop by similar margins and there are some real opportunities out there with savings of over 50%.
