Villa Artola couldn’t be better placed for a holiday of variety! Firstly, you’re just a stone’s throw from the white, sandy beaches of Marbella, while its Old Town is around 10 minutes away.
The stunning coast nearby is the Mijas Costa, a stretch of roughly 12km of picturesque beaches leading into verdant pine forests and striking hillsides of white houses. It includes La Cala de Mijas which is the main beach resort, the two smaller resorts of Riviera del Sol and Calahonda, the thriving city of Fuengirola, and finally Las Lagunas, the more industrial and most populated area of Mijas.
The area caters incredibly well to tourists, as it has been beautifully developed and redeveloped for nearly 60 years, whilst maintaining its traditional Andalusian charm. Growing organically from a quaint fishing village, it has undergone a fascinating transformation. Venture each Wednesday and Saturday to its popular market where you can find local produce including fruit and veg, crafts, clothes, ceramics and a whole lot more!
Marbella itself is a little bigger and busier, with a traditional and beautiful old town, and holds many Michelin starred restaurants and world-renowned beaches where one can soak up the sun and enjoy a cocktail at a beachfront bar! It has a very rich history, visible in the many ruins throughout the winding cobbled streets of its Old Town. Also nearby is Malaga, the largest city on the Costa del Sol and historically and culturally incredibly rich, putting even more activities and amenities at your fingertips.
The Costa del Sol itself is mostly peaceful and quiet, as although there is a good amount of tourism, largely for the fantastic beaches and warm climate (the average water temperature year-round is 18°C!), visitors tend to stick to the highly developed and bustling south-western part, leaving the stunning mountains inland largely untouched and peaceful year-round.