Best area to spend January/February in Costa del Sol

JWayne my dear Traveler, I recommend staying in the town of Nerja in the Costa Del sol. It has wonderful beaches and lots of shops and restaurants in the center and less crowded than some of the other towns. Torremolinos is also another charming town in the Costa Del Sol. You will have more beach availability there. It has a beautiful waterfront view. From Nerja, you can day trip to Granada to visit the Alhambra Moorish castle. You can also day trip to Malaga, a wonderful city near Nerja to tour museums and see ancient roman ruins. Here you go Wayne. Let me know if you need any more info on the Costa Del Sol. You picked 2 good months to go there weather wise.

https://www.andalucia.org/en/torremolinos

https://www.nerjatoday.com/

Take Care,
Rjean

I was not impressed by Costa del Sol. You will find better beaches in California and Florida.
If you go, don't miss Rhonda.

Not much to see along most of the Costa Del Sol except resorts. Already mentioned Nerja would be a good choice. Very near it is a 19th century multi-tiered aqueduct. The Alcazaba up on the hill in Malaga is nice. Also in Malaga is Castillo de Gibralfaro.

There is Castillo Sohail in Fuengirola. Check to see if it is open that time of year. I can’t think of any other castles in that area.

I recommend staying in Malaga. It meets all of your requirements: lots of restaurants, beaches, museums, and castles, and more. We spent 2 nights in Malaga and I wish we had an extra night. Listed below is what we did, and there are more things as well that we didn't have time for.

Vibrant historic city center with gorgeous architecture, nice stores, and lots of cafes and restaurants.

Catedral de Malaga - built in the 16th century

There are tons of art museums. We visited the Museo Picasso. Picasso was born in Malaga.

Alcazaba, a Moorish fortress on a hilltop. Follow the path to the top, amid lush greenery and exotic flowers, towers, gateways, Roman columns and patios with fountains, and a small Nasrid Palace. Along the way you will have stunning views of the Mediterranean, port, and city.

Castillo de Gibralfaro, built to protect the Alcazaba. You can follow a winding and sometimes steep path to the top where you can walk on the ramparts with more magnificent views of Malaga. Or you can drive up. There is a cafe at the top where you can have lunch.

Mercado Atarazanas - browse, shop, and eat and drink!

There is also a seaside promenade along the port.

Have drinks while watching the sunset.

There is also a Roman theater on the side of the Alcazaba hill that somehow we missed.

For guidebooks, I recommend Michelin Green Guide and Lonely Planet.

Rick treats Malaga like it is nothing more than a transportation hub. I don't know why he does this. So please don't rely on Rick's guidebook for Malaga.

Thank you! Málaga is where we are leaning towards since my husband gets bored at the beach. However, I still like a good ocean view and a walk on the beach. Thx for all suggestions. Always open for more!

Picasso Museum in Málaga https://museopicassomalaga.org.
Málaga Aeronautical Museum https://www.malagaairport.eu/malaga-airport-museum.php

We are going to Malaga in October 2024.
I watched this video and it was enjoyable https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbIqAUdwyAk

Another vote for Malaga, lots to do and see and you can walk along the beach in Malagueta even as far as Rincón in one direction or in the other. So you get to see the sea ..
https://slowtravelitalyspain.blogspot.com/2019/01/malaga-in-march-trip-report.html?m=1
https://slowtravelitalyspain.blogspot.com/2020/01/malaga-what-to-see-and-do-free-31-ideas.html?m=1

Gracias! Suggestions hotels, Airbnb’s, or VRBO’s welcome too!!

Malaga will have everything you want. The resorts of the Costa del Sol are not particularly charming but serve a purpose for visitors wanting an easy sun, sand and sea holiday. For more cultural activities stay in the city. Nerja and nearby Frigiliana are also worth visiting.

Are there any closures around the New Year and Three Kings Day to consider? Vice versa, are there extra activities because of those holidays - a parade perhaps?

I'll also suggest Malaga because of its variety of sights and wealth of restaurants however the beach isn't its best attribute.

Also consider Estepona, a nice beach and plenty of restaurants within a short walk of the beach. It's more laid back than Malaga and still retains much of its pueblo blanco charm.

Christmas illuminations in Malaga should be spectacular