Malaga, Marbella or another coastal town in April

What do you mean by "Spanish coast"? Is there a specific area you are looking at? We have a lot of coastline in Spain :)

Marbella and Malaga are both very touristy and large so probably not what you're looking for.

Also what are you planning to do at the beach? Water temps might not be warm enough to swim in mid April.

How many days?
Please define cultural scene.
Total trip length?
Entry/exit airports?

Generically, in April many of the smaller towns along the southern coast will not have opened up for the season. That usually happens in May, so you may want to stay with larger towns where there will be more restaurants, shops, and lodging to choose from. The water will probably still be too chilly to do much swimming.

Are you strictly looking at Andalucia? What else is on the agenda?
April is early, so I would not worry much about crowds, but we need more info to help pinpoint the right place. I am a rabid sea lover, but the coast is not the star in this region. For the culture aspect and in April, my choice would actually be Malaga or Cadiz, but that might not be what you are looking for.

Consider Estepona, not far from Marbella and easily reached from Malaga. It's a lot less touristy yet it's still a decent sized town so never feels dead. I'm often there in April and it's generally very pleasant although April can be a rainy month in the Costa Del Sol. Based on your requirements it fits the bill perfectly.

Yes, I should have been more specific! We are looking in and around Marbella/Malaga region. However, I would be open to another area on the coast if the weather is warm. In my research, this looked like the warmest coastal area of Spain, which is why I focused here. But again, so long as the weather is warm and we are on the coast with towns that have opened (I understand some may still be closed up for the winter). I understand the water will not be swimmable but we are looking for sunshine and 60s/70s during the day.

As for cultural scene - art museums, neighborhoods with local artists/craftsman, restaurants that cater not just to the tourist crowd.

try Cadiz - really nice town

To find what you're looking for in the Costa del Sol (the area you are referencing), is going to be difficult, this part of Spain is very overdeveloped and touristy for several decades now, think golf courses, all inclusive resorts, yacht clubs, and party towns.

That being said, you could try Mijas or Nerja. They still have some remnant of local life and quaintness .

If you expand your search further then you have better options such as Cadiz, which has been mentioned, but this is on the other side in the Atlantic coast. Cadiz is a large city rather than a quaint small town.

For culture, I’d stay in Malaga. It has tourism obviously but it’s not a town that is dominated by it. There are some lovely museums. It might not be super warm in April but it will be pleasant.

The rest of the Costa del Sol coastal area is developed purely for tourism. Benalmadena Pueblo (as opposed to Benalmadena Costa) a very charming small town uphill from the coast which retains a Spanish feel. You can visit Malaga from there by bus or via bus and train.

Semana Santa starts on Palm Sunday, April 13 and ends on Easter Sunday, April 20 next year. This is a huge holiday in Andalucia, less so in other parts of the country. Malaga will be packed for the entire week and not at all conducive to a "slower pace." I was in Malaga for the first few days of Semana Santa several years ago. It was a wonderful experience, but very crowded and the crowds just got larger day by day.

Do some research on Holy Week observances in other areas.

Thank you all for the helpful advice! I will look at Cadiz and take into consideration Holy Week. It may be we end up elsewhere. I'm open to anything that is mild weather but offers the cultural experience my husband and I both need. We live in Maine so most places are warm this time of year compared to Maine.

One last question as you have all been very helpful - Would Seville be a better option? I know it is not on the water but it will be warm and be less touristy than Malaga and Marbella? I am also considering Cadiz after many suggestions.

Our experience last September was that Seville was more crowded and touristy than Malaga. While we enjoyed Seville, we — unexpectedly— loved Malaga. The city is beautiful and very walkable; there are historic sites, museums and a wonderful market; food is great, with local tapas bars and excellent restaurants; the port is lovely; and, of course, there is the beach. Malaga has a welcoming, relaxed vibe. For us, Cadiz was less interesting and uninviting.

Sevilla is super-crowded during Semana Santa. If that's when you're trip falls, either embrace it or avoid it. As I wrote earlier, much of the area has big religious celebrations, well worth seeing, but attracting large crowds. You have to check out each place. Take into account that trains are likely to sell out and local trains may be crowded. The Costa Brava and south to Valencia may be less intense that the Costa del Sol