Due to his privileged geographical position, FUENGIROLA is the "Heart of the Costa del Sol", perfectly accessible by air, land or sea at 30Km from both Malaga and Marbella and only 20 minutes from the "Pablo Ruiz Picasso" International airport considered to be one of the best in Spain. The region benefits from a subtropical Mediterranean climate with average yearly temperatures of 18ºC, yearly rainfall of 500 l/m2 and almost 3000 hours of sunshine per year.
It owes its origins to several ancient civilizations, including Iberian, Phoenician, Roman and Arabic cultures which settled around the base of the hill from which today the Arabic castle "Sohail" overlooks. The town's economy was originally based on agriculture and fishing and was first recognised as a municipality by the Roman Enperor Vespasiano who named it "Suel" by which name it was known until the Middle Ages. After the construction of the Almoravid fortress in the 10th century (the fortress is still depicted on Fuengirola's coat of arms), the Roman Suel became known as "Suhayl" after the castle. During the time of the Arabic occupation it became a base of writers and poets such as the poet Abd al Rahman Ibn Hamad al Hassan ("The Suhaili"). After the Christian Reconquest in 1487, the Castillians renamed the town "Font-Jirola" after the fountain that gushed from the foot of the castle. Today, FUENGIROLA, cradled by the ancient Mare Nostrum, offers the visitor a wide variety of activities to satisfy the curiosity and fill the leisure time of all visitors.
FUENGIROLA embraces 8 Km of the Mediterranean and is, by virtue of its excellent climate and the hospitality of its people, the perfect place to live. Its beaches have been awarded the distinctive "Blue Flag" by the EC for the quality of its sandy beaches and clear waters but they also have the peculiarity of being fully integrated with the town's centre which permits visitors to be just a "hop, skip and jump" away from the beach and all its facilities.
It also has an excellent "Paseo Maritimo" (Beach Promenade). This Paseo has the privilege of being amongst the best along the Mediterranean, not only for its length (more than 7 Km) but also for its beauty, uniqueness and the quality of its facilities. It is one of the most visited points in Fuengirola due to its peaceful surroundings which allow visitors the chance to enjoy some relaxing walks and refreshing sea breezes.
