The Costa del Sol is best known as a short haul summer destination and it certainly ticks all the boxes as a beach holiday. However, what many people don’t know is how much it has to offer out of season – the great cities, museums, picturesque white villages and beautiful natural scenery aplenty.

Holiday Rentals experts HolidayRentalontheWeb.com have prepared a guide to places to visit and activities to enjoy throughout the year and here are their top picks:

Malaga
Malaga is often overlooked as simply an airport, but in fact, this is a vibrant city packed full of charm, culture and fantastic bars and restaurants. The city was founded by the Phoenicians and has been influenced by many important civilizations.

Tourists can enjoy this historical legacy by visiting the Roman theatre, the Moorish Alcazaba fortress, the Court of Isabella and Ferdinand at the great Cathedral or the 16th century Palace which now houses the Museum of Fine Arts.

Malaga’s most famous son is Pablo Picasso and the Picasso Museum is the cultural highlight of the city. It houses more than 20 examples of the artist’s most important work arranged in chronological order so you can see how his style evolved. Every Wednesday at 11.30 there is a free guided tour in English which can help you get the most of the collection.

As well as the fantastic museums and historic sites you’ll also find many vibrant little backstreets and plazas; bustling chic areas full of great shops and classy cafes, all surrounded by wonderful architecture. As the city is quite small it is easily explored on foot and there are some lovely park areas to enjoy.

Foodies will be delighted by the quantity and range of fantastic restaurants in the city. Malaga boasts Michelin star restaurants, fantastic fish restaurants and of course the ubiquitous tapas bars. As it is a predominantly Spanish town everything is excellent value for money and of excellent quality, even in the most unpromising looking cafe.

The highlight of the Malaga calendar is the Feria in August. This shows off the city at its most vibrant, energetic best and attracts thousands of Spanish revellers as well as tourists. Ferias are all about eating, drinking, dancing and generally making merry. Makeshift bars line the streets, stalls sell fantastic tapas and music is blasted out from every street corner. This is not the place to go if you don’t like crowds, but it is fantastic fun.

Pueblos Blancos
As well as vibrant cities, there are many tranquil, mountainside ‘white villages’ to explore just inland from the Cosmopolitan coast. The best way to visit these is to hire a car, but many can be reached by public transport as well. Three fantastic pueblo blancos which are easily accessible are Gaucin, Casares and Benahavis.

Gaucin is located at the western end of the coast, high on the mountainside overlooking Gibraltar and the exotic African mountains. It is a stunning little village with the remains of a Roman castle and it is charmingly undeveloped.

Casares is probably the most famous and picturesque pueblo blanco in the area but still receives few tourists. The village is clustered around a mountainside with an imposing Muslim fortress on the top, with charming winding streets, pretty houses and sleepy bars and plazas.

Benahavis is a more developed white village which has become a gastro-village with every street housing a fantastic restaurant serving food from all over the world. This is a great place to go for lunch and then explore the pretty streets to work off some of the calories. Do your research before you arrive though, the choice is mind blowing!

Enjoy the great outdoors
There is stunning scenery everywhere you look in this area and there are some lovely walks within easy reach of the coast. The Refugio de Juanar National Park is located high in the mountain range behind Marbella and has a stunning and easy to follow trail through forest pines and walnut trees, which leads to a picturesque mountaintop plain. Look out for some of the wild life such as wild boar, goats, eagles, Royal owls, small lizards, snakes and even scorpions. ‘El Mirador’ viewing point gives you beautiful views and rewards those tired legs.

Alternatively, a walk down the many sandy beaches is a great way to blow away the cobwebs, or how about a relaxing game of golf on one of the many courses overlooking the sparkling Mediterranean? The Costa del Sol offers many opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors all though the year.

The Straits of Gibraltar
Nature lovers should head to the Straits of Gibraltar at the western end of the Costa del Sol. This is teeming with marine life and you can take part in one of the daily Dolphin and Whale watching safaris to see some of the 15 different species of whales, dolphins and porpoises in their natural habitat.

Ask the Experts
If you want to find out more about places to visit and where to stay along the Costa del Sol, contact HolidayRentalontheWeb.com. HolidayRentalontheWeb.com offers a portfolio of fully-managed self-catering holiday rental accommodation along the Costa del Sol, from villas with heated pools, to apartments.