Why is the Costa del Sol so tacky - and what do the Spaniards themselves think about it?

Hey Harry, you've had a bad experience but it's a bit strong blaming the Costa del Sol generally. I've been going there every year for the past 20 years (4 times last year) and still love the place. I will admit to not liking Fuengirola much, only went there the once. But just a few miles down the road, Benalmadena and Arroyo de la Miel, offer so much more. If you realised Fuengirola was not your scene, why didn't you organise a few trips out of it, and appreciate some of the good things the area has to offer. There are many lovely places, easily accessible by bus, train or coach which would have given you a completely different opinion of the Costa del Sol and Andalucia generally. By your own admission you say you went to 2 British bars. Why? You were in Spain, and if you were to use the Spanish bars and restaurants, not only would you get better service at a cheaper price, but you would not have to endure "Eastenders", "footie" & "cocaine", as you put it. I have visited the Costa Brava & Costa Blanca many times and, while I like what both have to offer, the Costa del Sol is still my favourite destination. Please don't let this one bad holiday put you off, as you will be missing so much that is good about this part of Spain. Personally I can't wait for October, and my next visit.

Personally I think your mind was made up even beofre you arrived, YOU certainly did visit all the tourist places, you only get what you pay for, Fuengirola is no better or worse than any other tourist area, take Blackpool, Skegness, Brighton, all chips shops, ciggy ends, terrible old pubs........stale old comics trying to make there 500th comeback appareance on the end of piers......... I have lived here for 26 years, married to a spaniard, would never go bck to the uk for ANYTHING!!! not even to collect a winning lottery ticket! Come again with an open mind, travel further, you will see how different Andalucia really is..........................

i went there last year and i felt the same that it was so tacky and i will never go back

I have been and like you will never go back. I feel sorry for all the Spaniards who live there to have to put up with so many idiots but i guess it cant be helped!

i have been to Los Boliches on costa del sol and loved it returning next year, met some great spanish people.

sorry to hear you had such an awful time but it sounds to me you did not research the area you booked.i have been going there with my family for ten years now and have never had a bad holiday .my kids are older teenagers and are planning to go there themselves as they still love it.always stayed in benalmadena though.but i always believed a holiday is what you make if you are not enjoying yourself find something while there that you will enjoy.as the costa del sol and surrounding areas have so much to offer other than pubs and drugs like most place in the uk you can always find these places if you look for them.

Hi Harry x. Forgot to tell you about that! The oldies reading their Daily Mails, checking the lottery numbers and relaxing with a cup of tea in a British bar to watch the soaps, and the young ones fighting each other at the Brit all-nighters. The Spanish are in all grateful for the British pound, but as you hint, maybe they are paying for it big time. Lots of Brits are fed up with the costa del Sol now, and jetting off to Bulgaria, Turkey and the like. You know what will happen there. They'll try to turn that into a European Blackpool (like Torremolinos and Feungirola) and make the locals mad! Hope your trips to Nogalera made it better for you!! xx