Everyone thinks they know the Spanish Costas – with fond memories based on childhood holidays with family and fun-filled breaks with friends. But it’s time to think again.
With around 3,000 miles of mainland coastline, skirting the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, there is a huge variety to choose from when planning a holiday – and quite a few more secretly sandwiched between the main 13 considered in this list.
In recent years, visitors have witnessed the most well-established destinations shift into the 21st century, with hotel revamps that have replaced the pine and patterns of old with a soothing neutral vibe, adding juice and coffee bars, food trucks and yoga decks.
With peak summer temperatures deterring some, it’s never been easier to visit earlier or later in the year, too. An increasing number of hotels in resorts are extending their seasons – with some opening all year round to cater for people who want to cycle, hike or go birdwatching rather than spend most of their time on a beach.
I really recommend the northern coast, which has long been popular with Spanish holidaymakers who go for the more pleasant summer temperatures, the wilder beaches and the superb food.
There’s always another chunk of Spain’s coastline to explore. Here’s my review of each of the major Spanish Costas, from the Atlantic to the Med.
Costa de AlmeríaBest for back-to-nature beaches
The volcanic landscape of the Cabo de Gata-Níjar coastal nature reserve – Luis Dafos
Stretching for 135 miles in the east of Andalusía, bordering the Tabernas desert, this is the driest and hottest coast in Spain. Resorts include Almerimar, Roquetas de Mar and the more characterful Mojácar. For a more natural environment, my favourite area to stay is the Cabo de Gata-Níjar coastal nature reserve, where the landscape has been formed by a series of volcanic eruptions over the centuries. Mónsul, Los Genoveses, El Playazo and Los Muertos are the highlights of around 30 terrific beaches with crystalline water. You can even take a guided jeep tour to see and learn about the volcanic landscape and mesmerising geology of Cabo de Gata. There are small hotels in and around San José, Las Negras and Agua Amarga.
How to do it
The romantic Cortijo Boutique Siete Calas close to Playazo beach, has double rooms from £165, including breakfast. You can fly from London and regional airports to Almería with airlines including easyJet and Ryanair from £40 return.
Costa TropicalBest for secret coves
Explore the coves along the Cerro Gordo stretch
Avocados and mangos grow on the hillsides along the coast in the province of Granada, which is protected by the Sierra Nevada. Coves backed by cliffs have excellent conditions for diving and kayaking, particularly El Cañuelo on the Cerro Gordo stretch – don’t be put off by the greyish sand. Stay in Almuñécar, which was an important town in Phoenician and Roman times, the hilltop town of Salobreña or La Herradura. Drive up to the Alpujarras for superb hiking and views across to Morocco.
How to do it
Casa de los Bates, an elegant 19th-century country house with lush gardens near Salobreña, has doubles from £112, including breakfast. You can fly from most UK airports to Malaga with airlines including British Airways and Vueling from £40 return.
Costa del AzaharBest for a Spanish vibe
Peñíscola is an attractive seaside town with a castle
Citrus orchards border the sprawling sands along the Costa del Azahar – the orange blossom coast – in the province of Castellón in the north of the Valencia region. Laid-back resorts include Vinarós, Benicarló, Oropesa del Mar and Benicàssim, where one of Spain’s best music festivals, FIB, is held every summer (July 16 to 18, 2026). Peñíscola is an attractive seaside town with a castle you may recognise from Game of Thrones. Take a boat trip to the Islas Columbretes for superb snorkelling and diving conditions.
How to do it
The new Palladium Hotel Peñíscola with a spa and a rooftop bar, is close to the beach and old town. Double rooms from £92, including breakfast. You can fly from London Stansted to Castellón-Costa Azahar airport with Ryanair from £32 return.
Costa CálidaBest for shoulder season sun
Águilas has many coves and beaches to explore – KarSol
Parts of the “warm coast” in the Murcia region are remarkably unspoilt, with idyllic beaches such as Calblanque, Calnegre and the Cuatro Calas (four coves), a beautiful area in the south near Águilas. The Mar Menor is a huge lagoon separated from the Mediterranean by La Manga, a 15-mile spit of land that is lined with holiday accommodation. For a bit of culture, the cities of Cartagena and Murcia are both rich in history. In San Pedro de Pinatar at the top end of the Mar Menor, you can slather yourself with mineral-rich mud for a natural spa treatment.
How to do it
The Colina del Emperador boutique hotel on La Manga has double rooms from £115, including breakfast. You can fly from London and regional airports to Murcia International airport with Ryanair and Easyjet from £30 return.
Costa Verde de AsturiasBest for a coastal and countryside combo
The coast in Asturias offers green hills and golden sandy beaches
Green hills rise up just behind the coast in Asturias, with apple orchards and emerald meadows in between. Crescents of white sand are backed by cliffs along the 200 miles of coastline on the Bay of Biscay, with dainty seaside towns and villages, such as Cudillero and Llanes, along the way. You can hike through spectacular scenery in the morning and flop on an idyllic beach in the afternoon. Children love finding the traces of dinosaurs on the stretch known as the Jurassic coast around the fishing village of Lastres. Be sure to gorge on Asturian artisan cheeses, particularly the pungent blue Cabrales.
How to do it
The CoolRooms Palacio de Luces hotel, a palatial residence just outside Lastres with an excellent restaurant, has double rooms from £192, room only. You can fly from London Gatwick to Asturias with Vueling from £64 return.
Costa de CantabriaBest for surfing on unspoilt beaches
Cantabria’s more than 90 beaches are popular with surfers
On the north coast, tucked between Asturias and the Basque Country, Cantabria manages to pack more than 90 beaches into its 140 miles of coastline, including a string of gorgeous bays in the elegant city Santander, the regional capital – great for a summer break if you’re not really a resort person. The Oyambre Nature Reserve is popular with birdwatchers and has pristine sands. The Dunas de Liencres National Park and the Costa Quebrada Geological Park form a protected area with sculptural rock formations and beaches that are good for surfing. Just south of Santander, an old mine is now an animal park where Cantabrian brown bears, elephants and tigers roam around a landscape of eerie limestone pinnacles.
How to do it
El Castillo de los Locos overlooking the beach in Suances near Santander has double rooms from £92, including breakfast. You can fly from London Stansted, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Dublin to Santander with Ryanair from £45 return. Brittany Ferries sails from Plymouth and Portsmouth to Santander.
Costa de GaliciaBest for cooler temperatures
Galicia has the longest coast of any region in Spain – iStockphoto
The coast of Galicia wiggles around the northwestern corner of Spain for 930 miles, the longest of any region in Spain. Oysters and mussels are cultivated in deep inlets known as rías and the long white-sand beaches are reminiscent of both Cornwall and the Caribbean. Temperatures don’t get as sweltering in the south, but the region does get more rain. Albariño wine fans might want to stay in the Rías Baixas, while surfers will prefer the wild shores of the Costa da Morte. The coastal cities of A Coruña and Vigo have fabulous beaches if you aren’t keen on resorts.
How to do it
The glamorous Eurostars Gran Hotel La Toja has a restorative spa with double rooms from £156, including breakfast. Vueling flies from London Gatwick to A Coruña from £90 return and to Santiago de Compostela from £62 return. Ryanair flies from London Stansted to Santiago de Compostela from £65 return. Note: Santiago de Compostela airport is closed until May 27, 2026 for runway renovation work.
Costa DauradaBest for family fun
The resort town of Salou is home to PortAventura theme park – Oleg_P
The “golden coast” – dorada in Spanish and daurada in Catalan – flanks the province of Tarragona in the south of Catalonia. The largest resort, Salou, is handy for the PortAventura theme park, but also makes a great base for trips to the underrated city of Tarragona and the vineyards and villages of the Priorat area. Cambrils, with its gently-shelving beach and lively gastronomic scene, is a favourite for families with young children. Head to the Ebro Delta to visit the mussel and oyster farms in the bay.
How to do it
Jet2 Holidays offers seven nights at the Medplaya Calypso in Salou in June from £538pp, including half board and flights from Manchester (other airports available).
Costa VascaBest for gourmet breaks
Lekeitio is one of the most picturesque little towns on the Costa Vasca – iStockphoto
Travelling along the coast of the Basque Country, you come upon fishing villages such as Santurtzi, Bermeo, Lekeitio and Getaria, and discover fabulous urban and wild beaches too. It’s difficult to eat badly, whether you fancy sardines on the beach, pintxos in a gastrobar or a feast in one of the many Michelin-starred restaurants. Elegant San Sebastián is the gastronomic hub, while vibey Zarautz has the longest beach. In the local bars, make sure to check out the freshly-cooked specials on the blackboards rather than just the tempting pintxos on the counter.
How to do it
The Palacio Arriluce is a sumptuously remodelled grand residence in the waterside Getxo area of Bilbao and has double rooms from £236, room only.
Flights include London Heathrow and Gatwick to Bilbao with Vueling from £90 return, from Bristol and Manchester with easyJet from £80 return and from Luton with Wizzair from £58 return. You can also fly from London City to San Sebastián with British Airways from £88 return. Brittany Ferries sails from Portsmouth to Bilbao.
Costa del SolBest for guaranteed feel-good factor
A sandy beach in Nerja on the Costa del Sol – Mats Anda
Any time of year is good for a break on the Costa del Sol. This 100-mile coastline in Malaga province, from Manilva to Nerja, is great for everything from glamorous poolside cocktails to golf holidays. You may fancy a weekend in Malaga city, focusing on food and art, or spending a few days recharging with yoga on the beach and running along the promenade. The coastal limits are sliding into Cádiz province too, with a cluster of luxury hotels in and around Sotogrande. You can also have a change of scene with a day’s riding, cycling or walking in the Sierra de las Nieves National Park north of Marbella.
How to do it
British Airways Holidays offers four nights at the remodelled Don Carlos Marbella, with a Rafa Nadal tennis centre, from £819pp in June, including breakfast and flights from London Gatwick.
Costa BlancaBest for keeping all generations happy
The Costa Blanca has been a family favourite for more than 50 years – maylat
In the southeast of Spain in Alicante province, the Costa Blanca – “white coast” – has been delivering family holidays for more than 50 years, but is always upping its game. As well as Benidorm, resorts include Denia, Calpe, Altea and El Campello, all with boutique and major hotels. The mountains behind the coast keep it warm for most of the year, as well as providing fantastic cycling and hiking routes. If you like your holiday to have more of an urban vibe, stay in Alicante to alternate sunbathing with tapas bars.
How to do it
Saga Holidays offers seven nights in June from £995pp at the Hotel Port Denia, on an all inclusive basis, with British Airways flights from London Gatwick.
Costa BravaBest for dining and Dalí
There is 3,000 miles of coastline to explore on Spain’s mainland, like Calella de Palafrugell – Marek Stefunko
With emerald pine forests on hillsides around little coves with clear sapphire water, the Costa Brava meets all your Mediterranean idyll fantasies. In the northeast corner of Spain in Girona province, from the border with France down to the resort of Blanes north of Barcelona, the “wild coast” offers everything from full-on resorts such as Lloret de Mar to chic seaside spots including Llafranc, Calella de Palafrugell and Cadaqués, where you can visit Salvador Dalí’s mind-boggling home. The legendary El Bulli may be just a memory, but its influence is discernible in restaurants all along the coast. Walkers will enjoy the Camí de Ronda, a 27-mile hiking trail along the coast from Sant Feliu de Guíxols to Begur, with attractive places to eat and stay along the route.
How to do it
Tui offers seven nights in June from £858pp at the Zel Costa Brava, including breakfast and flights from London and regional airports. The chic hotel overlooks a gorgeous cove near Tossa de Mar.
Costa de la LuzBest for seafood and sherry
The scenic skyline of the ancient city of Cádiz – Roberto Moiola / Sysaworld
The Costa de la Luz faces the Atlantic, with never-ending beaches stretching from the Portuguese border down to the Bay of Algeciras, taking in the Doñana National Park and the ancient city of Cádiz. With culture and natural beauty in spades, it is a great choice for both all-inclusive hotels with plenty of facilities and low-key breaks in seaside towns such as Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Chipiona and Conil de la Frontera. For a boho vibe, Tarifa is a magnet for kiteboarders and windsurfers. The inland hilltop town of Vejer de la Frontera is a gastronomic hotspot. The sheer variety makes it a faultless destination, in my opinion.
How to do it
Jet2 Holidays offers seven nights in June at the Royal Hideaway Sancti Petri from £1.092pp, including breakfast and flights from Manchester (other airports available).
This article was first published in May 2025 and has been revised and updated.