Every time an acquaintance comes over here on holiday, the same old question arises: Where should we meet?
For some reason, people always book their stay in Fuengirola and expect me to travel down to meet them.
But here is the thing: I absolutely hate that town.
To me, it’s noisy, dated, and completely lacking in class. It represents the old stereotype of what Spain was twenty years ago, and the town is totally stuck in that time capsule. There is nothing beautiful about a place that feels run down and unrenovated.
I always try my best to convince people to come to Torremolinos instead, and today, I finally succeeded.
The reaction from my guest was absolutely hilarious.
These are people who have gone back to Fuengirola over and over again for their holidays, completely unaware of what else is out there.
Stepping into Torremolinos, their eyes were opened:
“Wow, it’s so clean over here!”
“Why is it so beautiful?”
“Where are all the cars?” (Thanks to a beautifully pedestrianized city center!)
“Oh my god... it’s expensive here.”
This is the future of the Costa del Sol. What you see in Torremolinos today is what the rest of the Malaga region will look like in ten years.
The era of the ultra-cheap beach holiday in this part of Spain is over. The only reason Fuengirola remains cheap is because it hasn't caught up. Meanwhile, Torremolinos is moving forward by tearing down old structures one by one and completely renovating the town.
The local beach chiringuitos have transformed into quiet luxury spaces where you can genuinely enjoy the views, the atmosphere, the fantastic food, and the premium service. Yes, it comes with a higher price tag, but this elevated experience is exactly what I want.
From now on, I am standing my ground. I won't be commuting down the coast to a place that drains my energy.
If people want to meet up, they can come over here and experience the upgrade for themselves.
And as for me? No, I am definitely not moving back to Finland nor Fuengirola. Don't even ask.