Why go
The landscape explains why neighbouring places can feel unexpectedly different. The Sierras de Tejeda and Almijara rise behind the east, while Sierra de Mijas, Sierra Blanca and Sierra Bermeja frame western sections. Seeing a beach, a river mouth and a cliff area gives a truer picture of this coast than following sand alone.
The full story
Ranges of the Penibaetic system run roughly parallel to the shore and form the Costa del Sol’s northern backdrop. In the east, the Sierras de Tejeda and Almijara and the Montes de Málaga shape the approach to the sea. Farther west, Sierra de Mijas, Sierra Alpujata and Sierra Blanca continue the chain, followed by Sierra Bermeja and Sierra Crestellina. Between these heights and the Mediterranean lies a slim, varied coastal zone. Sandy beaches occupy much of it, but rocky stretches appear near several towns and become especially striking around the cliffs of Maro by Nerja. River mouths, small bays and dunes add further changes. Many rivers are short and seasonal, so their valleys and estuaries are modest compared with the mountain wall behind them. The close spacing of these features is the point to notice: from a seaside promenade, the slopes are seldom far away, and an inland viewpoint can reveal how little flat land separates them from the water.