In the city of Marbella, a resort area on southern Spain’s Costa del Sol

 The Costa del Sol ("Coast of the Sun") is a region in the south of Spain in the autonomous community of Andalusia, comprising the coastal towns and communities along the coastline of the Province of Málaga and the eastern part of Campo de Gibraltar in Cádiz. Formerly made up only of a series of small fishing settlements, today the region is a world-renowned tourist destination.

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(on the Mediterranean Sea, between Málaga and the Strait of Gibraltar, in the foothills of the Sierra Blanca) Andalusia possesses the most-varied terrain and vegetation in all of Spain. Striking contrasts exist between alpine mountains and pine forests at high elevations, arid and barren deserts, and irrigated plains that support plantations of subtropical fruits. The topography of Andalusia is divided by mountain ranges into several distinct zones, each running southwest to northeast. The Sierra Morena is the northernmost range, crossing the northern parts of the provinces of Huelva, Sevilla, Córdoba, and Jaén. In southeastern Andalusia the land rises abruptly to the Baetic Cordillera, one range of which, the Sierra Nevada, contains the highest elevations in the Iberian Peninsula south of the Pyrenees. Lying between the Sierra Morena and the Baetic Cordillera is the heart of Andalusia, the Guadalquivir River basin and its plains. The river’s lower basin, known as La Campiña, is the most densely settled and agriculturally productive part of Andalusia.

+ Extending east and west from the city of Málaga along the Mediterranean coast is the Costa del Sol, which is one of Spain’s most popular tourist rivieras.

+ The population of western Andalusia has traditionally been concentrated in the large rural towns, but in modern times the population has concentrated more in the provincial capitals.

+ Shown here, is Marbella, the Costa del Sol’s bastion of bling. which is (like most towns along this stretch of coast, a two-sided coin). Standing center stage in the tourist showroom is the "Golden Mile," an extravagant collection of star-studded clubs, shiny restaurants and upscale hotels stretching as far as Puerto Banús, the flashiest marina on the coast. where black-tinted Mercs slide along a quay populated by luxury yachts. One of the best-known resorts on the Costa del Sol. Marbella's beaches, night clubs, and luxury venues are famous around the world. It is popular on the Andalusian coast for the climate, natural settings, coast, important sports complexes, and above all the friendliness of its people.

Its northern half lies on the Andalusian plain, while its southern half is mountainous and rises steeply from the coast, along which there is a narrow strip of lowland. The Alhama Mountains separate Málaga from Granada to the east, and not far from the Cádiz boundary, to the west, the ridges of Ronda, Mijas, Tolox, and Bermeja converge to form a summit, Mount Torrecilla (at 6,296 feet [1,919 meters]). The principal rivers in Málaga are the Guadalhorce and the Guadiaro.