Did You Know?... Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga in 1881. Today his former home in Plaza de la Merced is open to the public along with a new museum devoted to his work.

Transport: The most flexible means of transport is to hire a small car. Car hire prices on the Costa del Sol are very cheap compared to other destinations.

Attractions: Besides the beaches the area has many other beautiful sites to see off the coastline, such as: The famous white villages of Andalusia, Ronda, with its spectacular gorge, and El Chorro - a pretty inland reservoir and gorge.

Patron Saint: Marbella pays homage to its patron saint, San Bernabé, with a week of festivities, music, dancing and general fun. With over 300 days of sunshine, visit anytime. The sea is warm year round - the average temp of 18°C; rises to above 24°C in August.

Things you must seek out: Malaga's authentic tapas bars; the celeb-tastic marina of Puerto Banus; Marbella's designer boutiques; a round in any of the 40 golf courses; the rustic Pueblos Blancos, and Moorish Granada, Cordoba and Seville.

Food: Taste the subtle beauty of cold ajoblanco soup, made with almonds and garlic. Garlic is fine if you both do it! It is most delicious in Ronda, an inland town high in the mountains and perfect for a day trip from the coast.

Arcos de la Frontera: Seek out the beautifully preserved old town of Arcos de la Frontera, the archetype of the 'Pueblos Blancos' ('White Villages') which Romans, Visigoths and Moors all called home. The white-washed town f Gaucin, near Ronda, is less touristy, but just as beautiful. On a clear day you can see all the way to Morocco.

Best Beaches: Rada in Estepona is in the centre of the town's seaside promenade. Very popular, the marina is found at the western end. El Salon, Nerja - A secluded beauty of a bay with lovely white sand. Puerto Banus - The beach has ramps onto the sand and is backed by a promenade with cafés.

The Costa del Sol: Well developed for children. The summer sun is very hot between 2pm-4pm so it is best to adopt the Spanish siesta routine. Babysitters are often available through your hotel or tour operator, but since children are welcomed in restaurants at dinner, it may not feel necessary.

Torremolinos: The largest of the Costa's resorts - Benalmadena with its chic new Puerto Marina - Fuengirola the up-and-coming resort - Mijas with its breathtaking village (Mijas Pueblo) perched on the Mountainside and its rambling beaches and urbanizations (Mijas Costa) - Marbella and Puerto Banus, the choice of the rich and famous - and Nerja, the most popular destination to the east of Malaga.

Blue Flag Beaches: La Cala in Mijas is an 800m Blue Flag beach with lifeguards in summer, easily accessed on a paved walkway for pushchairs with pretty fishing boats in view. Playa de Las Acacias, Pedregalejo and El Palo are an interlinked cluster of beaches in Malaga which attract many Spanish families. Waters are calm here and play areas ideal for young children.

Spring: Come in spring or autumn for balmy temperatures but beware the occasional shower. Most shops close for a long siesta so shop between 10am-2pm and 5.30pm-9pm. Many banks open mornings only.

Costa del Golf: Play the Ryder Cup course Valderrama.

Seville Cathedral: The biggest Gothic cathedral in the world.

Cordova Mosque: Rows of red-and-white striped, horseshoe arches.

The Alpujarras: Paradise on earth say the Moors.

The Alhambra: Granada's amazing UNESCO Moorish palace.

Feast of St John: Throughout the different barrios (neighbourhoods) of Málaga, spectacular goings-on celebrate the Feast of St John (San Juan). The fiesta is a pagan tradition given Christian sanction for it dates back to an ancient celebration of the Midsummer Solstice. It is a festival of bonfires and mayhem in the streets, echoed all over Spain.

Theme Park: Tivoli World in Fuengirola is the Costa del Sol's best theme park; there are waterparks in both Torremolinos and Nerja; Benalmádena has a Sealife Aquarium; horse lovers should see the Andalusian horse displays at El Ranchito near Torremolinos. Estepona is home to the exciting SELWO Safari Park with 200 species of animals including elephants, giraffes and buffalo.