Fuengirola to get a Fairy Tale Park

Located just a short drive from Marbella, the resort of Fuengirola is continuing to add to its attractions, this time introducing a charming idea, a fairy tale park that will delight small visitors and their families. Taking their ideas from some of the traditional fairy tale parks in Germany, which are typically based on Brothers Grimm stories, the park will include displays depicting favourites like Little Red Riding Hood and Puss in Boots.

Mayor Esperanza Oña (PP) announced that the provincial administration has provided EUR 467,922 for the park's creation. In total, the fairy tale park will display eight figures by this autumn and there will also be a number of themed children's playground areas. The park's provisional name is currently Parque Doña Sofía.

Fairy-tale Living

The town of Fuengirola at the Costa del Sol boasts some 8 km of golden sandy beaches and its star attraction are Sohail Castle, its year-round sunshine and subtropical climate and Bioparc Fuengirola, a family amusement park and zoo that attracts huge numbers of visitors every year.

Although Fuengirola is not as picturesque as some of the historic towns and villages along the Costa del Sol or as glamorous as Marbella, it is a popular destination for holiday home buyers, especially as prices tend to be slightly lower here than in Marbella.

The resort is sadly marred by high-rise buildings lining the coast, which even the splendour of the medieval castle can't make up for. However, Fuengirola is rapidly rivalling Marbella with regard to the number of events and festivals taking place and it local attractions.

For those holiday home buyers who look more closely though, there are narrow cobbled streets lined with historic houses and modern low-rise villas that are charming and far from "uniform" in design.

Fantastic Array of Events and Attractions

The town boasts several pleasant parks, has a fantastic marina and yachting harbour, a bullring at Plaza de Toros, Roman ruins and Fuengirola Museum is also well worth a visit, displaying many fine exhibits from the Moorish and Roman occupation of the region. Families will love the Zip Wire adventure at Sohail Castle and the new go-carting circuits that have also opened in Fuengirola.

Year-round Sunshine

With average temperatures between 18 and 30 degrees Celsius for most of the year and some 300 days of sunshine, this stretch of the Costa del Sol is among the most sought-after destination for home buyers in Europe. Fuengirola is just 29 km distance from Marbella, a 24 minute journey by car, but there are also regular bus services from the city centre in Marbella.

Neighbouring Marbella still outshines Fuengirola with regard to local attractions, such as the new inflatable water park at Elviria in the east of Marbella, which is also home to the fantastic Treetop Adventure Park.

Looking for a great Work/Life Experience?

For families with smaller children the new fairy tale park will be a great addition to the things to do and see in the area. At Benalmadena holidaymakers of all ages can enjoy the enchanting Butterfly Park and throughout the region there are adventure and amusement parks, water parks and amazing excursions, some of themed, like wine tours or Ronda Gourmet Excursions, organised by operators Experience Box Spain, famous for their paella cookery classes held in Marbella.

For potential home buyers looking to relocate to this part of the Costa del Sol any addition to the cultural and social calendar is welcome news. With the Spanish economy slowly recovering and more jobs becoming available, more young families will wish to make the move to enjoy an activity-based, outdoor life at the Costa del Sol.

Both resorts, Marbella and nearby Fuengirola, offer a great choice of permanent and holiday homes, from luxury apartments and villas costing more than EUR 1 million to more down-to-earth townhouses and apartments that cost from EUR 150,000 upwards.