Spain continues to be Swedes' number one destination when going on a sun holiday. Mallorca and the Canary Islands may feel a bit outdated, but the fantastic country offers so much else! In this article, we have selected our favourites.
Sun holiday 2024 – Spain's ten hottest cities and areas this year
The best destination for a sun holiday in Spain in 2024 for those looking for a cosmopolitan experience as well as sun and swimming is:
1. Malaga , which for several years was seen by many as a transit city. However, the city has invested heavily in new projects (with new boulevards, theater districts, metro, shopping centers etc.) and Malaga is now a weekend destination on a par with Barcelona and Berlin. In recent years, it has, among other things, gained a new beautiful marina, with shops, nightclubs and restaurants. Several restaurants have also been awarded a Michelin star. However, we prefer one of Malaga's all, absolutely awesome and insanely cheap tapas bars.
2. Nerja on the eastern Costa del Sol with its fantastic caves, the 'Californian' landscape, the floral splendor and the generally very low prices in the town's lovely restaurants is a perennial favourite. The city's finest holiday area is Capistrano Village, a timelessly beautiful but unpretentious gem that has now also become something of a "hotspot" for Swedes who want to make a good investment (rental income is high and housing is cheap in the wake of the crash). Incidentally, Nerja received a heavy prize recently when the city ended up in 4th place on TripAdvisor's list of "Top Destinations on the Rise - Europe" and also ended up in a fantastic 9th place in the international ranking for "Traveller's Choice Rankings". They have also invested heavily in the infrastructure, in treatment plants, natural areas and safer and cleaner beaches. The city has also been one of the tourist destinations that worked hardest for safe tourism in connection with the Corona crisis. Since before, they have invested heavily in sustainable tourism.
3. If you want to feel the wings of history beat even stronger, you should visit the insanely beautiful city of Seville , which was perhaps the absolute center of the world when Spain was at its richest, when the conquistadors put new continents under their feet and the city was called the "Capital of the World". Spain's golden age is well preserved in the historical splendor that is Seville. According to Lonely Planet's (the world's largest travel magazine) list of "Top 10 world cities to visit" as recently as two years ago, Seville was number 1. That says a lot.
4. Basque San Sebastian is rightly called the culinary capital of Europe. No other area has as many Michelin restaurants per capita. It also doesn't hurt that San Sebastian has one of the world's most beautiful "city beaches". Here, there are also great opportunities to try surfing the Atlantic waves. In a major international survey, the city was recently named the world's fifth best city to live in. In addition, San Sebastian was also the "Cultural Capital of Europe" last year and was further upgraded in connection with that. Crux? That it is not so easy to get there every time.
5. Girona , about 10 miles from Barcelona, is also a really nice place. Don't miss Girona's best restaurants, Les Magnolies and Els Brancs, which were recently awarded a Michelin star each. Our broker, who has visited all of Spain, says that Girona is a real highlight.
6. Do you want to combine a big city experience with a bath? Barcelona. The only reason why we put the city a little further down the list is that it is getting tired. Tourism is so widespread that the city has begun to take measures to stop it.
7. Cadiz is a nice old town. The New York Times agrees and added it to its list of “52 places to visit in the world in 2019”.
8. Marbella on the western Sunshine Coast is a better-dressed glamor queen who still spreads some jet-set glamor over the sun holiday. Slightly more expensive prices for food and drink and accommodation compared to Nerja which is on the east side, but walking around the port of Puerto banus and admiring the luxury boats is worth it.
9. Alicante and its surroundings are nice and affordable, and last year it became even easier to get there when Norwegian started flying from both Umeå and Karlstad. Guide to the city of Alicante.
10. Our broker has lived in Spain for almost 20 years and in his work has traveled all over the country - several times. His favorite city? Cordoba, the old city in Andalusia that offers perhaps the country's best tapas and beautiful old historic quarters and palaces.
Tips on where you can book last minute sun vacations to Spain.
Rent an apartment or house cheaply.
Overview of new development Costa del Sol (Malaga province plus Costa Tropical).