Fuengirola

Fuengirola is one of the most important tourist towns on the eastern Costa de Sol, its municipal area extending almost eleven square kilometres along the coast between Benalm?dena and Mijas. The northeast boundary is the Arroyo del Jard?n stream, and the south–eastern one is at the mouth of the Fuengirola River. In the extreme north the terrain is mountainous, speckled with housing developments. The area offers the best in tourism: beautiful landscape and everything for the tourist from the best restaurants to the top hotels, and a great deal more besides. Add to this the big marina, the nightspots and the numerous bars, and one has a very privileged town. The origin of the name is probably Spanish rather than Roman or Moorish, having no connection whatsoever with the Roman Suel or Arabic Sohail and deriving from a type of ship that used to dock here. The Phoenicians settled here on the hill outside the present town centre that the Romans later built a castle on, calling it Suel, and this soon became the focal point of the settlement. It also became an important part of the defensive line against pirate attacks from the coast. The ruins of the castle can be clearly seen on the hill from the main coast road into the town from Marbella. Fuengirola became an independent municipality in the 1953, quickly growing into the busy tourist town it is today. Among the most important of the archaeological remains in the municipality are the Roman hot baths at Torreblanca, the remains of various Roman roads in the area, Ca?ada Real and the marble pieces found in the Mijas quarries. These were used to build a monument in the form of a temple in the Plaza de Castilla in Los Boliches. The Visigoths were, in fact, the first to settle here, but more in passing than as permanent residents. The Moorish presence was consolidated from the 8 th century onwards, and evidence of their settlements is the burial ground discovered near the hot springs at Torreblanca. It was from this period that we get the name Sohail, a bastardisation of the Latin Suel. It was destroyed in a Viking raid in 858, and the people took refuge in Mijas. It was not until the 10 th century that the Cordoba leader, Abderram?n III, reconstructed the fortress and re-built the urban centre, and it remained in Moorish hands until captured by the Christians in 1487. The castle was reconstructed again in the 18 th century with the aim of fighting smugglers in the area, and from then on the town became an important supply centre for ships sailing towards the Straits of Gibrtaltar. It was at this time that the place became definitively known as Fuengirola, the name deriving from a Genoa ship called a "girona", that frequently made harbour here, trading in groceries (boliches). Thus the name Los Boliches, formerly separate from but now forming part of the same urban area as Fuengirola.
FIESTAS
FIESTAS
The big festival in Fuengirola is the feria in honour of the Virgen del Rosario, and it takes place in October. The Holy Week celebrations are very important here too, as is the noche de San Juan, the night of San Juan, which takes place at the summer solstice. Another event not to be missed is the festival of the Virgen del Carmen, patron saint of the sea. During the month of August there are a number of festivals and cultural activities, such as the Festival Ciudad de Fuengirola, which takes place in the castle.

GASTRONOMY
The cuisine of Fuengirola is what one would expect in any cosmopolitan place like this: the best of traditional fare with the best of international cooking to suit the sophisticated taste of the many thousands of foreign tourists that come here every year. The traditional cuisine of the area is based on fish and seafood, with sardines on the spit and fish cooked in salt the favourites. One of the best areas for restaurants is along the esplanade itself.
Markets and Shopping,
There are probably more shops in Fuengirola than any of the other coastal resort towns on the Costa del Sol, and all the large supermarkets in this part of the Costa sell a wide range of UK Foods, There are even a 2 Dunns stores in Fuengirola, 1 in Las Rampas in the town and the other at the top of the town just over the n340, where you will also find a very large "Euromarket" superstore. The newly opened Miramar shopping and cinema complex is also a must for the shoppaholics.There is a large Market hall in Fuengirola situated by the towns rail station.. Probably the coasts largest car boot market is held at Fuengirola on Saturdays at the Ferrier ground Betwee fuengirola and Los boliches.There is also a large produce and general market held here on Tuesdays.
PHONE NUMBERS.
Bus Station 95 247 50 66
Fire Brig. (urgent 080) 95 246 10 46
First Aid/Emergency 95 246 88 35
(nighttime, holidays) 95 246 86 53
Police (urgent 092) 95 258 93 24
Taxi Service 95 247 10 00
Tourist Office 95 246 76 25
Town Hall 95 258 93 00
Foreign Res. dept.95 258 93 78

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