When you think about the Costa del Sol the first things that come to mind are bright sunshine and a deep blue sea. However, there are other characteristic symbols which have left their mark on the Costa del Sol over the years, making it a very unique destination.
A dish: Pescaíto frito
You can savour thousands of flavours in the wonderful dishes on offer on the Costa del Sol. One of the most coveted dishes sold in the dozens of beach bars dotted across the extensive coastline is that of fried fish or pescaíto frito. The anchovy, which even gives its name to the inhabitants of the city of Málaga, who are popularly known as boquerones (the Spanish for anchovies), is without a doubt one of the symbols of the Costa del Sol.
A flower: the Biznaga
If you have to describe the smell of the Costa del Sol, the flower biznaga immediately springs to mind. The biznaga is a ball-shaped bunch of jasmines, painstakingly created by hand flower by flower, inserted in a dry stem, and sold on the streets during the summer by biznagueros. In the evening, the open flowers release an intense intoxicating aroma, which is a pure delight for the senses.
A statue: El Cenachero
A symbolic figure if ever there was one, El Cenachero looks over us from plaza de la Marina in the city of Málaga. This statue was created by Málaga-born artist Jaime Fernández Pimentel, who immortalised the colourful character in 1968. This character is inspired in a real fisherman who sold fish caught in the bay from two baskets that he balanced on each arm. The baskets were called cenachos, hence the name.
A building: La Farola
Near to El Cenachero, also in Málaga, you will find another of its symbols: La Farola. It is a lighthouse located at the Port of Málaga which watches over and lights up the whole coast since it was built in 1817. Directly below is Muelle Uno, an open-air leisure and shopping area which is a must for visitors and which also houses the Pompidou Centre in Málaga.
A festival: Los Verdiales
If the Costa del Sol were a festival it would be to the rhythm of verdiales. This music, of peasant origin, is still played and danced today in many of the villages of the province of Málaga, but especially in those in the Axarquía, Guadalhorce Valley and Montes de Málaga areas. Its big day is 28 December, with the Verdiales Festival, during which the people of Málaga and visitors can enjoy this local cultural event.
