By October British summer time is generally over! The temperature has dropped but the variety of places to visit hasn’t decreased, you just have to be a little more inventive!

European beaches are generally very quiet as the weather can be a little unpredictable, but if you choose a city break destination that is close to a beach, then you may enjoy the best of both worlds; quiet beaches if the weather is warm and dry, and cultural visits and shopping if it is too chilly or wet!  Barcelona and Malaga in Spain both boast historic cities by the sea, or how about Faro in Portugal or Athens in Greece both of which are short distances from beaches and islands, or you could head to the south of France to Nice or Cannes? See our separate blog on more October City Breaks.

If you are thinking of travelling further afield during October, then how about Hawaii, may be with a stop off in either Los Angeles or San Francisco?  A tropical paradise, the island of Kaua’i is north of Ahu where Honolulu is located.  Giant ficus trees, the beautiful Hanakapi’ai Falls, colourful flowers, dramatic rainforest; an island perfect for surfers and walkers!

October holidays exploring the Great Barrier Reef off the east coast of Australia is perfect, staying either in Brisbane or on Hayman Island – or both!  Visit the Koala Sanctuary, take a jeep safari along the Gold Coast, relax on one of the world’s most fabulous beaches on the Whitsunday Islands, snorkel, scuba dive, bungy, kayak…

If the other side of the world is too far, Africa is of course warmer than Europe although October can be very wet especially in Morocco; however the hot and sunny climes of the Red Sea resorts in Egypt such as Sharm El Sheik, Hurghada and Taba boast a very low annual rain fall and can generally be relied on for warm weather, although there may be strong winds.   Should you prefer to holiday in October away from well know resorts, then consider Tanzania and the islands of Mafia or Zanzibar.

Closer to home, and with the October half term holidays approaching, renting a cottage in England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales is worth considering.  Take t-shirts and jumpers, flip flops and wellies, and always waterproof clothes, but if you’re strolling in the Brecon Beacons or dipping your toes in the sea along the Cornish coast, there will always be plenty to do, especially if you take the car or hire car!

You’ve flown into Malaga on the Costa del Sol with easyJet (Monach, BA, Thomas Cook, BMI etc), picked up your airport car hire with easyCar, accommodation; check! Where to now?

Just half an hour from Malaga by road is the bustling Spanish beach resort of Fuengirola; an area offering a huge selection of hotels from 2 to 5 stars, private villas and self-catering apartments built along the five miles of sandy Mediterranean beaches.  A resort popular with both families and groups, there is much to do in Fuengirola!

Starting with the coast, you will discover a number of well maintained sandy EU Blue Flag beaches, namely Torreblanca, Gaviotas and Los Boliches, where areas have been designated for various sand based sports and windsurfing.  A promenade runs behind the back and is ideal for evening strolls as the sun goes down, stopping off at cafes and bars along the way.

For cultural days out in Fuengirola, head to Sohail Castle (or Suhayl) originally built in the 10th century and now often used for festivals and concerts during the summer. There is also the bull ring, Plaza de Toros.
You will find plenty of stores to shop in throughout Fuengirola, including a recently opened shopping centre in the suburb of Las Lagunas.  Restaurants, bars, tapas bars and cafes are well located throughout the resort, with chic dining or fast food emporiums on offer.

Head to the Aqua Park for family days out or Fuengirola Zoo, or how about horse riding or any number of water based activities?  For the golfers there are of course many well known golf courses in the Costa del Sol, with Mijas Golf just a short drive away from Fuengirola.

If wishing to explore further afield, then Puerto Banus and Marbella are a short drive away by car, then there is Malaga city centre, the Caves of Nerja, Alhambra Palace in Granda or day trips to Morocco.

Fly into Malaga with easyJet from a choice of 10 UK airports (or with any schedule, low cost or charter airline), and having prebooked your car hire with easyCar,  jump in and head to the popular Costa del Sol holiday resort of Benalmadenaabout 19 kilometres south west along the Spanish coast.

Divided into three distinct areas, Benalmadena Costa is a purpose built resort stretching for around eight kilometres along the Blue Flag beaches of the Mediterranean Sea between Fuengirola and Torremolinos. Boasting a fantastic nightlife complete with a copious amount of bars and clubs (head to Solimar Plaza), as well as an excellent choice of international restaurants and a multiplex cinema, it is no wonder that the resort is so popular with both British holidaymakers and expats.

Like Puerto Banus, Benalmadena also houses a wealthy marina with over 1,000 berths. This award winning marina is a hive of activity, surrounded by shops and open air bars, hotels, yacht clubs and casinos. A promenade links Benalmadena Marina with the popular resort of Torremolinos, and with plenty of eateries along the way, is the ideal location for an early evening walk.

Families on holiday in Benalmadena will love the Sea Life Centre and Selwo Marina, the Jardin de Las Aguilas (Garden of Eagles) and Tivoli World theme park as well as the Wild West in the Benalmadena area of Arroyo de la Miel, but for spectacular views, take the cable car from the coast up the mountainside overlooking the resort.

Accommodation along the coast is available in abundance and easy to discover when in your hire car, with many high rise hotels and apartment complexes laid out along the long coast and inland – and there is something to suit every budget!

Benalmadena Pueblo is perched above Costa and retains much of its old Spanish style village feel, with whitewashed homes and cobbled streets lined with pretty potted flowers. Whilst there are many modern bars and restaurants here, Spanish tapas may also be enjoyed in more authentic surroundings.

Boasting around 300 days of sunshine every year, flying to Malaga, the gateway to the Costa del Sol in southern Spain, is the ideal choice for a lazy beach holiday or tour of Andalucia at any time of the year!

Arrive at Malaga Airport and collect your cheap car hire prebooked with easyCar of course, and the journey into the city is just eight kilometres via the E 15 motorway, with Torremolinos about seven kilometres away.  You will most likely arrive at Terminal T2 of Malaga Airport (Pablo Ruiz Picasso Terminal) which uses the lower floor for arrivals and the upper floor for departures.  The car rental desks are in the basement which you access via the arrivals area. 

Pick up your car, load up your luggage and your holiday begins!  The roads are very well sign posted so wherever you’re heading, you’ll be there soon..

Known as the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, Malaga is often missed by tourists who are too busy heading straight to their hotels, apartments or villas, but drive back into this coastal beach city and you will discover fantastic shops around the Calle Larios high street and the hillside Gibralfaro castle with its spectacular views over Malaga, pleasant palm tree walks and a bustling harbour. 

History and art enthusiasts will love the thousand year old Alcazaba next to the castle, the Flavian Roman Theatre and Amphitheatre, the Malaga cathedrals and museums, and of course, the bull ring. Also the birthplace of actor Antonio Banderas, who is particularly famous for his roles in Evita, The Mask of Zorro, Spy Kids and Shrek, drive into Malaga during the third week of August and you can join the festivities of the Feria de Agosto (August Fair)!

Most definitely the busiest airport used by UK residents in Spain, what else can you do when flying into the airport and collecting Malaga car hire?

Well, just follow the coast south west and you will arrive in the bustling Costa del Sol resort of Torremolinos, with its clean sandy beaches, enormous choice of hotels and apartments, all day activities, and all night entertainment. Travel 7 km along the coast and you then arrive in your rental car in Benalmadena.  Particularly popular with British holiday makers, the resort is split into two areas; the old village or Benalmadena Pueblo, and Benalmadena Costa which is the coastal area lined with accommodation and eateries. Fuengirola is a little further on and so easy to visit by hired car, as are the many smaller resorts leading onto Marbella and Puerto Banus or east of Malaga airport, towards Nerja.

Hiring a car in Malaga is the best way to explore the beautiful villages of Andalucia and picturesque inland Pueblo Blanco (white villages) such as Ronda, Cortes de la Frontera, Tolox and Istan. 

If you rent a villa with or without a private pool, book an apartment in a complex, or stay in a luxury or budget hotel in Spain, fly to Malaga, pick up your hire car and discover the many beautiful and interesting sights of southern Spain.