Can't speak for Arroyo as I haven't been there often but I live in Los Boliche
s, Fuengirola and for us personally it's been difficult to integrate here despite being able to speak reasonable Spanish! it's full of Brits, Scandinavians and Finnish people too. Perhaps the invasion of this former fishing Village has created a lack of enthusiasm for the locals to mix?!. it is very touristy but mostly Spanish tourists coming down from Cordoba, Madrid etc. in the Summer and the blue-rinse brigade from UK in the Winter!. It is possible to feel like you're in Spain if you want to by exploring the back streets etc especially in Fuengirola but along the Paseo it's kind of like Little Britain so I guess you can have the best of both worlds?. I feel better by visiting Malaga and east of Malaga often for a fix of friendly Spanish speaking practice! the areas of pedregalejo and el palo are great and also the city centre has a lovely atmosphere. I have heard good things about both Arroyo and Torremolinos so I think you've made a good choice, personally I'm not a big fan of Benalmadena Costa or Pueblo.

Sshh...don't tell everyone

Sorry!

It's hardly a secret, it it? Especially El Palo!

Wasnt like that when I went there in the middle of August on a Saturday. There was hardly anyone there

oi!!! - don't diss the "blue rinse brigade" - my aunts have those and have been goin to spain since the 60's, they love winters there - exit stage left singin.............."una paloma blanca"

That photo made me smile. I like the spanish but not when I am on the beaches, prefer ex-pats anyday! The spanish with their tents, 20 relatives including 12 kids The shouting , the screaming etc. makes a few Essex familes seem refined

Maybe you should stick to Blackpool then if you prefer hanging around with Brits

I love seeing families having such fun whaever the nationality. One of the reasons I love Spain

Awwww wasn't dissin just commenting....have a lotta love for them! personally prefer them to the Madrileños that invade in the Summer

I agree with you on that one! but I'm not a big fan of noisy kids so maybe that's why? I'm probably a bit of a misery but I like my own space hence the move to a casa in the campo!

Being surrounded by noisy happy Spanish families (providing none of them starts up a transistor radio full volume) is my idea of beach heaven because that means there are lots of noisy happy Spanish kids for 7yo to muck in with.... far rather heś immersed in Spanish language most of the time, & the families are very ´communal´ in the sense of everyone looking out for everyone else´s kids - IME, anyway.


oh, and I didn´t mean El Palo was a secret, far from it as the pic shows -- but it´s not exactly a foreign tourist haven & long may it stay that way!

Absolutely on all counts

And by the way, noisy children make happy children which make happy adults

Britain already comes bottom of the child happyness polls partly because they are meant to be seen but not heard and adults cant be bothered to engage with them. Children are part of society, I say no to segregation!

I was reading an important sociology book the other day which said many adults with hangups have them because their parents were too authoritarian. When children have to follow rules that make them unhappy they grow up feeling resentful agaist everyone who didnt have to grow up like them i.e. the hatred that racists and bigots feel to people who do not look, act, speak or dress like them.

They have a burning hatred of people who appear to be happy and dont have to impose the self-control that has been imposed upon them in their upbringing.

Makes sense to me

Blimey quite deep! all this just from a comment regards not liking busy beaches with too many people (either Brits or Spanish both as bad) when I said 'noisy kids' I just meant kids generally hehe. I have no children and have no wish to have children so maybe that's why I should leave you all to it I think!

Nothing personal against you I just wanted to share that thought, quite often I've heard from British people about just how noisy and rowdy Spanish children are. Especially at restaurants, I guess they feel guilty becuase their kids went to bed at 7pm and are with the babysitter (not all British parents either!)

Of course everyone is free to have or have not children and to decide how to bring them up

Yes....... ish. I love seeing Spanish kids being so much more part of the scenery than many British kids are, though I´d stop short of the point about noise/rowdiness in restaurants. My 7yo comes out with us in the evening occasionally, lunchtimes often, and has his moments but is usually quite a bit quieter & does less of the running around within the restaurant than the Spanish kids. Does that make him repressed or boring, no it means we´ve instilled maybe different principles to those specific parents, namely that you´re considerate to other diners & don´t disturb them too much.

Anyway, that´s not just slightly off topic itś way way off - sorry