The Costa del Sol has recently been nicknamed by many as the California of Europe and that’s not because of it’s year round sunshine and endless stretches of beaches with golden sand but because it’s becoming an increasingly popular place to shoot movies. The beautiful bright sunshine and clear Mediterranean Sea make the Costa an ideal location for filming. The south of Spain has been on the movie-makers map for many years, but in recent times the area has become increasingly popular thanks to investment in new studios and increased exposure of new filming locations such as Marbella.

Historically Puerto Banus was the Costa del Sol’s only location that American and European film makers would consider using for the backdrops of their big screen productions, but with new exposure of locations such as Marbella and better facilities the future looks bright for the Costa del Sol film industry, and here’s a selection of some movies, old and new, that have been set and filmed in the Costa del Sol.

Oh Marbella

Oh Marbella is a good old silly English comedy, although much of the jokes and humor are slightly predictable it will somehow still make you laugh. The film follows a group of Brits looking to live the high-life that attracts many to Marbella during their short holiday. Each one has their own disastrous chain of events which leads to a life changing weekend in the Spanish sun.

Oh Marbella was produced by local firm VF Versatile Film and was filmed locally on location. This is the biggest production by VF Versatile Film to date but expect more in future as the company aim to make a name for themselves.

The Business

The Business hit our screens in 2005 and was one of the biggest films of the summer. The Nick Love film was a typical British gangster movie with a healthy blend of comedy. The Business follows the fortunes of a young lad from London who visits the Costa del Sol on a drugs run and ends up staying there to try and make a name for himself on the coast.

Unfortunately for Frankie, the boy in question, things don’t quite go according to plan and just quick as Frankie and his criminal counterparts manage to hit the big time they find their lives come crashing down.

A lively and easy to watch film with plenty of coverage of the beautiful Costa del Sol region, luxury villas and clear swimming pools. Definitely one for the lads!

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is one of the most famous western movies ever made. Produced in 1966 the film was an instant hit across the globe and is just a popular today.
The film takes several twists and turns as it follows the journeys of three cowboys, Tuco (Ugly), Angel Eyes (Bad) and Blondie (Good). The film came under some criticism for the violent acts that were portrayed on screen; however the films producer Sergio Leone claimed that many of the scenes were exaggerated as a tongue-in-check gesture to the other western films of its era.

Although The Good, The Bad and The Ugly was not strictly filmed on the coast of southern Spain it was filmed just a short distance inland from the Costa del Sol, and the studios are now open for visitors at a theme park called ‘Mini Hollywood’ which is certainly worth visiting if your heading for a holiday in the Costa del Sol.