Andalucía home prices rise 9.5% as sales fall
Andalucía recorded 56,505 home sales in the first five months of 2026, a 7.9% drop from the previous year. The average price per square metre rose to €1,788.
Málaga Hoy → · filed by Vernon Marsh
The wire · archive
July 2026
Everything filed in July 2026. Their news, our eyebrow, sources linked as always.
9
days
Friday, 31 July 20264 dispatches
AP-7 Marbella noise barriers cost €13.1m
The Ministry of Transport is executing noise reduction works on the AP-7 Marbella bypass, funded by European recovery funds. The budget for the acoustic barriers is €13.1 million.
Málaga Hoy →Benalmádena opens Tivoli consultation until 18 August
Residents have until 18 August to comment on the Tivoli World overhaul, which adds a shopping centre and two hotels to the amusement park. The developer Tremón must still draft the detailed urban plan after the regional environmental report.
Málaga Hoy →Málaga airport schedules 1,954 flights for August start
Aena has scheduled 1,954 take-offs and landings for the first weekend of August, a 4.3% rise on last year. Eight in ten of these movements are international.
Málaga Hoy →Thursday, 30 July 20266 dispatches
Spanish ATMs add second screen to reverse currency choice
A new confirmation step at Spanish cash machines asks users to accept or reject conversion after selecting euros, where pressing accept locks in the operator's rate. A single €200 withdrawal can cost £10 more than the cardholder's bank rate.
Euro Weekly News → · filed by Vernon Marsh
Málaga tourist apartments hit €260/night in August
Málaga city's tourist apartments average €260 per night this August, with provincial rates at €210, as last-minute bookings push occupancy above 60%. The sector now supplies 465,000 beds; four times the hotel capacity.
Málaga Hoy →Torremolinos tree care tops €1m over four years
The town hall is outsourcing maintenance for 1,337 trees in Los Álamos, citing insufficient internal resources for the required crane work. The two-year contract, extendable by another two, carries a base budget of €252,929.48 per year.
SUR in English →Fuengirola approves 300 new homes for Los Pacos
Fuengirola has granted initial approval for 300 new homes in Los Pacos, splitting the supply between 189 private units and 111 social housing. The project occupies 38,360 square metres of the Cerro del Agua sector, one of the municipality's last major land reserves.
SUR in English →40,000 tickets sold for Cuevas del Becerro home raffle
A €180,000 home in Cuevas del Becerro could be yours for €10, with 40,000 tickets already sold ahead of the October 2026 draw. The winner also gets €20,000 for furniture.
Málaga Hoy →Architect sues over Málaga port tower redesign
José Seguí, unpaid for eight years of drafts on Málaga's port tower, has sued the developers after they replaced him with Pritzker winner David Chipperfield, whose redesign added 28 metres and 35 floors to the contested luxury hotel.
Málaga Hoy →Wednesday, 29 July 202612 dispatches
Marbella development adds pet spa to €70M luxury complex
The Grove's 139-unit San Pedro Alcántara development includes a pet spa among its saltwater pools and rooftop lounge, citing 3.3M registered pets in Andalucía as market rationale. The gym logic: now with shampoo.
SUR in English → · filed by Vernon Marsh
Fuel prices to rise €5-10 per tank as tax cuts phase out
Spanish petrol prices will climb €5-10 per tank in coming weeks as government tax cuts phase out, with pump aid already halved to 15 cents per litre in July.
The Olive Press →Marbella mayor's son fights villa seizure in €230K probe
The mayor's son contests a court order to seize his villa, linked to €230,000 in a money laundering case where prosecutors traced the property's mortgage payment to drug trafficking funds.
The Olive Press →26 fighting cocks seized in Alhaurín el Grande bust
Guardia Civil seized 26 roosters and hens from an illegal breeding operation in Alhaurín el Grande, where birds showed fight injuries and mutilated combs in facilities with 'significant hygiene problems'. The market: not all feathers are decorative.
SUR in English →Andalucía's 2027 budget hits record €31.7B
Andalucía will receive €31.7B in central government transfers next year, an 8% increase over 2026, with potential for €4.8B more if a new financing model passes. The handover: historic.
Málaga Hoy →Calanova Golf residents protest recycling plant impacts
Residents of Calanova Golf urbanisation escalated a four-year battle against a nearby recycling plant, citing five fires, 80-decibel morning noise and health impacts from dust. Their demand: relocation.
Euro Weekly News →Malaga rural homes near 87% August occupancy
Domestic demand for rural holiday homes in inland Malaga is up 30% year-on-year, pushing August bookings to 87% occupancy at an average €2,368 per stay. The essential amenity: a private pool.
SUR in English →Málaga City Hall adjusts €6M budget for Más Cerca salaries
A €6M budget modification includes €1.6M to comply with a TSJA ruling on Más Cerca employee salaries, following an earlier €3.2M payment in April.
Málaga Hoy →Estepona boulevard works near completion
Estepona's EUR 1.36M boulevard project is 60% complete on Avenida Juan Carlos I, with a 300-space municipal car park (EUR 1/day) and pedestrian promenades linking the seafront to the historic centre.
SUR in English →Malagueta beach sees daily illegal camping amid heatwave
An average of 20 people sleep nightly on Malaga's central beach despite coastal law bans, with residents reporting daily thefts and fights alongside the urine and waste left for morning cleaners.
SUR in English →Estepona's El Carmen parking adds 300+ summer spaces
Estepona's new underground car park will open this summer with over 300 spaces, joining the town's existing 2,000 municipal spots at €1 per day.
Málaga Hoy →Mijas beach sundial tracks UV risk
Mijas installed a UV-index sundial on El Bombo beach, using a one-metre shadow to measure radiation levels provided by Spain's meteorological agency. The Soludable project: now with hardware.
SUR in English →Tuesday, 28 July 202625 dispatches
Andalucía's €138M public works stalled by war costs
284 public contracts worth €138M remain unassigned in Andalucía as construction firms reject bids over outdated pricing, with material costs up 42% for bitumen and 41% for energy since March.
Málaga Hoy → · filed by Vernon Marsh
San Roque green hydrogen project back for public review
The €3.07 billion Carteia project, aiming to produce 600,000 tonnes of green ammonia annually, returns to public consultation with minor route and water-supply tweaks. The paperwork: adjusted. The ambition: unchanged.
Málaga Hoy →Andalucía retail sales up 4.2% with 1.1% more jobs
Retail sales in Andalucía rose 4.2% year-on-year in June, outpacing the national average by 1.8 points, while employment in the sector grew 1.1%. The recovery: fractional.
Andalucía Hoy →Torremolinos to build €626K pump track near sports hall
A 4,000m² pump track for bikes and skateboards will join Torremolinos' sports facilities, with a tender budget of €626,356.50. The housing market: unmentioned.
Málaga Hoy →Spain delays rental reform to September
The housing decree, including rent freezes and tenant extensions, has been postponed until at least September after failing to secure parliamentary backing. The current rules: still the only ones.
Euro Weekly News →Marbella beaches reopen after fecal bacteria scare
Three Marbella beaches flagged for elevated intestinal bacteria levels are now cleared for swimming, with the town hall blaming 'inaccurate' social media claims for undue alarm. The water: tested. The narrative: contested.
The Olive Press →Frigiliana mayor, council plead silence in corruption case
The mayor and five councillors of Frigiliana exercised their right to remain silent in court over alleged contract irregularities, citing a late-delivered 1,000-page case file with 'unintelligible' recordings.
SUR in English →Motril Port to handle 40,000 Chinese cars annually
Noatum Automotive plans to import 40,000 Chinese vehicles yearly through Motril Port under a 15-year contract, with BYD, Chery and SAIC models already 21% cheaper than European equivalents. The local gain: three Ro-Ro ramps and a repair centre.
Euro Weekly News →Argentines drive Costa del Sol property demand
450,000 Argentine-born residents now live in Spain, with many settling on the Costa del Sol for permanent homes and schools rather than holiday flats. The market: grateful.
The Olive Press →Málaga rural homes near 87% occupancy in August
Málaga's rural rentals hit 87% occupancy for August, with national demand up 30% year-on-year as international uncertainty drives Spaniards to stay local. The pool: private. The Wi-Fi: non-negotiable.
Málaga Hoy →Andalucía demands action on coastal train, A-7 fixes
The Junta de Andalucía pressed the Transport Ministry to accelerate the coastal train project and address chronic A-7 congestion, citing four years of stagnant talks and 'very timid' progress on rail infrastructure.
Málaga Hoy →Malaga to deploy 1,000 public e-bikes by year-end
Malaga city will tender a €3M/year contract for 1,000 electric bikes and 100 charging stations, with EMT overseeing a pricing model that starts at €0.30 for the first half-hour. The last scheme: remembered.
SUR in English →Estepona's first full marathon registration opens
Estepona's debut marathon on October 11 will cap entries at 3,000 runners, with standard bibs at €60 and VIP packages reaching €160. The course: flat, coastal, and approved by 1,000 international entrants.
Euro Weekly News →Malaga council urges Plaza Mayor to limit late-night hours
The city council voted 10-1 to ask Plaza Mayor and McArthurGlen Designer Outlet to secure staff consent before extending summer shopping hours to midnight. The debate: brief. The motion: passed.
SUR in English →Mijas to add 2,450 parking spaces in construction push
Mijas is awarding contracts for six new car parks totalling 2,450 spaces, alongside a €5.7M public-space repair programme running through 2030. The holiday paradise: paved.
Euro Weekly News →Tenants can exit leases after six months with notice
Spanish rental law allows tenants to terminate contracts after six months with 30 days' notice, though landlords may charge one month's rent per remaining year if specified in the lease.
Málaga Hoy →Sánchez pushes for Málaga rental price controls
The PM calls for Málaga to join Barcelona and Coruña as a 'stressed housing market', citing a 3.5% rent drop in Guipúzcoa under similar measures. The local PP government: unconvinced.
Málaga Hoy →Málaga port's Muelle 8 to get €133M investment by 2029
Spain's government has allocated €133 million to expand Muelle 8, a dock for 250-meter bulk carriers, as part of a €1.3 billion Andalusian port investment plan. The price of progress: nine figures.
Málaga Hoy →Costa del Sol hotels hit record 10.3M overnight stays
Costa del Sol hotels logged 10.3 million overnight stays in the first half of 2026, up 4.2%, with domestic guests driving the rise despite a 9% hike in average room rates to €125.52.
SUR in English →Málaga approves €33M bike-share contract
Málaga's local government has approved a €33.2M contract for a public bike-share system, with 1,000 electric bikes and 100 stations to be rolled out over the next decade. The EMT will oversee the service, which may later expand to 2,000 bikes.
Málaga Hoy →Benalmadena cable car free for locals until 2027
Benalmadena residents can ride the cable car free on the last weekend of each month through February 2027, with a daily cap of 500 tickets and a mandatory promo code requested mid-month.
Euro Weekly News →Malaga job market struggles with workforce surge
Malaga province added 28,400 jobs last quarter, reaching a record 835,500 employed, while unemployment rose by 15,000; the largest increase in Spain. The labour force grew faster than the market could absorb it.
SUR in English →Mijas tests drone cleaning for public buildings
Mijas town hall is piloting drone-cleaning for hard-to-reach municipal surfaces, with a water-filtered UAV now scrubbing the panoramic elevator and town hall facade. The safety measures: a flight permit, a perimeter and a lifeline.
Málaga Hoy →300 Mijas residents lose power as new transformer delayed
A power cut left 300 residents without electricity for 14 hours after a low-voltage grid overload, with Endesa's new transformer still three weeks away. The compensation: pending.
Málaga Hoy →New Vélez-Málaga hospital construction begins in September
The €40M project, set to open in 2028, will include advanced medical equipment and generate 250 jobs at full capacity. The ambition: Axarquía-wide care.
Málaga Hoy →Monday, 27 July 202612 dispatches
Inmho doubles Andalusia property management with 20 firms
Inmho now manages 3,400 communities and 165,000 properties in Andalusia, after absorbing 20 smaller firms in 18 months. The portfolio includes Estepona's Amex, known for its 'VIP clients with very high incomes'.
Málaga Hoy → · filed by Vernon Marsh
Andalucía produces half of Spain's organic food
The region's 1.42 million certified hectares yield more than locals buy: a gap the new 'pioneering' law aims to close.
Málaga Hoy →69.9% of Andalusians have used AI tools
ChatGPT leads at 45.6%, with 63.6% of users logging in multiple times a week. The top use case: work, at 24.3%.
Andalucía Hoy →Montejaque reservoir empties again after storms
The failed 1960s hydroelectric dam, built on porous karst rock, briefly held water after January's storms before draining dry through its cracks: a cycle locals call 'the ghost reservoir'.
Málaga Hoy →Spain grants 800,000 work permits in migrant regularisation
The government approved 70% of 1.17 million applications for residency, issuing 822,000 provisional work permits; nearly double its initial estimate of 500,000.
SUR in English →Family of seven waits for flood aid as officials stay silent
A San Roque family whose home was flooded three times this year has yet to receive the financial help and repairs promised by officials. The paperwork: filed. The response: absent.
Euro Weekly News →Housing named Andalucía's top concern by wide margin
22.2% of Andalusians cite housing access as their main worry, outpacing healthcare (14.3%) and unemployment (13.7%). The margin: decisive.
SUR in English →Benalmádena spends €4.76M of EU tourism fund
The town has delivered 95% of its five-million-euro EU sustainability plan, with seven new shaded seafront areas and 650 trees planted. The remaining 5%: unaccounted.
SUR in English →Private pools now rent by the hour in Spain
A Murcia homeowner earns €400 a day renting his pool to strangers via an online platform. The water: still wet. The business model: less so.
Euro Weekly News →Miniature Museum in Mijas showcases tiny curiosities
The Carromato de Mijas, a museum in a yellow wagon, houses microscopic portraits, fleas dressed in clothes, and a shrunken head traded from a Bantu tribe. Entry: €3.
The Olive Press →600 rental homes planned for Málaga at €377-€496/month
A private fund will build 599 homes on municipal land, with rents set at €7.95/m²; 45% below market rate. The smallest unit: €377/month for 47.5m².
Málaga Hoy →Government delays housing decree to September
The housing decree will not go to cabinet this week, with approval now set for September. The reason: more time is needed for "broad and transversal" agreement.
Andalucía Hoy →Sunday, 26 July 20269 dispatches
Espeto prices range EUR 2-8 across Malaga beaches
The price of six sardines on a stick: EUR 3 in El Palo, EUR 5 in San Andrés, EUR 8 in La Malagueta. The technique: identical.
Málaga Hoy → · filed by Vernon Marsh
Malaga coast removes 15,000 tons of invasive algae
Marbella alone has spent over a million euros this year clearing 10,000 tons of Rugulopterix Okamurae from its 27km shoreline.
Málaga Hoy →Marbella's last 80s music bar holds out in Puerto Deportivo
Arturo’s Bar, Marbella’s last surviving 80s music venue, enters its 43rd year. The rockabilly and rock-and-roll institution resisted Jesús Gil’s 90s crackdown on Puerto Deportivo nightlife.
Málaga Hoy →Atlanterra sewage warnings ignored for years
Health officials advised against swimming at Atlanterra beach after detecting abnormal levels of E. coli and intestinal enterococci; local ecologists say authorities ignored years of warnings about inadequate sewage infrastructure.
Málaga Hoy →Torremolinos contracts €558,711 lift project
A Granada firm will install two lifts and rest areas along the Camino del Agua route for six months' work: €558,711.17, tax included.
SUR in English →PP calls for free toll to ease A-45 summer chaos
The party wants Las Pedrizas toll waived during roadworks, citing 2km tailbacks and calling the AP-7 one of Spain's priciest motorways.
Andalucía Hoy →Vélez-Málaga offers €4,000 grants to new businesses
The town hall will cover 100% of refurbishment, equipment or digitalisation costs for new or relocating businesses in its historic centre: up to €4,000 per project, with no clawback if the venture lasts two years.
SUR in English →El Corte Inglés opens gourmet club in Mijas
A 500-square-metre 'gastronomic destination' with a 65-seat tasting bar opens in Mijas: the Club del Gourmet's selection includes 'bean-to-bar' chocolates and a wine cellar heavy on Andalusian producers.
SUR in English →Palma-Palmilla residents endure five days without power
Residents of the Málaga neighborhood report five days without electricity in peak summer heat, despite paying their bills. The conditions: inhumane. The response: pending.
Málaga Hoy →Saturday, 25 July 20268 dispatches
Costa del Sol traffic congestion hits businesses
The AP-7 motorway, Spain's most expensive toll road, costs commuters €860.20 a month to bypass the A-7's daily gridlock.
Euro Weekly News → · filed by Vernon Marsh
Fuengirola and Mijas under West Nile virus alert
Fuengirola and Mijas' Las Lagunas district join Sevilla's Coria del Río on West Nile alert after virus-carrying mosquitoes turned up in traps; five mild human cases confirmed this season.
Euro Weekly News →Las Cañadas residents protest power cuts during heatwave
Residents took to the streets after another night without electricity: no fans, no air conditioning, and spoiled food in 30°C heat.
Euro Weekly News →Marbella joins Triathlon World Tour 2027
The city will host the fifth leg of the T100 World Championship Tour on 18-19 September 2027, alongside Gold Coast, Singapore, San Francisco, Vancouver, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the French Riviera.
Málaga Hoy →West Nile virus alert declared in Fuengirola and Mijas
The regional government has stepped up mosquito control measures across 15 municipalities, with the alert lasting at least four weeks.
SUR in English →Malaga province hosts Spain's fifth busiest speed camera
A single camera on the A-7 near Rincón de la Victoria issued 45,050 speeding fines in 2025, down from 67,500 the year before. Malaga province ranks fifth nationally for fine revenue: EUR 28.4 million.
SUR in English →Malaga University awarded nearly €10 million for research
The funds will cover multi-year projects from health sciences to humanities, and buy equipment for labs. The university’s position in international rankings: secure.
SUR in English →Hundreds of dead fish at Guadaiza river mouth in Marbella
Hundreds of dead fish have surfaced at the Guadaiza river mouth in Marbella. The cause: under investigation. The timing: peak season.
SUR in English →Friday, 24 July 20267 dispatches
Andalucía sets hotel record with 26.4 million stays
The region saw a 3.59% increase in hotel stays, driven by foreign tourists who accounted for 15.3 million nights. Marbella led with an average room rate of EUR 315.46.
Málaga Hoy → · filed by Vernon Marsh
Torre Sevilla owner prepares for stock market listing
Argis, which bought the 218,000-square-metre complex for EUR 132 million in April, is converting it into a listed real estate investment company.
Málaga Hoy →Jet ski faces €15,000 fine for interfering with ship docking
A jet ski entered Carboneras commercial port and interfered with a cement ship docking. The Maritime Captaincy of Almería has opened a sanctioning file, with fines ranging from €12,000 to €15,000.
Andalucía Hoy →Alcalá approves Hotel Oromana renovation to four-star status
The municipal government has greenlit a full refurbishment of the Hotel Oromana, aiming to upgrade it to four stars and 'consolidate it as one of the main tourist references of the municipality'. The plan includes physical rehabilitation and a new private-sector management model.
Andalucía Hoy →Hotel El Algarrobico nears demolition after 20 years
Carboneras town hall has revoked the construction licence for the 21-storey, 411-room hotel abandoned inside Cabo de Gata-Níjar natural park, and is now legally required to begin demolition. The court stopped construction in 2006; the licence outlived it by twenty years.
The Olive Press →World's first octopus farm project abandoned
A planned facility to farm 3,000 tonnes of octopus annually at Las Palmas port has been withdrawn after five years of environmental assessments and scientific scrutiny of cephalopod sentience.
Euro Weekly News →Malaga v Leicester City match relocated to Marbella
The pre-season friendly moves to Marbella’s Banús Football Center after Leicester deemed Algeciras’ pitch unfit. Capacity: 1,700.
SUR in English →Thursday, 23 July 20266 dispatches
Málaga bans swimming at three city beaches
Pedregalejo, El Palo and Baños del Carmen beaches are closed to swimmers after tests found E. coli levels exceeding legal limits. The source: likely a sewer, but not the ongoing promenade works.
SUR in English → · filed by Vernon Marsh
Málaga province braces for temperatures up to 45°C
The Guadalhorce valley hits 45°C today, with coastal towns peaking at 34-38°C. Aemet's orange warning runs until Friday.
SUR in English →Mijas plans six new car parks
The town hall has commissioned designs for two multi-storey car parks, adding 650 spaces near a school and in Mijas Pueblo. Four more projects will bring the total to 2,450 spaces.
SUR in English →Benalmádena cable car free for residents
Residents can ride for free on the last weekend of each month until 2027: 500 tickets per day, plus a night-time surcharge for astronomy sessions in summer.
SUR in English →Fuengirola scratch card pays out €1m
A €1 'Mega Millonario' scratch card bought from a kiosk in Plaza de la Hispanidad turned out to be worth a thousand times its weight in gold.
Euro Weekly News →Gibraltar expands into disputed waters with Spanish stone
The £1.1 billion Eastside project builds 1,300 luxury homes on reclaimed land, using tens of thousands of tonnes of rock imported through La Línea.
SUR in English →