A town in Spain’s Costa del Sol has been nicknamed “Little Finland” for becoming home over the years to one of the largest Finnish expat communities in the world.
The town of Fuengirola, part of the province of Malaga, is famous for its sandy beaches, subtropical climate and medieval Moorish fortress.
It is one of the many resorts in the Andalusia region visited by British tourists who want a holiday filled with sun and relaxation.
But since the 1970s, it has been attracting also several tourists from northern Europe – many of whom decided to make Fuengirola their new home.
The latest census data showed there are around 5,000 Finnish nationals living in the coastal town, mostly settled in the neighbourhood of Los Pacos.
The figure of nationals from Finland, however, may be much higher during the winter, when many Finnish citizens escape the freezing Nordic cold and head to their second homes in Spain.
As they only remain in the coastal town for a few months, many of these temporary expats don’t register their presence in Fuengirola.
The large Finnish presence can be noticed in several areas around the town counting a total population of a little over 75,000 residents.
Many supermarkets and shops scattered around Fuengirola sell plenty of Finnish products. The town is also home to churches and, since 1991, a Finnish school following the Finnish Education Act.
In Los Pacos, the main street has been named Avenida Finlandia in a tribute to the many expats from Finland living nearby.
The Finnish language can be often heard spoken in the streets of Los Pacos. Moreover, Finns can read local and national news in their own language, with a few Spanish-based newspapers and magazines being published in Finnish.
The fact many Finnish nationals flock to Fuengirola during the winter months, when most tourists are not visiting the town, makes these expats a particularly important part of the local economy.
The popularity of Fuengirola among Finns may be due to two factors – the decision in the 1970s by Teuvo Raimo Hakulinen to create in Fuengirola a space where his country’s elite athletes could train during the winter months, and the fact that Finnish airline Finnair made this town its first Spanish destination.