Photographing the Milky Way from the Costa del Sol

Do you fancy yourself as a great nature photographer? Are you a fan of star gazing? Well this might be your last chance this summer to capture some snaps of the Milky Way.

Winners of the Milky Way photography competition of the year award have already been announced for 2024, but if you fancy your hand at entering the 2025 competition, now is the time to start practising. But with the amount of light pollution generated by the Costa del Sol, the question is where to capture the best images. Three sites, not all that far from the South Coast, offer some spectacular views of the heavens at this time of year, and you might just be in time to catch the Milky Way from there.

3 of the best spots to photograph the Milky Way

In Yunquera, Sierra de las Nieves natural park, you will find one of the best spots for clear star gazing. At around 550 metres above sea level, with little light pollution, and accessible by car, this enclave has all the basic requirements to enjoy the magic of the cosmos.

Lagar de Torrijos, in the Montes de Malaga, is a space that has plenty of nearby viewing points. But, if you prefer to do a guided activity, every Thursday the company Quiero Aventura, holds a meeting where you can contemplate the stars, nebulas, planets and satellites through a clear sky.

The town of Serrato in Malaga province has a very favourable sky for stargazing, or at least that is what several specialised astronomy groups in Spain recommend it. At 560 meters above sea level, it has numerous mountain ranges that prevent the wind from passing through and being an obstacle to seeing the constellations.

You can download the latest calendars to know when in the world are the best nights to see the Milky Way from capturethegalaxy.com.