Dialysis in Costa del Sol, Spain

The Costa del Sol is one of Europe's most-visited stretches of coastline, which means it is well set up to welcome travellers who need regular dialysis. Whether you are basing yourself in Málaga, Marbella, Fuengirola, Torremolinos or Benalmádena, the list below shows the centres nearest to you. Life on the coast (the warmth, the sea, the food) does not stop because you have a treatment schedule to keep.

Reni coordinates your dialysis while you travel. We list the dialysis centres we can find on the Costa del Sol (across operators). Tell us where and when, and we contact the centres for you, follow up until one confirms your sessions, and help you plan the rest of the trip. The centre provides your treatment, and you book your travel directly with each provider. Finding a centre and arranging your sessions with it is free, and we share your details with a centre only with your consent.

Getting your sessions sorted comes down to five steps:

1. Find a centre. The centres in our directory appear below, so pick the one closest to where you're staying.
2. Send your inquiry. Include your current dialysis schedule, prescription details and travel dates. We contact the centre for you and follow up until it answers, only with your consent.
3. Confirm dates, times and what to bring. The centre replies with available slots. Get your sessions confirmed in writing before you do anything else.
4. Gather your paperwork. Ask your nephrologist or dialysis nurse for everything the centre needs. Leave time; home units can be busy.
5. Travel. With your slots confirmed and your documents in order, you can enjoy the coast with your schedule sorted.

Spain runs a high-standard mix of public and private dialysis units. Most visitors on holiday arrange their sessions with a private or visitor-friendly unit; the public system (Servicio Andaluz de Salud) primarily serves residents and emergencies.

When we last reviewed this guide, our directory listed centres in the places below. The list further down this page comes straight from the directory, so check it for the current centres.

• Málaga: the regional capital, and the closest to the airport.
• Torremolinos: just west of Málaga, beside the airport.
• Marbella: further west, convenient for the Golden Mile and Puerto Banús area.
• Estepona: at the western end of the coast, beyond Marbella.
• Torre del Mar: east of Málaga, in the Axarquía area.

A standard routine is usually three sessions a week of around four hours each, but your schedule is between you and the centre. We don't give medical advice; our job is to help you find the centre and make contact.

Centres typically ask visiting patients for the same core set of documents. Gathering these before you leave is one of the most important things you can do:

• A recent letter or summary from your home unit, including your dialysis prescription and current schedule.
• Recent blood test results.
• Virology and serology results (hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV), routinely required.
• A full list of your medications, including doses and timing.
• Your passport, plus EHIC or GHIC if you have one and it's valid.

How recent your blood and virology results must be is set by the centre that will treat you, and it differs from one centre to another. Ask that centre what it needs, then ask your nephrologist or home unit to arrange the tests to match.

Requirements vary by centre, so confirm the exact list when you make contact.

Málaga Airport (AGP) is one of Spain's busiest international airports, with direct flights year-round from the UK, Germany and across northern Europe.

• Distance: just 8 km southwest of central Málaga, with taxis, airport buses and car hire on site.
• Road network: the AP-7 motorway runs the full length of the coast, linking every town from Málaga to Estepona.
• Worth asking: when you contact a centre, ask how other visiting patients usually get there and whether there is parking.

The Costa del Sol sees its biggest influx of visitors between June and September, and dialysis capacity is finite. Semana Santa (Easter week) also brings a sharp surge.

The golden rule: get your sessions confirmed in writing before you book flights or accommodation. Changing flights is expensive and stressful; confirming dialysis first keeps you in control.

The coast's mild winters make it a genuinely year-round destination, and outside the summer peak there is generally more room. Still, it is always better to arrange before you arrive rather than on the day.

Availability, what to bring, languages spoken and any costs can all change, and they differ from centre to centre. Always confirm the details directly with the centre before you book flights or treatment. We list centres and keep their contact details as current as we can, but we are not affiliated with them and cannot confirm availability on their behalf.