Torremolinos[dead link] is a tourist sandy beach town on the Costa del Sol in southern Spain. It appeals to domestic tourists, Northern Europeans, families and LGBT people (and probably LGBT families, too). It is approximately 12 km south of Malaga between Malaga Bay and the Mijas Mountains.
Understand
[edit]Torremolinos was a fishing village back in the 1920s, but has been rapidly overtaken by tourism. Its nominal population is around 43,000 but this can rise to 250,000 during the tourist season.
Tourists will be most familiar with the beaches of Torremolinos and the pedestrian-only Calle San Miguel, which is lined with shops, and runs from the centre of town down to the beach. The lower half is a winding stair-stepped path, and is fun to descend and fortifying to climb!
Beginning in the late 1980s, Torremolinos developed a well-deserved reputation among tourists as being the armpit of the Costa del Sol. An angry, tourism-dependent community affected some changes at Town Hall, and new priorities were put in place. Today, Torremolinos is once again an attractive, clean, safe haven for northern Europeans escaping the fiercer climes for the sunniest spot in Europe. It is also one of the most popular resorts for Spanish tourists, with some of the districts (especially La Carihuela) having as much of a Spanish feel as an international tourist one.
Torremolinos is made up of several distinct districts stretching either side of the Town Centre: El Bajondillo is the beach area closest to the town, east of here are the commercial tourist area of Playamar (home of the infamous high-rise hotels from the 1960s and 70s) and then the pleasant beach-side district of Los Alamos. West of the Town Centre lie La Carihuela - the old fishing village, of which some architecture survives, and then Montemar which adjoins the neighbouring municipality of Benalmádena.
La Carihuela is famous throughout Spain as a major centre of Andalucian cuisine, with the emphasis being heavily on seafood of all kinds. The old fishing village has been pedestrianised and runs parallel to one of the best beaches on the Costa del Sol. It is in La Carihuela that the tourist boom began in the 1950s with the arrival of the jet set, including Frank Sinatra and friends.
While summer is the peak season for visiting, winters here are also mild by European standards, with temperatures rarely falling below 10 °C. For those who want peace and quiet, winter is a good time to visit as Torremolinos turns into a ghost town, but with temperatures comfortable enough to offer respite from the bitter winters in the rest of Europe.
Gay life
[edit]Since the beginning of its tourism surge in the late 1950s, Torremolinos has been a safe haven for Europe's gay and lesbian holiday makers. Even under Franco, while gay people elsewhere in Spain were being brutalized, imprisoned and executed, the value of the solid currencies that the so-called vacationing "deviants" brought into Spain's faltering economy trumped whatever personal feelings Franco had about same-sex relationships and kept Torremolinos a gay Mecca, long before the word "gay" evolved into common usage.
Today, gay life in Torremolinos centres on the Nogalera complex in the very centre of town where there is a gay bar to suit just about every taste one can imagine. The complex is very mixed, with gay and family restaurants, bars and shops, all jumbled together, making for a nice, comfortable ambiance. Given the "macho" reputation of Spanish culture, many first-time lgbt visitors are surprised to discover the general indifference of the locals to sexual orientation.
Get in
[edit]
By plane
[edit]The airport of Malaga is the nearest. The train takes just 11 min and costs €1.80 (Dec 2024).
Alternative airports are Seville and with less flights: Granada, Jerez and Gibraltar.
By train
[edit]1 Torremolinos Rail Station
The main Renfe app/website does not find Torremolinos as a destination because this is Cercanías line which has its own website. If you come from outside of the Costa del Sol, head to the train station Malaga Maria Zambrano and continue from there.
The train service connecting Torremolinos to Malaga and the airport to the east and west to Fuengirola, runs every 20 minutes from the early morning to late evening. Contactless rechargeable tickets can be bought at the vending machines in train stations but if you are paying an adult single fare, you can use your contactless payment card on the barriers at the start AND end of the journey. The journey to Malaga takes about 20 minutes. There are 5 stations in the Torremolinos area. An interactive map of this train line is available at the Renfe Web site: [1]
By bus
[edit]2 Bus terminal Torremolinos Buses of ALSA and Avanza stop here. If there are no direct rides to Torremolinos from where you come from, go to Malaga or to the Malaga airport first.
The regional bus M-110 operates between Malaga and Torremolinos (duration 45 min).
By carpooling
[edit]There are usually plenty of rides offered on Blablacar. As well: If not to Torremolinos, check to Malaga or to the Malaga airport.
Get around
[edit]By public transport
[edit]With the rechargable green travel card you can use all means of public transport (commuter trains (Cercanías), regional buses and in Málaga metro and city buses) for a lower price. The card can be bought in tobacco shops for €1.50 and must be charged with at least €5 (Nov 2024).
By train
[edit]Torremolinos has 5 wheelchair accessible railway stations. Cummuter trains run every 20 minutes during the day. A ride inside of Torremolinos costs €1.80 (Dec 2024).
By bus
[edit]There is a regular regional bus service that serves most of Torremolinos allowing you to get to the town centre from the outlying parts which can be up to 2 km away. Buses cost around €1.60 (Dec 2024) without the travel card and less with the travel card.
The long distance buses of Avanza operate routes out of the Torremolinos Bus Station that bring you to towns somewhat further away along the Costa del Sol. Detailed schedules are available here: [2].
By car
[edit]Car rentals are widely available.
See
[edit]- La Carihuela. fishermans quarter
- La Carihuela. beach
- Crocodile park, C/ Cuba, 14, ☏ +34 952051782, [email protected].
- Municipal Auditorium Principe de Asturias, C/ Pedro Navarro Bruna s/n. It is one of the biggest auditoriums in Andalucia. Used mainly for classical concerts, ballet, theater and all types of cultural events.
- Parque de la Batería, Ramal del Carmelo. Inside the park is tower Torre Mirador, from which is a good view towards the sea/town.
Monuments
[edit]- Parish church of San Miguel Arcángel.
- Torre de Pimentel.
- .
Do
[edit]- Aqualand - A water park claims to be the biggest in Andalucia. It is located about 10 min from the town centre.
- Windsurfing
- Kitesurfing
- Water skiing
- Pedal boats
- Boat trips - These can include dolphin watching and tend to depart from Benalmádena marina
Events and festivals
[edit]- Semana Santa (Holy Week) the week before Easter Sunday. Processions through Torremolinos on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Torremolinos is a good base for visiting the spectacular daily Semana Santa processions in nearby Málaga (the largest outside Seville) as the frequent train service means avoiding the traffic-chaos in central Málaga.
- Fried Fish Day (Dia del Pescaito) takes place every year on the first Thursday in June. It takes place on La Carihuela Beach on the south western side of the resort.
- Festival of the Virgen del Carmen de La Carihuela on July 16 every year. The climax to the Feria de La Carihuela this includes the procession of the image of the Virgen from the small church in La Carihuela through the streets and down to the seafront, from where she tours the other beaches of Torremolinos.
- Festival of San Miguel Arcángel. Last week in September, culminating on St Michael's Day, September 29. A very busy week-long festival of processions, parades and events. San Miguel is the patron saint of Torremolinos.
Buy
[edit]The biggest supermarket in the town centre is Mercadona. Near the town centre are Lidl and Aldi. The biggest selection in Torremolinos has the hypermarket Carrefour on Avenida Circunvalación.
The revitalized Torremolinos Town Centre is now home to many national and international chain stores as well as the usual tourist shops. Its increasing popularity with Spanish tourists means that many of the old 'tat-shops' have now been replaced with designer boutiques. A surprisingly good variety of shopping is available if you explore the little side streets and alleys off Calle San Miguel, the main shopping street. The "upper" part of town for shopping and eating only has a few places with steep staircases that allow you to get to the "lower" beach area.
Eat
[edit]- There are hundreds of restaurants, especially in the La Carihuela district. Just walk along the coastal Maritimo street. You will find every type of food. Local seafood (Mediterranean), Italian, Indian, Greek, British, Scandinavian, etc.
- Outdoor Sardine barbeques are common in many of the seaside restaurants. Eat the heads and all.
- Fresh pescaíto frito stands can be found along the beaches
Budget
[edit]- 1 Cafeteria Restaurante Avila, C. de la Cruz, 27.
- 2 Roma Restaurante, Av. Palma de Mallorca, 5. Italian
- 3 Restaurante Bar El Rincón de la Abuela Torremolinos, C. Rio Salazar, 2.
- 4 Cantina La Cachava, esquina con, plaza union europea, Pje. de las Gitanillas.
Mid-range
[edit]- 5 Rincon de Nacho, Pje. de Pizarro, 5, local 1. Family ran restaurant different of the touristic mainstream in torremolinos. €14-24.
- 6 Coenvi II, Pje. del Bajondillo, 15. Small but lovely place. People who are running this are so humble. €14-24.
- 7 El Bodegón de Fabrice, En los bajos del hotel Cervantes, Pl. de la Unión Europea, 18. French/Spanish restaurant. Here you can eat e.g. frogs legs and snails. €13-23.
Drink
[edit]As a major Spanish and international tourist destination Torremolinos has cafés, bars and café-bars to suit all tastes. It is also the home of the famous 'chiringuitos' - beach café-bars which offer beach-side drinks and meals throughout the year. The best of these are to be found in the district of La Carihuela.
Sample the local vino de Málaga, a fortified wine similar to sherry.
- [formerly dead link] La Cervezateca, Calle Casablanca 22 (opposite Pueblo Blanco). 18:00-02:00. An oasis in the Spanish Beer Desert. More than 100 beers from around the world, including 6 trappist beers.
Sleep
[edit]A major 10-year programme of hotel upgrading funded by the EU, the Junta de Andalucía and Torremolinos Council is nearing completion. This was designed to rid Torremolinos of its old 'cheap package' image and its success can be seen by the fact that Torremolinos now has one of the highest hotel occupancy rates in Europe (well over 80%) and the highest on the Costa del Sol.
There are a wide range of hotels available on all the usual websites. Torremolinos also has many small hostal/pensions and a wide range of self-catering apartments and houses available to rent, many of them owned by British or Dutch ex-pats.
The town has also a hostel (1 MÜDE Hostel) featuring shared and private rooms. The shared rooms have a minimum stay of two nights.
- Hotel Manantiales, Rio Salazar 2, [email protected]. Clean and small basic hotel. The room contains air-conditioner and own bathroom. Breakfast is included in price. Double room: €35-65/night (depends on season).
- Hotel Puente Real, Paseo Marítimo 79, ☏ +34 952376514. One of the biggest and luxury 4-star hotels in Torremolinos, situated in front of the Alamos Beach. depends on season.
- Apartments Buensol, C/ Salvador Allende, 35 29620 Torremolinos (Málaga), ☏ +34 952376514, [email protected]. Turistic complex of apartments in front of the Carihuela Beach. depends on season.
- Hotel Ms Amaragua, C/ Los Nidos, 23, ☏ +34 952 38 47 00, [email protected]. Nice 4-star hotel in front of the Carihuela Beach. depends on season.
- Hotel Tropicana, C/ Trópico, 6, ☏ +34 952 38 66 00, [email protected]. Great 4-star hotel near the beach with swimming pool and spa services. depends on season.
- Hotel Zen, C/ Fresnos, 9, ☏ +34 952 37 38 82, [email protected]. Nice and quiet hotel in a residential area just a few minutes away from the beach and centre of Torremolinos. depends on season.
- Hotel Manantiales, Rio Salazar 2, [email protected]. Clean and small basic hotel. The room contains air-conditioner and own bathroom. Breakfast is included in price. Double room: €35-65/night (depends on season).
- Hotel Essence By Don Paquito, Avda del Lido S/N, ☏ +34 952 387 711. Nice 3-star hotel in front of the beach (Playamar).
Connect
[edit]As of Dec 2024, Torremolinos and its approach roads have 5G from all Spanish carriers.
Go next
[edit]Torremolinos is well-placed as a base for visiting the various sights of Andalucía, connected by efficient public transport to much of the Costa de Sol. There are many excursion shops offering 'all-in' day trips too.
- The mountain village of Mijas — famous for its white-washed houses.
- The city of Málaga with its Moorish Castle, Picasso Museum, etc.
- Marbella with its famous Old Town and chic shopping.
- The marina at Benalmádena with yacht-hire, fishing trips etc.
- Seville, Granada, and Córdoba are all easily reached by connecting train from Málaga
- Modern Castle complex, built as tribute to Columbus is about half hour drive away. Castillo_de_Colomares - Wikipedia
- The Alhambra in Granada, the huge mediaeval Moorish Palace is less than 2 hours away is well worth a day trip visit.