Torremolinos
Torremolinos is probably the most famous of the
Costa del Sol resorts
due to the fact that it was the first town in this area to be developed for
tourism and it definitely lead the area's tourist boom of the 1950's and 1960's.
Originally a fishing village, as were most towns on the Costa del Sol,
Torremolinos is now a large resort, with many high-rise hotels and apartment
blocks, and is still growing in all directions. There has been an attempt
recently to improve this concrete jungle feeling by the creation of many
public gardens in the town with many colourful flowers and exotic trees.
The
town can be thought of as two seperate sections: Torremolinos centre which was
the first part to be developed; and the more attractive and more authentically
Spanish area of La Carihuela to the west which is a charming area with
many of the original fishermen's cottages still existing and pretty houses with
bougainvillea covered patios. The seafront promenade, Paseo Maritimo, runs from
Playamar along to La Carihuela, continuing as far as
Benalmadena Marina.
The walk from the centre of Torremolinos to La Carihuela is a pleasant one with
lovely sea views and many excellent seafront fish restaurants along the
way.
Most tourists come to the Costa del Sol to enjoy the beaches and the weather
and they won't be disappointed by Torremolinos's beaches as they are clean and
sandy and tend to be wider and longer than many others on the Costa del Sol
which has also contributed to its popularity as a resort. Playamar beach
stretches to the east and the Carihuela beaches stretches to the west towards
Benalmadena Costa and although they do tend to get busy during the peak summer
months of July and August there is always some space to be found for the sun
worshippers to lie and soak up the sun.
For the more adventurous holiday
maker there are numerous water sports and activities available all along
the beaches such as windsurfing, paragliding and water-skiing. From the beach
back to the town centre is a bit of a climb so it is a good idea to make use of
the numerous beach hut restaurants (chiringuitos) at lunch time and be
sure to sample some of the local specialities of sardines done on the barbeque,
paella and fried fish (pescaitos fritos).
Other
activities which are available in the area are pony trekking and mountain biking
in the hills, a huge aquapark with water slides, artificial waves and
swimming pools, the Sea Life aquarium in Benalmadena and the nearby
Tivoli world amusement park. There are also many world-class
golf courses
around the area making this the ideal spot for a golfing and beach holiday.
Famous for its weather, Torremolinos is sheltered by the Sierra de Mijas
mountains creating a micro climate of over 320 days of sunshine per year
and an average temperature of 22ºC which means that even in winter there is not
a lot of need for heavy jumpers and coats. Summer temperatures seldom fall below
about 30ºC.
Nowadays Torremolinos is very much associated with the idea of fun
in the sun and it has enough variation to suit more than just the young set
looking for night clubs, pubs and discos. In summer it is also a place which
appeals to families.
Many holiday companies offer very cheap deals in the
winter months which gives the more mature people the opportunity to enjoy the
mild weather and escape the northern European winter.
For those wishing to explore the area by public transport there is a
half-hourly train service between Malaga and
Fuengirola and an efficient bus
service along the coast in general.
You can find a selection of highly recommended hotels at discount rates on
our Torremolinos Hotels page.
Alternatively take a look at our Torremolinos
Villas page and our Torremolinos
Apartments page.
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