Almuñécar, Spain

In the westernmost area of the Costa Tropical lies the town of Almuñécar and its appendages, the little fishing village of La Herradura, the well-known area of Punta de la Mona and the upscale Marina del Este. Discovered and settled by the Phoenicians over 3000 years ago, it has also been occupied by the Greeks, Romans and Arabs. If you have never visited this area of the Spanish coastline, we highly recommend it.

Almuñécar Highlights

• The Castillo de San Miguel - an Arab castle, built on old Roman fortifications, still stands today overlooking the town and sea – reminding us all of Almuñécar´s prolific historical past.

• The Old Town (or Casco Antiguo in Spanish) - an amazing maze of narrow cobblestone streets, sprinkled with cafés, bars and boutiques, as well as many interesting ancient relics.

• The Markets - The Friday Flea Market is well-known and frequented by all, while the daily “farmers market” is laden with local tropical fruits and vegetables.

• Almuñécar's Beaches - Its coastline extends for 19 kilometers and incorporates 26 different types of beaches – rocky, sandy, and / or sheltered coves.

Marina del Este and Punta de la Mona

10 minutes west of the town of Almuñécar are the well-known Marina del Este and Punta de la Mona.

The Marina is a quiet, secluded port with berths for just over 200 boats; one of the only up-scale marinas on the southern coast. Diving, snorkeling, waterskiing, jet skiing, sailing and swimming are enjoyed during the warm summer months, as well as long moonlit after-dinner walks.

Punta de la Mona was once home to the world-renown guitarist Andrés Segovia and today boasts a 4-star luxury hotel and numerous residences. It is one of the most sought-after areas in southern Spain for luxury second homes.

Views to Marina del Este

La Herradura

Another 5 minutes down the hill from the Punta de la Mona lies La Herradura, a municipality of Almuñécar and another very popular destination in the Costa Tropical. It's long stretch of beach and bay are favorites among paragliders, snorkelers, divers and swimmers. Numerous tapas bars and restaurants line the beach.

The 5 Best Things about Almuñécar

Almuñécar is an amazing town and there are many great reasons to visit but here are the top 5 reasons that make it so special and stand out from all the rest.

1. Almuñécar's Beaches

This may seem obvious, of course people come here to go to the beaches, it’s a coastal town in southern Spain! But there are beaches that stretch all the way down the coast in both directions... So, what makes Almuñécar beaches so special?

The spectacular beauty that is created by its rugged coastline!

Most of the coast along the Costa del Sol consists of long expanses of wide-open beaches. This is pretty--- but the beaches around Almuñécar are even prettier.

The mountains that lie just behind the town extend all the way down to the sea forming picture perfect little coves and bays. This stunning combination of craggy cliffs dropping off into the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean is something you can't miss! You will start to notice these characteristic beaches just after leaving the Costa del Sol and entering the Costa Tropical, just after the town of Nerja.

- Almuñécar has more than 10 beaches. The three beaches we recommend are Playa Puerta del Mar, Playa Tesorillo and Playa Cabria.

• Playa Puerta del Mar lies right below the Peñon San Cristobal.

• Playa Tesorillo is great because of its small size, lively atmosphere and family friendly ranking. It has two restaurants right on the beach, one playing live music during the summer months.

• Playa Cabria is another good choice. It is accessed from the opposite end of Almuñécar through a dry riverbed and has a rustic, bohemian feel to it. Cabria is a very secluded beach, but with all the necessary services.

Playa Puerta del Mar

2. The Almuñécar Castle

Who doesn’t love a castle? Many of the old Spanish towns still have castles at their center but the Almuñécar Castle is pretty impressive. It’s in great condition, still standing proudly at the highest point in the old town where is has been since Phoenician times. This is definitely a must see while you are here. The kids will love it and the views from the top are amazing.

There is also a museum on the inside that shows you how it has changed over the years, once occupied by the Phoenicians then the Romans and the Moors...

Visit the Almuñécar Castle

3. The Roman Ruins

This area is a paradise for history buffs. Believe it or not Almuñécar was more well-known during the Phoenician and Roman times than it is today.

The town was once famous all over the Mediterranean for the tasty fish sauce that was produced here, called Garum. It was considered a delicacy at the time and was shipped far and wide across the whole of the Roman Empire.

At the time, huge Aqueducts were constructed to bring water down from nearby mountains to aid in production. These among other ancient relics can still be seen today.

Other Roman ruins you can visit are:

• The Old Fish Salting Factory
• The Roman Vaults at the 7 Palacios Museum - built to elevate the town around the castle
• The Roman Bridge - a part of the old roman highway that ran down the coast. The Roman bridge is just outside of town along the N-340.

The Roman Aqueducts

4. The Almuñécar Old Town

The Old Town in Almuñécar is authentically Spanish. Compared to a lot of villages you will find on the Costa del Sol, which in recent years have been inundated with foreigners and tourists, Almuñécar has been able to hold on to its special Spanish heritage. Walking through its narrow winding streets is like a trip back in time.

Stroll through the Old Town

5. It's Perfect Location

One of the great things about Almuñécar is its proximity to so many other interesting places to visit. If you are in Andalucia for the first time you will definitely want to visit the cities of Granada and Malaga.

Almuñécar is located 45 minutes directly to the South of Granada and 45 minutes to the East of Malaga. You also have Nerja and Frigiliana within 15 minutes going west, and Almeria is under an hour going east.

Almuñécar would be the perfect base for anything you would want to see on the eastern coastal part of Andalucia.

Types of Industry in Almuñécar

The industries that abound in this area are a combination of tourism, agriculture and, lesser today than in earlier times, fishing.

Due to the growing influx of foreign visitors, agriculture is becoming a secondary focus even though the majority of food that is grown locally is exported nationally and internationally. Chirimoyo, avocado, almonds, mango, and nispola are just some of the tropical fruits for which this area is well known.

Popular Foods in Almuñécar

As a former predominantly fishing community, the Almuñequeros have a penchant for seafood. Some typical local foods are:

• Boquerones (tiny sardines) are cooked on skewers over hot coals at many chiringuitos (beachside restaurants)
• Embutidos (sausages) such as morcilla, longaniza and chorizo come in a variety of sizes and tastes and can be either served as a main dish or tapas
• Gambas al pil-pil (prawns in garlic and chili)
• Bacalao and Rape (different types of fish)
• Pulpo (squid cooked in its own ink)

A few other popular foods are ensalada mixta de aguacate (tossed salad with local avocado), jamon Serrano (a specially cured ham from the Alpujarra region), paella (seafood and rice), sopa de ajo (garlic soup), queso Manchego (Manchego cheese), calamares a la plancha (grilled squid) and Manzanilla aceitunas (marinated olives).