The municipality of Torremolinos is located in the province of Málaga, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is part of the towns of the Costa del Sol, known for its good climate. Amongst all the things to see in Torremolinos, the leisure options and the fascinating beaches stand out. Other towns to visit in the area are Casares, Marbella, Estepona, Fuengirola, Mijas…
The most traditional districts to see in Torremolinos are the Centro, El Calvario, the Bajondillo area and La Carihuela. We are talking about the districts with more history in the municipality. During the 20th century the whole Costa del Sol, including Torremolinos, experienced a great urban and demographic growth due to the increase of tourism. This caused the appearance of other towns such as La Colina, Los Alamos, Montemar or El Pinillo.
However, if you are looking for hustle and bustle the answer is in the centre, on Calle San Miguel. This is the most popular and busiest pedestrian street in the old town of this coastal town. Here you can do everything: tourism, shopping, eating in the bars and restaurants, strolling, relaxing in the hotels in the area… In fact, the most emblematic shops are to be found here.
Some of the most characteristic places of interest to be seen in Torremolinos are also concentrated around it. For example, the Plaza de Andalucía or La Nogalera, the Avenida Jesús Santos Reino or the Plaza Costa del Sol.
The monuments and statues are other reasons to visit this part of the municipality. Thus, you can see the monument to the Goddess Europe, located near the Plaza de las Comunidades Autónomas. Also the work called Nacimiento de Eva (Eve’s Birth).
Being a coastal city, Torremolinos was attacked many times by the sea. This was the case with many invaders who came from North Africa. This led to the construction of a defensive tower during the year 1300, under the control of the Nasrid dynasty. It was located at the end of San Miguel Street and was called the Torre de los Molinos.
Years later it has also become known as the Torre de Pimentel. It was named after the Count of Benavente Don Rodrigo de Pimentel, who helped in the capture of Malaga and the campaign to conquer Granada with a large number of horses and pawns.
Later it served the Christians to protect themselves from the Saracen corsairs. A population was placed around it that ended up in an urban centre. They lived from fishing and agriculture, as well as from the mills installed there. With 12 meters high, the tower is made of earthenware. It has two floors with their respective windows through which to watch the sea as well as a terrace. At present it can only be seen from the outside, as it is demolished on the inside.
Thus, the name of Torremolinos comes from the set of words “tower” and “mills”. In ancient times there were a large number of water mills in the town. However, now only the Molino de Inca remains. The word “torre” derives from the Torre de Pimentel.
La Casa de los Navajas is one of the most emblematic buildings to see in Torremolinos. Located on a cliff in front of the beach of El Bajondillo, it has been declared of Historical Interest. Neomudejar, this two-floor building with watchtowers was the idea of the Navajas family, who lived on the ground floor. The upper floor served as a lookout point.
This is a very interesting visit, as it allows you to see first-hand a house in the neo-Mudejar style. At the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century this tendency was widely used in Spain and, specifically, in Malaga. For the interior decoration they were inspired by the Alhambra in Granada.
In Torremolinos there are up to seven temples, although the oldest is the church of San Miguel. This church was built in 1718 and much later, in 1896, it was renovated. Its old name was shared with its location, the Plaza de los Santos Arcángeles.
For its part, in Torremolinos is also relevant to visit the church of the Virgen del Carmen. In it you can find the image of the local patron saint. This church was erected in 1979 over the remains of the old Capilla del Carmen de La Carihuela
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Every year thousands of people join together to celebrate the Pilgrimage of San Miguel, a Festival of National Tourist Interest. It is the second most important pilgrimage in Andalusia, surpassed only by El Rocío. It is held in honour of San Miguel Arcángel, the patron saint of Torremolinos. This route runs from the centre of the municipality to the Los Manantiales pine groves and is visited by up to 200,000 people. The landscape is full of carts, dancing and revelry, as it is the introduction to the San Miguel Fair, which takes place a few days later.
If Torremolinos is known for anything, it is for its beaches, as its boundaries almost reach seven kilometres of coastline. Among its most outstanding beaches are La Carihuela, El Bajondillo, Los álamos and Playamar, the first two being the most frequented. The best thing is that they are urban beaches that can be accessed through the promenade, so they are easy to find.
El Bajondillo beach shares its name with one of the most famous districts of the city of Malaga. It is one kilometer long and is located between Playamar beach and Punta de Torremolinos. The beach of El Bajondillo is the most central of Torremolinos and links with the beach of La Carihuela thanks to a particular rocky outcrop in which stands the Castle of Santa Clara or English Castle. At present this fortress is accompanied by beautiful gardens. In the surroundings you can also find the Casa de los Navajas.
The beach of La Carihuela is located in an old fishing district. Today it is a cosmopolitan space where you can stay in its many hotels and enjoy its leisure options. You can reach the municipality of Benalmádena thanks to the connection that exists at the end of the beach which consists of the Puerto Marina. The beach of La Carihuela is one of the most popular in Torremolinos with more than 2,000 meters long.
Special mention should be made of the restaurants in the area, where you can enjoy a range of quality fish. Many consider it the best urban beach in the province of Malaga. Its popularity increased in the 1950s when it was visited by the Princes of Monaco or actors such as Ava Gardner, among others.
This botanical garden covers an area of four hectares, located in a space where the original springs of Torremolinos, Albercón del Rey and Inca can be found. It is a real lung within the city, with 150 palm trees, 300 trees and around 400 bushes. Some of the specimens in the Molino de Inca Botanical Garden are hundreds of years old.
In the centre of the garden we can find a natural labyrinth of Aligustre. It is 50 metres in diameter. On the other hand, in the garden water is fundamental. We can see it all over the enclosure, like a fountain that acts as the spring of a river. It crosses the garden and flows into a lake.
La Batería park, located next to the train station, is perfect for a walk. In addition to several paths, there is a large artificial lake in the centre of the park. The best thing is that it is possible to rent a boat and some oars to navigate the lake and discover it in a different way.
This park is located in an area that used to have a coastal defensive battery, hence the name. The infrastructure was rehabilitated and now there are three artillery guns that can be visited in the park. Two underground bunkers and several cannons are preserved. In the park of La Batería there is also a lookout tower that is almost 15 meters high.
36°37′28″N 4°29′59″W
Málaga 23,5 km, Sevilla 224 km, Madrid 549 km.
In the centre of the town or in private car parks.
49 m.
68.661 (in 2019).
Apart from everything to see in Torremolinos, there is nothing like enjoying its festivities. For example, carnival and Holy Week. Also the May crosses and the bonfires of San Juan, as well as the fairs and pilgrimages. The most popular is the Feria de San Miguel, celebrated in September. Take into account other fairs such as the Feria de San Juan in June and the Feria del Carmen in July.
