Torre del Mar is a town and seaside resort on the eastern Costa del Sol, in the province of Málaga, Spain. It belongs to the municipality of Vélez-Málaga, the capital of the Axarquía comarca. This former fishing village is now an important tourist destination in the summer season for national and foreign tourists. It also has a sizeable retired British and Central-European population.
Understand
[edit]Locally it is referred to as Torre. It grew rapidly from a small fishing village in the 1970s thanks to tourism, although not as explosively as in other coastal towns. It is a famous summer destination for Spaniards from Madrid, Jaén or Granada and to a lesser extent for foreigners, especially British and Germans.
Despite its considerable size — over 22,000 people in 2018 — Torre del Mar doesn't have its own local government. Instead, it belongs to the municipality of Vélez-Málaga, a larger town located 4 km inland. There is a popular political movement which calls for the independence of Torre del Mar from Vélez-Málaga.
Get in
[edit]By plane
[edit]The nearest airport is Málaga Airport (AGP IATA), located 40 km away. A taxi from the airport to Torre del Mar will cost around €70.
By bus
[edit]Buses to Málaga, Granada, Nerja and other villages in the area are operated by ALSA and run from the 1 Estación de Autobuses de Torre del Mar (C/ Pintor Cipriano Maldonado, 7; ☏ +34 952559100).
By car
[edit]Torre del Mar is served by the A-7 motorway and crossed by the N-340 national road, both of which follow the Mediterranean coast from Algeciras to Barcelona and the French border.
Get around
[edit]By bus
[edit]The municipality of Vélez-Málaga has a bus network with four lines connecting Torre del Mar to Vélez, Almayate and Caleta de Vélez (map). Single tickets cost €1.30 and can be purchased directly from the driver. A list of schedules can be found here.
By car
[edit]In summer, traffic jams in the roads of Torre del Mar are very common. Parking can also be complicated. Some hotels have private parkings and cars can park for a fee in the public underground car park 2 Aparcamiento Las Yucas.
See
[edit]- 1 Faro de Torre del Mar, P.º Marítimo de Poniente, s/n. A 26-metres-high lighthouse painted blue and white. Free.
- 2 Antigua Azucarera, C/ Ntra. Sra. del Carmen, 2. A 19th-century sugar factory which belonged to the Larios family. Now, it is the venue of a cultural centre where art exhibitions and conferences are held.
- 3 Villa Mercedes, P.º Larios, 11. This building is the last example of 19th-century regionalist architecture conserved in the Paseo de Larios. It cannot be visited on the inside.
Do
[edit]Beaches
[edit]- 1 Playa de Torre del Mar. A 3-km-long urban Blue Flag beach. It has a promenade and lifeguard from June to September.
- 2 Playa de Río Seco. Urban beach located between Torre del Mar and Caleta de Vélez.
- 3 Playa del Mortero o Playa Canina. Natural beach located outside of the town, next to the Río Vélez mouth. Dogs are allowed on this beach.
- 4 Playa de Almayate. Seminatural beach located near the village of Almayate, west of Torre del Mar. Nudism is practised on this beach.
Amusement parks
[edit]- 5 Aquavelis, C/ Ruta del Pomelo, s/n, ☏ +34 952542758. Jun and Sep 11:00-18:00, Jul and Aug 11:00-19:00. Outdoor water park with slides, pool and a restaurant. €25.
Sports
[edit]- Golf — there is only one golf course in the area, located in Caleta de Vélez: 6 Baviera Golf, Urb. Baviera Golf, s/n, ☏ +34 952555015. .
- Nautical sports — water sports such as sailing, windsurf or paddle surf can be practised at the 7 Club Náutico de Torre del Mar, C/ las Melosas, s/n, ☏ +34 952540436. .
Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]Budget
[edit]- 1 Café-Bar La Rosa, Av. Condado de Huelva, 2, ☏ +34 952965860. Tapas and Mediterranean cuisine.
- 2 Pizzería El Horno, C/ del Mar, 74, ☏ +34 952545002. 13:00-00:00. Pizza and pasta restaurant.
Mid-range
[edit]- 3 Bar Los Pescadores, P.º Marítimo de Levante, s/n, ☏ +34 609369926. Fried fish and seafood.
- 4 Chiringuito Varela, P.º Marítimo de Levante, 11, ☏ +34 951081160. Beach bar serving fried fish, seafood and salads.
- 5 Restaurante Negri, P.º Larios, 16, ☏ +34 952540090. Mediterranean and Spanish cuisine, seafood and tapas.
Drink
[edit]Many pubs and nightclubs are concentrated in the area known as 1 El Copo, located next to the promenade at the end of the Paseo de Larios.
- 2 Batu Cocktail Wine Bar, P.º Marítimo de Levante, 9.
- 3 Larios13, P.º de Larios, 13, ☏ +34 952545331.
Sleep
[edit]Camping
[edit]- 1 Camping Torre del Mar, P.º Marítimo de Poniente, s/n, ☏ +34 952540224, info@campingtorredelmar.com.
Budget
[edit]- 2 Hostal Mediterráneo, C/ Bernabé Fernández, 2, ☏ +34 952545228. Small hostal in the centre of Torre. €45.
Mid-range
[edit]- 3 Hotel Mainake, C/ Fenicios, 1, ☏ +34 952547246. 4-star hotel located 400 metres away from the beach. With swimming pool and parking. €75.
- 4 Hotel Torremar, C/ Saladero Viejo, 15, ☏ +34 952547057. 4-star hotel located 2 minutes away from the beach on foot. €70.
Stay safe
[edit]Go next
[edit]- Vélez-Málaga — a market city with a Moorish old quarter and a ruined castle, 4 km inland of Torre del Mar.
- Nerja — a non-overcrowded seaside resort with promenades over the cliffs and home to the famous Caves of Nerja.
- Frigiliana — a small village with whitewashed buildings and narrow streets, acknowledged multiple times as the most beautiful village of Andalusia.
- Málaga — a bustling city with Roman and Moorish remains and with an extensive museum and cultural offer.