The Costa Tropical, Andalusia, Spain
The warmest region in mainland Spain!
The name of the region sounds extremely promising. It is the warmest coast of mainland Spain. Tourists and numerous expats appreciate the excellent tropical climate, with temperatures ranging from 15 to 32 degrees.
Summer here lasts for more than half the year, and it is warm at any time, with temperatures in January or February sometimes reaching 20 degrees.
The Costa Tropical is much more intimate than the neighbouring Costa del Sol. There are few hotels-resorts, no 'charter' tourists, and visitors mainly live in flats, villas and guest houses. However, the infrastructure is very well developed, the villages and beaches are exceptionally well-kept and the gastronomic and entertainment offer is extremely rich.
Furthermore, we have the choice of living somewhat in the middle of nowhere or in the centre of a more lively resort like Almuñecar. We have already mentioned the first incentive to come here, namely the tropical climate, the second is the intimate holiday at any time of the year, and the third is certainly the prices. It is cheaper here than in many other places in Andalusia, and this applies to both the cost of accommodation and gastronomy.
Here it is still common practice to have tapas with every drink (beer, wine, cola, water) ordered in the restaurant. These are not any olives or chips (unless as a side dish), but a real dish in a slightly miniaturised form. It all costs between €2 and €3.
More extensively on the culinary in the chapter on the flavours of the Costa Tropical. To further advantages, I would add the ease of access from Malaga: by rental car, or public transport, or private transfer.
Why the Costa Tropical?
Exceptional climate
The unique, subtropical climate of the Costa Tropical is the result of the direct contact between the land and the Mediterranean. The Sierra Nevada and Lújar mountains protect the area from northerly winds.
Sea and beaches
It is also an ideal place for all kinds of sports, including diving and snorkelling, windsurfing, hang-gliding and paragliding.
The beaches of the Costa Tropical are ranked very highly in terms of the cleanliness of the waters and the beachfront itself.
Sierra Nevada mountains
On one side we have the sea and on the other the impressive peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The highest mountains exceed 3,000 metres above sea level.
In a straight line they are a few dozen km from the coast, and by road about 90 km.
Sierra Nevada is home to the largest ski resort in southern Europe, with more than 100 km of pistes. From the ski slopes you can see not only the sea, but sometimes also the African coast. So is it possible to ski and beach in one day? Yes, you can.
Views
High mountains surround the seashore, the land terraces down to the sea. The towns of the Costa Tropical and the coast itself look magnificent both when admiring the panorama from above and when looking at the mountains from the sea.
The views are incredible, even at night, when the towns and houses on the hills sparkle with thousands of lights. Look at Salobreña, with the sea on one side, the Sierra Nevada on the other, and in the centre a town on a rock with a Moorish castle towering over it.
It is hardly surprising that a favourite pastime of tourists and locals alike is to admire the views, especially the sunsets and the extraordinary colours with which it abounds.
Surrounding area. Alpujarra
The tropical coastline is surrounded by the high Sierra Nevada mountains, but between them and the coastline is the historical and natural region of Alpujarra.
This region features mountains and very characteristic villages with white houses, Moorish castles and the remains of aqueducts. An ideal place even for a trip of a few hours.
History and monuments
The main towns of the Costa Tropical have a history of more than a thousand years. They date back to Roman times, but recorded their greatest heyday during the Moorish era. Surprisingly many relics of those times remain, not only castles or fortresses, but also the characteristic buildings, the urban layout of the towns. There is much to see in each of these villages.
Tastes of the Costa Tropical
The Costa Tropical tastes and smells of tropical fruit, wine, traditional rum, the sea and its fruits.
The Costa Tropical has five main tourist destinations:
Almuñécar, Salobreña, Motril, Castell de Ferro and La Rábita
Motril
Motril is the port town and administrative and economic centre of the Costa Tropical. Situated on a hill at the foot of the Sierra de Lújar, the town is considered the capital of the Tropical Coast.
Motril is also a major tourist centre. It can be said to consist of two main parts, the town centre and the seaside resort district. From the point of view of tourists, it is better to live in the latter part, by the sea.
The city centre, on the other hand, offers numerous shops, including a shopping centre, a city market and a well-developed gastronomy. The latter is also not lacking at the seaside. The distance from the seaside district to the centre is approximately 3 to 5 kilometres and can be reached by bus. There is also a popular golf course in the seaside district.
The centre of Motrila is a typical Andalusian medium-sized town (60,000 inhabitants). Its strict centre is a typical example of Spanish-Arab urbanism. Located here is the church of La Encarnación, built in the 16th century on the site of the former main mosque. Also noteworthy are examples of Baroque architecture, such as the town hall building and the sanctuary of the Virgen de la Cabeza, the city's patron saint, which was built on the site of the former residence of King Boabdil's mother in Motril, on a hill with astonishing views.
The fishing harbour is also worth seeing, and visit the town market. There is also a large shopping centre in the town centre.
Salobreña
One of the iconic sights of the whole of Andalusia is a rocky hill plunging almost into the sea , flanked by white houses with a Moorish castle on top, this is Salobreña. Salobreña is a small town of around 13,000 permanent inhabitants and is one of the most popular holiday centres on the Costa Tropical.
The seaside resort area is not huge, neighbouring similar districts in Motril and Almeñecar. Here you won't find the large hotels and high-rise buildings known even from the Costa del Sol. The predominant areas are cosy two-storey houses close to the beach and white terraced houses with internal patios. It is close to everywhere.
A promenade runs along the coast.Salobreña has its origins in Phoenician times. Founded as a trading colony, it was also inhabited by Romans and Arabs until it was recaptured by the Catholic Kings. Pirate attacks meant that the town was surrounded by walls and its inhabitants chose safer places in the mountains.
The impressive rock is crowned by an Arab castle from the 13th century. The stone and brick walls, towers and tower dominate the whole of Salobreña. This defensive structure was built by the Romans and extended by the Arabs. At the foot of the Great Rock on which it stands, there are streets with whitewashed facades, so typical of the Muslim tradition.
Another interesting building is the parish church of Nuestra Señora del Rosario, built on an old mosque in the 16th century. The various neighbourhoods of the town, such as La Loma, La Fuente, El Brocal or Albaycín, have medieval corners where gates, vaults and windows open up.
On the outskirts of the town you will also find wilder beaches. Salobreña also has many interesting coves.
Almuñecar
Almuñecar is the largest resort on the Costa. The most extensive infrastructure is located here.
Almuñecar is one of the oldest towns in the Mediterranean, steeped in tradition, with a rich archaeological and historical heritage. The Phoenicians founded the first settlement here in 800 BC, and the Romans named it Manaba Sexi Firman. Under Muslim rule, it was named Sexi Hin al-Murecab, meaning 'fortress on a hill'. In 1489 the city fell, after winning the war, to the Catholic monarchs.
Castillo San Miguel is a palace complex with an Archaeological Museum built by the Phoenicians, rebuilt and used as a fortress by the Romans and later taken over by the Arabs of the Nasrid dynasty, which also became their burial place. During the War of Independence with France, the castle was ruined and used as a cemetery. In the 18th century, the castle was rebuilt and today houses the museum of the city of Almuñecar. The Roman aqueduct and baths are the oldest and best preserved of their kind in Andalusia. The Roman aqueduct was 7 km long and was used to supply water to the town. Today the aqueduct is made up of five parts, the longest of which is 130 metres long and has 17 arches and is located in Torrecuevas.
The Church of the Incarnation was built at the end of the 16th century. It is the first church in the province of Granada to be built in the Mudejar style, most characteristic of the Andalusian region at the turn of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Its foundations are on top of a Roman reservoir. During the construction of the church, several tombs of Phoenician origin from the 2nd century BC were found. Palacio la Najarra is a neo-Arabic style building, modelled on a traditional Arab garden house. It was built in the mid-19th century next to a former sugar factory. The phenomenal appearance of Palacio la Najarra is given by the tiled decorations in the windows and on the floors and the frescoes on the walls inside the building. The palace is surrounded by a garden with cypresses and palm trees. It is now the headquarters of the Municipal Tourism Board and the Municipal Tourist Information Office.
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