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Torremolinos comprises five beaches stretching along a seven-kilometre-long promenade, and each one serves a different purpose.
Given how much everything costs —including the lift to the beach, which many people don’t expect to have to pay for.
| Beach | Note | What is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| La Carihuela | 4,6 (1.415) | Skewered fish and a seaside atmosphere |
| El Bajondillo | 4,4 (1.935) | The most central one |
| El Saltillo | - | A quiet stretch of the route |
| Playamar | 4,6 (510) | Plenty of space |
| Los Alamos | 4,5 (1.109) | Natural shade and free parking |
They all have dark sand, which is normal along this coast. It’s scorching in August, so wear flip-flops to the shore.
4.6 out of 1,415 reviews. It’s the best known and the one with its own unique atmosphere: It used to be a fishing neighbourhood, and you can still tell.
What defines it are the beach bars: This is where they roast the skewers of sardines over wood-fired braziers, within easy view, and this is where the highest concentration of fish restaurants in the municipality can be found.
Guide prices: the hammocks are priced at around 8 euros.
Several reports warn of backflow. The swell seems manageable and the undertow is pulling strongly out to sea.
With children, stay within the supervised area and do not wander off. There are lifeguards on duty during the season.
4.4 out of 1,935 reviews: the most reviewed of all, because it’s just below the town centre.
It was the hub of tourism in the 1960s, when Torremolinos first made a name for itself, and it still has that feel about it.
Sun loungers: between 7 and 10 euros depending on the area. And there are options for beds with service that cost up to 150.
This is the fact that surprises everyone.
There is a lift that bridges the difference in height between the town centre and the beach, on Calle del Bajondillo, and It costs around 1 euro per person. Open from 8.30 am to 1.00 pm.
And it’s worth knowing this beforehand, because many reviews complain that nobody tells you until you’re already inside. In Mijas Pueblo and Benalmádena Pueblo, the lifts are free, but not here.
The alternative is the Cuesta del Tajo, on foot. It’s manageable on the way down; going up in the heat with beach bags, you’ll pay for it dearly.
Several reports agree that the water is murky near the shore and you have to walk a few metres away to find a clean one. It doesn’t happen all the time, but it does happen from time to time.
In return, stalls are usually set up along the promenade sand sculptures which are amongst the best on the coast.
It is the short stretch between Bajondillo and Playamar, more intimate and less crowded than its neighbouring areas.
It has no legal personality nor does it have the facilities of the larger resorts: it’s ideal for a quiet break without having to leave the town centre, with basic services available in season.
4.6 out of 510 reviews. Its main advantage is the space: it is the widest in the municipality, with plenty of room to settle in without being too close to anyone else, and a long promenade with green spaces.
But there is one thing you should be aware of before coming with young children: has sections with pebbles, it’s not all fine sand. Several reviews mention that it can be uncomfortable for sensitive feet.
Booties or crab shoes They sort it out, but it’s better to know than to find out.
4.5 out of 1,109 reviews, the easternmost one, already on the way to Málaga.
And it has two things that no other has:
What’s more, the water is shallow and leads gently uphill.
It’s the beach with all the beach clubs: During the high season, there’s music, Balinese beds and afternoon parties. Kokun y Miguel Beach These are the usual names.
There’s also stand-up paddleboarding and equipment hire.
During the day it’s quiet and family-friendly; from mid-afternoon onwards, in July and August, it gets livelier. Depending on what you’re looking for, that’s either a plus or something to avoid.
This is the best thing about Torremolinos, and it’s underused: seven kilometres of continuous pedestrian walkway from La Carihuela to Los Álamos.
You can walk from one beach to another, without a car and without having to cross any roads. And it works just as well for cycling or running.
The plan that goes well: Have some skewers at La Carihuela and walk eastwards to work off lunch, stopping for an ice cream on the way.
The sardine skewer season runs from May to September, when the sardines are at their fattest. The months without an ‘r’ in their names, as they say here.
For the rest of the municipality: What to see in Torremolinos. And with children, Torremolinos with children.
We are a local tour operator based in Málaga with over 50 years’ experience organising trips around Andalusia. Torremolinos is an excellent base, because we collect the following in the area:
The Caminito del Rey is an hour away, and Córdoba, Seville and Granada can be visited in a day. All include a tour guide.
More options at day trips from the Costa del Sol.
It depends on what you’re looking for. La Carihuela for its seaside atmosphere and skewered seafood, with a rating of 4.6 out of 1,415 reviews. El Bajondillo for its proximity to the centre. Playamar for its space, although some sections have pebbles. And Los Álamos is the best for children, thanks to its natural shade under the palm trees and its free car park.
It costs around one euro per person and is open from 8.30 am to 1.00 am. It connects the town centre with Bajondillo Beach via Calle del Bajondillo. Many visitors are surprised to find that there is a charge, as equivalent lifts in Mijas Pueblo or Benalmádena Pueblo are free. The alternative is to walk down and back up Cuesta del Tajo.
Los Álamos, for two reasons that no other beach can match: it offers natural shade under palm trees, so you don’t need a parasol or have to worry about the time of day, and it has plenty of free parking. What’s more, the water is shallow and slopes gently into the sea. It’s worth noting that Playamar, despite being the widest, has sections with pebbles.
The sand is dark throughout the municipality, as it is along the rest of this coastline, and in August it can get quite hot, so it’s best to wear shoes right up to the water’s edge. La Carihuela and Los Álamos have finer sand, whilst Playamar has sections with pebbles that can be uncomfortable for sensitive feet.
Yes. The seafront promenade is pedestrianised and runs uninterrupted for around seven kilometres, from La Carihuela to Los Álamos, without the need to cross any roads. It’s also suitable for cycling or running, and allows you to move between beaches without having to take the car.
From May to September, when sardines are at their fattest. The local rule is to eat them in the months without an ‘r’ in their Spanish name. They are grilled over a wood fire on a boat, and La Carihuela is where you’ll find the highest concentration of beach bars serving them.
This is particularly true of Los Álamos, which is the beach for beach clubs: in high season there’s music, Balinese sun loungers and afternoon parties, with venues such as Kokun and Playa Miguel. During the day it’s quiet and family-friendly, but from mid-afternoon onwards in July and August the volume goes up.
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