THE NEW TORREMOLINOS

Just forty years ago, Torremolinos was a quiet and obscure fishing village. Despite the rapid changes it has seen in the last few decades, it has kept some of its traditions, while welcoming the modernization that is part of its new role as one of Spain’s biggest tourist destinations. For example, there are many fresh fish bars in the shopping centres, right between the designer boutiques and gifts shops. Where else can you find salmon and stilettos within metres of each other?

However, Torremolinos has left behind sleepy isolation forever. Hundreds of people walk its streets, including famous celebrities, veteran jetsetters, famous authors and artists. One of their favorite haunts is the Calle San Miguel, a lively place full of sophisticated stores, ice cream vendors, street hawkers. It’s a very colorful and very unforgettable experience just walking down this stretch and looking at the people who gather here.

THE HIDDEN TREASURES OF TORREMOLINOS

But hidden in the side streets, away from the neon signs and the disco music, are the cobbled streets of old Torremolinos, where canaries still sing in their cages and children play traditional games. You can find holes in the walls here, local restaurants that serve the famous tapas and the homemade wines.

For a taste of the old Torremolinos, head for the original fishermans district. It is located on the western side of the town centre. You’ll be rewarded with the best seafood dishes in the entire region.

The district has seen some renovation, though. They’ve constructed a new promenade that stretches to Puerto Deportivo in Benalmadena. It also bridges La Carihuela with Playamar beach, beyond the Santa Clara peninsula. This is a great way to get exercise, just walking from Torremolinos to Benalmadena. If you’re tired, or seek shade, you can stop at any of the many beach bars and cafes located along the way.

GARDENS IN THE CITY

Though several high rise buildings have been constructed in Torremolinos, the government has helped to preserve the area’s beauty and charm by creating several public gardens as well. The town boasts of over a thousand kinds of trees. You’ll be surrounded by banana trees, magnolias, and delightful clusters of rose and azalea beds. Embroidering the edges of Torremolinos are forests and crystal clear springs, the perfect place to have a picnic. In fact, these sites are equipped with barbecue facilities.

Found in Spain’s picturesque Andalucia region, the town of Torremolinos is quickly developing a reputation for being a “hot” tourist destination—and not just for its sunny beaches. Just like Benidorm (which is found in the Southern part of Spain), it’s a place to party, party, party till dawn.

Of course the beaches are great, and the water sports are certainly a good way to enjoy the famous Costa del Sol weather, but unlike the other beaches where people go to escape and enjoy the “quiet life”, Torremolinos is about living it up. It’s not exactly known for its history or culture (for that, you go to Madrid or Barcelona), but it’s the fantastic escape for the young crowd who are looking for excitement and plenty of wild memories to bring home.

This is not to say that Torremolinos is a teen hang out. The place attracts people of all ages. They’re drawn by the beauty of the pristine beaches, which stretch out for miles and promise many happy hours of sunbathing and watersports. Some are honeymooners, some are yuppies looking for a fun escape from droll office life, some are married couples who need a fun break from chores, bills, and kids. And what Torremolinos gives them is non-stop action. You can hike in the morning, dive in the afternoon, take a short siesta in a shady part of the beach, head for the bars and the tapas in the evening, and then dance till dawn. What a way to squeeze everything into your vacation!

Torremolinos’ incredible party scene are also ideal for young singles looking for a little romance. There are even some gay bars. But whatever your age, your sexual orientation, or whether you’re there to have fun with your husband or find a husband, this is the town where you can enjoy a few days of being totally carefree. Leave your stress and your inhibitions behind. Dance, drink, and belt out a song. And if you’ve had a little too much, it’s okay—so has everyone else! After all, this is what vacations are for. And in Torremolinos, your vacation will be unforgettable.

Torremolinos is part of Spain’s famous Costa del Sol region. This popular tourist destination boasts of 9 kilometres of pristine beaches, a bustling nightlife with hundreds of bars, restaurants and boutiques to choose form, and a number of water sports that people can enjoy around the year. Tourists flock here from all parts of Europe to escape the dreary winter and enjoy the sunshine and extensive partying.
A little less than 50 years ago Torremolinos was a quiet fishing village where the only sounds you’d hear on the shores were the quiet lapping of the waves and the breeze whistling through the trees. Not anymore. There are tourists and disco music, and the calls of street vendors peddling their wares. However, the government has taken steps to preserve some of the town’s natural beauty and charm.

For example, despite the sudden boom of apartments and towering hotels, the town remains to be picturesque. Beautiful landscaped gardens are scattered all across the area, containing over a thousands kinds of flowers, trees and other greenery. These gardens help retain some of the serenity of a seaside town, not to mention create little spots of nature for picture-taking and picnicking.

And despite the boom that the entire Costa del Sol region has seen in terms of property development—it seems that there’s always a condo being built, or a house being bought by a tourist who has fallen in love with the area and wishes to own a permanent vacation retreat—there are still many parts of Torremolinos that have been preserved from the march of modernization.

For example, right in the heart of the busy shopping district lies family owned fresh fish bars, holding true to the town’s tradition as a fishing village. This is the best place to buy seafood, and somehow it doesn’t seem odd that it’s sold right next to a designer boutique! You’ll also find tapas bars that are cooked in the traditional way, winding cobblestone streets, and charming balconies that are festooned with geraniums and other beautiful flowers.

Indeed, Torremolinos is a fine blend of rustic charm and party central–a perfect place to hold your next vacation in Spain.