# Torre del Mar

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

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
### By plane

The nearest airport is Málaga Airport (AGP), located 40 km away. A taxi from the airport to Torre del Mar will cost around €70.

### By bus

Buses to Málaga, Granada, Nerja and other villages in the area are operated by ALSA and run from the 36.74035-4.098951 Estación de Autobuses de Torre del Mar (C/ Pintor Cipriano Maldonado, 7; ☏ +34 952559100).

### By car

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
### By bus

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

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 36.7424-4.093492 Aparcamiento Las Yucas.

## See

* 36.736667-4.0941671 Faro de Torre del Mar, P.º Marítimo de Poniente, s/n. A 26-metres-high lighthouse painted blue and white. Free. (updated Apr 2022)
* 36.74678-4.088592 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. (updated Apr 2022)
* 36.74109-4.092443 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. (updated Apr 2022)

## Do
### Beaches

* 36.7393-4.09091 Playa de Torre del Mar. A 3-km-long urban Blue Flag beach. It has a promenade and lifeguard from June to September. (updated Apr 2022)
* 36.74777-4.077462 Playa de Río Seco. Urban beach located between Torre del Mar and Caleta de Vélez. (updated Apr 2022)
* 36.72735-4.104813 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. (updated Apr 2022)
* 36.7253-4.11094 Playa de Almayate. Seminatural beach located near the village of Almayate, west of Torre del Mar. Nudism is practised on this beach. (updated Apr 2022)

### Amusement parks

* 36.75257-4.095235 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. (updated Apr 2022)

### Sports

* Golf — there is only one golf course in the area, located in Caleta de Vélez: 36.75919-4.068046 Baviera Golf, Urb. Baviera Golf, s/n, ☏ +34 952555015. (updated Apr 2022).Club Náutico de Torre del Mar
* Nautical sports — water sports such as sailing, windsurf or paddle surf can be practised at the 36.74501-4.084547 Club Náutico de Torre del Mar, C/ las Melosas, s/n, ☏ +34 952540436. (updated Apr 2022).

## Eat
### Budget

* 36.74466-4.098381 Café-Bar La Rosa, Av. Condado de Huelva, 2, ☏ +34 952965860. Tapas and Mediterranean cuisine. (updated Apr 2022)
* 36.73981-4.093032 Pizzería El Horno, C/ del Mar, 74, ☏ +34 952545002. 13:00-00:00. Pizza and pasta restaurant. (updated Apr 2022)

### Mid-range

* 36.7437-4.087143 Bar Los Pescadores, P.º Marítimo de Levante, s/n, ☏ +34 609369926. Fried fish and seafood. (updated Apr 2022)
* 36.74255-4.087974 Chiringuito Varela, P.º Marítimo de Levante, 11, ☏ +34 951081160. Beach bar serving fried fish, seafood and salads. (updated Apr 2022)
* 36.74092-4.093035 Restaurante Negri, P.º Larios, 16, ☏ +34 952540090. Mediterranean and Spanish cuisine, seafood and tapas. (updated Apr 2022)

## Drink

Many pubs and nightclubs are concentrated in the area known as 36.74074-4.091171 El Copo, located next to the promenade at the end of the Paseo de Larios.
* 36.74188-4.09022 Batu Cocktail Wine Bar, P.º Marítimo de Levante, 9. (updated Apr 2022)
* 36.7408-4.092223 Larios13, P.º de Larios, 13, ☏ +34 952545331. (updated Apr 2022)

## Sleep
### Camping

* 36.73426-4.099911 Camping Torre del Mar, P.º Marítimo de Poniente, s/n, ☏ +34 952540224, info@campingtorredelmar.com. (updated Apr 2022)

### Budget

* 36.74199-4.093142 Hostal Mediterráneo, C/ Bernabé Fernández, 2, ☏ +34 952545228. Small hostal in the centre of Torre. €45. (updated Apr 2022)

### Mid-range

* 36.73578-4.098083 Hotel Mainake, C/ Fenicios, 1, ☏ +34 952547246. 4-star hotel located 400 metres away from the beach. With swimming pool and parking. €75. (updated Apr 2022)
* 36.74036-4.092844 Hotel Torremar, C/ Saladero Viejo, 15, ☏ +34 952547057. 4-star hotel located 2 minutes away from the beach on foot. €70. (updated Apr 2022)

## Connect

As of Dec 2024, Torre del Mar and its approach roads have 5G from all Spanish carriers.

## Go next

* 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.