Torre del Mar best things to see and do
Torre del Mar, the seaside resort of Axarquia – Costa del Sol
In this article you will find the essential information about things to see and do in Torre del Mar :
- A few words about Torre del Mar
- The origins of the seaside resort
- What to see ?
- What to do ?
- Activities in the area
- guided tours from Torre
- Festivities
- Where is Torre del Mar?
- Book accommodation
- Some useful links
- Experiences to discover in the province of Málaga
- A poem by Salvador Rueda
A few words about Torre del Mar
Torre del Mar is located in Axarquia in the province of Malaga. It is the family resort by excellence on the Costa del Sol. It is located 40km from Malaga.
The origins of the seaside resort
Torre del Mar, and all the villages attached to Velez Malaga, are among the main Phoenician settlements on the Costa del Sol and even in the western world. Numerous remains and tombs have been found all around (Algarrobo, Mezquitilla, los Toscanos).
Today, on the fishing boats, we can see an intangible heritage of that time: the famous Phoenician eye. This eye, according to ancestral beliefs, was used to frighten and keep sea monsters under water.
During the Andalusí period
During the period of Al-Andalus, there was an Arab castle (which also served as a customs post) and also a lookout tower in the 14th century: the Torre Alcozaiba.
It has now disappeared, but when the Catholic kings reconquered these lands, its name was changed. The Torre de Alcozaiba became Torre del Mar.
Historical fact in the 18th century
On 24 August 1704, in front of the present-day beach, the biggest and most deadly naval battle in history took place:
The English had seized Gibraltar 20 days earlier. On 24 August 1704, Spanish galleys and French ships confronted the Anglo-Dutch fleet.
The Franco-Spanish fleet – 93 ships, 3,522 cannons and 24,275 men – will fight against the Anglo-Dutch fleet – 65 ships, 3,614 cannons and 22,453 men, in a front line that will extend over 10 to 15 kilometres.
On the paseo maritimo a statue pays tribute to this battle.
If the victory is Franco-Spanish at the end of the day, it will not allow the Spanish to recover Gibraltar.
What to see in Torre del Mar?
- The 3 lighthouses!
- La casa Larios
- A living sculpture!
- The sugar cane factory
- The beaches
- The paseo maritimo
- Villa Mercedes
- The jabegote sculpture
- The Desbandá sculpture
- Thursday market
- The mouth of the Rio Velez
- Where to eat tapas
- Marisquería El Yate
- El Negri bar and restaurant
The lighthouses must-sees in Torre del Mar
There is something very singular in the seaside resort…There are 3 lighthouses!
A little further in town, in the same axis, you can see the oldest lighthouse. This is an opportunity to note how the land has gained on the sea over time!
La casa Larios
The Casa Larios, which is now a branch of the Velez-Malaga town hall, is the former headquarters of the sugar cane factory.
To the right of the building you can see a curious thing….a living sculpture…on a tree!
The sugar cane factory of Torre del Mar was the last one in operation on the Costa del Sol, until 1991. You can still see these 3 big chimneys (the biggest one below)
In the background, you can see the old Nuestra Sra del Carmen factory, which is now an exhibition centre on the history of sugar cane, and also on the Phoenician remains of the Costa del Sol. This place is definitely worth a visit!
The beaches of Torre del Mar
There are several beaches. In total there are 4 km of beaches.
The easternmost beach next to the campsite is Playa del Varadero. On this beach you can often see jabegas.
The beaches, with all the activities for all ages, offer an ideal place for a family holiday with children.
In the evening on the beach, the best thing to do is to go to a chiringuito to enjoy some tapas and espetos de sardinas.
The paseo maritimo iconic place to see in Torre del Mar
It is locally known as the “Mejor paseo maritimo de Europa“, with its 4 km walk to the fishing port of the Caleta de Velez.
On the paseo maritimo you can enjoy several chiringuitos.
It is not uncommon to see banana trees along the chiringuitos of the paseo maritimo.
Sometimes, you can also see some chiriguintos from the paseo maritimo drying some fish fillets on the beach 🙂
In town, on the paseo de Larios, opposite the church,
You can see the most famous house in Torre del Mar: Villa Mercedes
Right next to it, there is a beautiful sculpture that pays tribute to the fishermen, taking out the fishing nets from the beach.
The sculpture of the jabegote pulling the net (el copo) out of the water, taken at night:
And I would also like to mention one last sculpture that evokes a tragic event: the Desbandada (or the Desbandá in Andalusian). I think this sculpture represents it very well. The sculpture is located at the exit of the city before arriving at the Caleta.
The sculpture is located on the Avenida de Andalucía, on the famous N-340 (Málaga-Almería road).
A detail of this story: the desbanda follows the sinking of the ship El Delfin on 13 January 1937. This ship was torpedoed and sunk 20 km from here, in Torrox, while trying to bring supplies to a besieged Malaga.
This ship is only 300 metres from the shore. It is therefore easy to see.
Here is the link where you can find all the information about the boat that has been called the barco del Arroz (Rice boat) since that date.
The market of Torre del Mar
This is one of the largest and most interesting markets on the Costa del Sol.
The Torre del Mar market – called mercadillo – is held on Thursdays. It is an opportunity to taste local fruits.
and you can often find tropical fruits (mangoes, avocados, dragon fruit, dragon eye, passion fruit, papaya,…)
Where to find the market of Torre del Mar ? : here
See Torre del Mar, nature side
The ideal place to observe nature in Torre del Mar is the mouth of the Rio Velez. It is located just after the beach, reserved for families with dogs.
It is a very special place, which should be preserved. Thing important to do : observing the birds from a distance and to avoid making noise so as not to disturb them.
Sometimes you can even see pink flamingos…. here, they are still white because they are less than a year old.
Where to eat tapas in Torre del Mar?
Here are two addresses that I’ve been particularly fond of for… 30 years for eating tapas in Torre del Mar.
Marisquería El Yate
It’s my favourite, and I love the typical atmosphere when I go there for tapas. My favourite place is at the bar. It costs 2.50€ for a drink and a tapa.
El Yate is right in the centre of town, on Calle Saladero Viejo, and this is its exact location.
Bar restaurant El Negri
El Negri is on Paseo de Larios, not far from El Yate. Here too, I usually eat directly at the bar, for the authentic atmosphere.
What to do in Torre del Mar?
Activities
In the surroundings, it is possible to find very nice activities:
- horse riding, on the beach or in the mountains
- diving in Nerja and Torrox
- guided tours (villages of Axarquia, Cordoba, Alhambra,…)
- via ferrata (Zafarraya, Caminito del Rey,…)
- hiking (El Saltillo with the hanging bridge,…)
- canyoning (in the rio Verde,…)
- astrotourism
- snorkeling
- visit of caves
Use the following link to access all the activities to do. during your holidays. This link provides you with all the details of each activity.
Guided tours from Torre
A very good local guide, Cipriano, offers thematic and seasonal guided tours from Torre del Mar.
As example : Frigiliana and El Acebuchal Tour
Cipriano organizes from Torre del Mar the visit of Frigiliana and El Acebuchal, the famous hamlet forgotten for 50 years!
You can find the details of the day and the possibility of booking online, in the following link: Frigiliana and El Acebuchal Tour.
The guided tours are always done in small groups (2 to 8 people max.) to discover the authentic Axarquia.
In the following links you will find all the details and prices of the tours he offers.
Here you can find all the guided tours in Axarquia from Torrox, Nerja and Torre del Mar.
In this link you will find the other tours in Andalucia.
Ferias and fiestas
There are many ferias and fiestas throughout the year, the main ones being
- Torre del Mar Fair, by the end of July :
- Romeria de Torre del Mar, in May
- Carnival (late February or early March)
- Fiesta de sus majestades los Reyes Magos de Oriente (5th January)
- Fiesta in honour of the Virgen del Carmen, patron saint of fishermen (16 July)
Where is Torre del Mar on the map?
Book accommodation
Booking.com
Some useful links for your trip to Andalucia
Easy and economical bookings
Continue your trip to Andalucia
Seville
Seville, the capital of Andalucia, is a city full of treasures to discover and monuments to visit.
Here you will find everything you can see in Seville in 3 days. And for those who will stay longer you will also find information on secret Seville and the Santa Cruz and Triana districts.
Cadiz
Visit Cadiz, a city with an incredible past and great beauty, on the Costa del la Luz.
Malaga
When you reach the Costa del Sol you will find in this link what to see in Malaga :
Granada
Visit Granada, discover the Albaicin and Sacromonte districts:
Cordoba
And of course, visit Cordoba, the caliphate city, and the Juderia district.
Experiences to discover in the province of Malaga
Find more ideas for visits to authentic Andalusia: see the blog pages on Andalucia.
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