Almuñecar, Costa Tropical
Between the sea and the mountains, the town of Almuñécar offers visitors a variety of beaches and coves spread along 20 kilometres of coast. It offers shallow water, ideal for children, and at Calabajío; a naturist beach at the bottom of a ravine in Cantarrijan.  Experience lively nights in Puerta del Mar or its marine depths when diving in La Herradura are some of the activities offered by this part of the Costa Tropical.

Development in the area has resulted in large summer holiday developments that also take into consideration the  surrounding environment so visitors can enjoy all the natural charm of the landscape too.
Almuñécar, which in the winter has a population of around 30,000 inhabitants has a long history, dating back to the year 800 BC., when it was founded by the Phoenicians as a trading colony.

The most important structure in Almuñecar is the Castle of San Miguel which has recently undergone extensive restoration and is the subject of ongoing research. You can visit an aqueduct from the 1st and 2nd centuries, a necropolis and a salting works from the 7th century, and some baths on the outskirts of the city and the Cueva de Siete Palacios Roman vaults.  It is from here where the Almuñécar Archaeological Museum has been established, there are many intricate pieces to admire which have been dug from nearby archaeological sites.

Cobbled streets and whitewashed façades are the distinctive features of this rea, where visitors weave through courtyards blossoming with flowers and memorable alleyways. On some of Almuñecar's beaches, old watchtowers from the Muslim period remain which also served the purpose of warding off attacks by pirates.  An impressive watchtower can be found at  the beach at Tesorillo.
The excellent beaches are suitable for swimming, diving and a wide variety of water sports. There is a waterpark and a nearby golf course (15km from the city).

Its cuisine, centres on Mediterranean fish and seafood such as paella, fried fish, skewered sardines, langoustines, hake, and fish and shellfish casserole.  Among meats,  kid with garlic and potatoes is very traditional and for those with a sweet tooth visitors should try  Cazuela de San Juan. It is an Arabian dessert similar to marzipan which is eaten in small pieces. The overriding ingredients are almonds, sugar, aniseed and pumpkin.
There are two main fiestas in Almuñecar, both of them in honour of the women patrons of the city. 15 August is la Virgen de la Antigua, and the 8th of September marks the festival of Virgen de la Cabeza. Both are surrounded by a spectacular display of fireworks.