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 | Torremolinos, “off all places”! |
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“Off all places”, you are probably thinking. I did have the same feeling before landing here by accident more than 3 years ago. Torremolinos, a town only 12 kilometres from Málaga capital, and only 7 km west of Málaga airport has a long and extensive history, as the many Phoenician, Greek, Roman and Arab remains found in the area testify.
The major change undergone by Torremolinos occurred in the second half of the 20th century, when this fishing town discovered the enormous tourist potential of its extensive coastline and mild climate. Torremolinos has since then become one of the chief centres for attracting tourists on the Costa del Sol, thanks to major tourist facilities and the quality of its infrastructure. Torremolinos is certainly different: a vast, grotesque parody of a seaside resort, which is fascinating in its own kitschy way.
I have to admit that in July and August the town still shows a bit of its Monty Python spam and ‘fish&chips’ image. No wonder that the population during these months grows from an average of 50,000 people out of season to more than 250,000 these summer months. Best months to visit are without any doubt May, June, September and October with a daily climate around 20-25 degrees, lot’s of sun and space to move around. Out of season it takes on a different character. Now practically a suburb of Málaga, the atmosphere is much more Spanish, especially at weekends, with an air of friendliness and welcome.
You don’t have to look very hard to find traces of a by-gone age when life was slower. In the middle of the main shopping centre you''ll find some of the town''s original fresh fish bars. In the old part of the town, near the town hall and Casa de Cultura, the narrow cobbled streets, balconies covered with geraniums and tiny tapas bars give a flavour of Spanish life as it is still lived in thousands of inland Andalucian pueblos. Some of the best seafood restaurants are in the fisherman’s district of La Carihuela which has been relatively undisturbed by high-rise hotels and has retained a little bit of it’s Andalucian coastal charm.
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The tapas bars are the places to go for delicious fresh snacks - spicy prawns, mussels, calamares, local "chorizo" sausage – all at very good prices. Try out “Matahambre”, a recently opened tapas-restaurant, located on Calle Mercedes, in the centre of the town.
But if you''re not into going native, there are also dishes for everybody’s taste in the hundreds of international bars and restaurants - English, German, Dutch, Chinese, Italian as well as Spanish.
The excellent coastline, combined with the pleasant climate, are just some of the attractions this Andalusian town offers. Torremolinos gives countless possibilities: from swimming and soaking up the sun at almost any time of the year, to playing all kinds of sports, including golf. It might disappoint ‘cultural lover’. There isn''t much in the way of museums or national monuments, although the nearby city of Malaga can be easily reached by public transport. There is a half-hourly train service between Malaga and Fuengirola and an efficient bus service along the coast in general.
Beside this, Torremolinos becomes an extraordinary meeting point that is easily reached by the new A 92 highway making the town a perfect starting point for pleasure trips to monumental cities as Seville, Cordoba and Granada.
“Off all places”, this place is not that bad at all.
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