Almuñecar is the main coastal resort of the Costa Tropical which comprises 60 km of coastline and is a part of Granada Province. It is a much more tranquil and less built-up area than the Costa del Sol to the west in Malaga Province. Almuñecar itself is an attractive and typically Andalusian town and a popular resort for Granadinos escaping the city. It lies in an impressive stretch of jagged coastline with sheer cliffs and breathtaking panoramic views of the coast.

The plains inland of Almuñecar enjoy a sub tropical climate and a variety of exotic fruits are grown there including mangos, custard apples, bananas and avocados. These, in turn, extend inland and rise dramatically, 2000 metres above sea level, into the mountains known as "Cabra Montes".

 

The main attraction point for tourists are the plethora of beaches, some sand, some gravelly sand, and the wide expanses of sea. Besides this, Almuñecar has a lot more to offer the visitor, for example, its striking Moorish castle on top of a headland and its streets winding through the whitewashed part of the old quarter. There is also a Botanic Garden, beautifully maintained and an old Roman aqueduct which was in use until very recently. For children, there is a fascinating Bird Park with a wide range of exotic, colourful birds, and a large water park called "Agua Tropic" between the beaches of "Playa Velilla" and "Playa Puerta del Mar".

 

Almuñecar also has a daily market in the centre of town selling fresh fish and fruit and vegetables from the surrounding countryside. Near to the market there is a particularly good Bodega (wine cellar) where visitors can taste and buy some splendid Andalusian wines aged in oak wood barrels.
To the west of Almuñecar is a sport and yachting port - "Marina del Este" - which is an elegant shopping area with boutiques and galleries and well worth a visit. Further west is the old fishing village of La Herradura which is popular with divers and there are a number of diving schools to be found there. The flat plains inland are a great place for cycling or walking. Almuñecar is also a good starting point for day trips to the historic city of Granada or the ski slopes of the Sierra Nevada or the whitewashed villages dotted around the beautiful Alpujarra Mountains. These are all within an hours drive and Malaga and the airport are approximately the same.