Granada’s coast · Andalusia, Spain
Costa Tropical, Spain: map, towns, beaches and where to stay
Castles above the sea, coves for snorkelling and long town beaches between Málaga and Almería.
Calahonda · Photo: Veinticuatro de Jahén, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Costa Tropical is the coast of Granada province in Andalusia, on Spain’s southern Mediterranean shore between the Costa del Sol (Málaga) and the Costa de Almería, with more than 80 km of shoreline according to its tourist board. It runs from La Herradura and Almuñécar in the west, past Salobreña and Motril, to La Rábita in the east. Almuñécar, Salobreña and Motril are the three towns with their own CostaMap guide; Castell de Ferro and La Rábita, the other two tourist centres, lie further east. Granada airport is about 50 km from Almuñécar in a straight line. Skip it if you want soft golden sand: many beaches here are coarse sand, pebbles or gravel.
At a glance
- Where the coast of Granada province, Andalusia, between the provinces of Málaga and Almería.
- Length more than 80 km of shoreline (tourist board figure).
- Tourist centres Almuñécar, Salobreña, Motril, Castell de Ferro and La Rábita.
- On CostaMap three coastal town guides, three places on the coast and no campsites on the coast (one inland).
- Airports Granada (GRX) about 50 km from Almuñécar, Málaga (AGP) about 72 km, Almería (LEI) about 72 km from La Rábita, all in a straight line.
- Driest months July and August (NASA POWER, 2001–2020).
Map of the Costa Tropical
The map shows the places on this coast that have a CostaMap page. Tick a place type to filter it, and click a marker to open the page. The full-screen version, with every layer, is the Costa Tropical map.
Place type
Area · next level
Coast guideCosta Tropical
Click a marker to see the place here. Three areas from Almuñécar to La Rábita, with Granada inland.
Choose your areaOpen the full Costa Tropical map →
Choose your area
The coast splits naturally into three stretches, listed from west to east. Spain’s official tourism portal names five tourist centres on it: Almuñécar, Salobreña, Motril, Castell de Ferro and La Rábita (Spain.info). The tourist board’s area has 19 municipalities, but most of them are inland villages in the hills; only the coastal towns are listed here.
West: Almuñécar and La Herradura
The western stretch runs from the cliffs of Cerro Gordo past the bay of La Herradura to Almuñécar, with the coast’s best-known coves between them.
- Almuñécar – the 14th-century Castle of San Miguel, Roman fish-salting tanks and four urban beaches; the base with the most to see on foot.
- La Herradura – a bay village inside Almuñécar municipality, next to the coves of Calaiza and Berengueles and the naturist beach of Cantarriján.
Middle: Salobreña, Motril and Calahonda
The middle stretch has the long beaches: Salobreña’s under its castle, Motril’s Poniente and Playa Granada, then Carchuna and Calahonda.
- Salobreña – a white town around a 13th-century Nasrid castle, with the Blue Flag beach of La Guardia and buses to Granada and Málaga.
- Motril – the town with the ALSA bus station, the sugar museum and the 2,231 m Playa de Poniente; practical rather than pretty.
- Torrenueva Costa – its own municipality since 2018, between Motril and Carchuna, with the naturist beach of La Joya.
- Calahonda – a small village 13 km from Motril with 1,375 m of fine-gravel beach, next to the 3.8 km beach of Carchuna.
East: Castell de Ferro to La Rábita
East of Calahonda the coast is a string of villages and coves; two of the five tourist centres, Castell de Ferro and La Rábita, are here.
- Castell de Ferro – a castle of Roman origin, according to the Andalusian tourist board, that you walk up to from the village, and the coves of La Rijana and Cambriles nearby.
- La Mamola and Melicena – small coastal villages of Polopos and Sorvilán; Los Yesos and Melicena are the coves to look for.
- La Rábita – the eastern end in Albuñol, with a well-kept castle in the centre (Arab work reformed in the 16th century, plus an 18th-century artillery bastion) and Cala Chilches along the coast.
Inland day trips
Granada is inland, so its pages are not in the lists above. Four that combine well with the coast:
- Granada – the provincial capital, reached by ALSA bus from Salobreña.
- Alhambra – the palace-fortress of the Nasrid kings, who also used Salobreña’s castle as a summer residence.
- Maracena – a metro town just north of Granada, a quiet base for the city with no beach.
- Armilla – a metro town at the southern end of Granada’s line, with the Nevada shopping centre.
Explore by interest
Six ways into the coast. Each tile opens the part of this guide, or the CostaMap page, that covers it.
Best beaches and coves
The tourist board lists the urban beaches of La Herradura, San Cristóbal, Puerta del Mar and Velilla in Almuñécar, El Peñón and La Charca in Salobreña, Poniente in Motril, and the beaches of Torrenueva Costa, Carchuna, Calahonda and Castell de Ferro (Turismo Costa Tropical, beaches). The selection below is ours, ordered from west to east.
Coves of Almuñécar and La Herradura
Calaiza and Berengueles at La Herradura, then Cotobro, Tesorillo, Pozuelo, Calabajío and Cabria-Curumbico. Small and rocky; go for snorkelling rather than a long beach day.
Cantarriján
The best-known of the four naturist beaches, at La Herradura. Clothing is optional, not required, on all of them.
La Guardia, Salobreña
A family beach of coarse sand and pebbles that holds a Blue Flag. La Charca–Salomar next to it is Salobreña’s longest and most built-up beach; Punta del Río, at the mouth of the Guadalfeo, is the quiet natural one (Turismo Salobreña).
Poniente, Motril
2,231 m long, with a promenade and a family crowd (Motril Turismo). Playa Granada, 1,367 m, lies beside a golf course.
Carchuna and Calahonda
Carchuna runs for almost 4 km (3,814 m) from the Sacratif lighthouse; Calahonda next to it is 1,375 m of fine gravel.
Eastern coves
La Rijana and Cambriles near Castell de Ferro, Cala del Lance and Casarones in Rubite, Los Yesos and Melicena in Sorvilán, and Cala Chilches in Albuñol.
The one coastal nature area with its own CostaMap page is on the western border:
Maro–Cerro Gordo Cliffs
A 12 km strip of cliffs shared by Nerja and Almuñécar, protected one nautical mile out to sea, with Posidonia meadows below.
Read the guide →CostaMap has no separate page yet for any single beach on this coast; the beaches above link to the official pages.
Where to stay by town
What decides the base is the beach, the bus and how much is open out of season.
Almuñécar
The castle, the Roman sites and four urban beaches are in or next to the town.
A first visit, no car
La Herradura
A bay village inside Almuñécar municipality, closest to the coves and the diving at Cerro Gordo.
Divers, kayakers, snorkellers
Salobreña
A small town under its castle with the Blue Flag beach of La Guardia below. ALSA buses run to Granada, Motril and Málaga several times a day, which makes it the easiest base for a day in Granada by bus (Turismo Salobreña, getting here).
Granada by bus
Motril
The town with the coast’s ALSA bus station and the 2.2 km Playa de Poniente.
A practical base, longer stays
Calahonda and Castell de Ferro
Small beach villages east of Motril.
A quiet week with a carCampsites
None of the campsites we list through Campcation is on this coast. The nearest with a CostaMap page is in the mountains, about 35 km north-east of Motril in a straight line, near Trevélez in the Alpujarra Granadina. Plan it as a mountain stop, not a beach base.
Camping Trevélez
In the mountains near Trevélez, about 35 km from Motril in a straight line; not a beach campsite.
See the campsite →Things to do
Two castles
Almuñécar’s Castle of San Miguel, from the 14th century, is open to visitors: a Muslim and later Christian fortress on Roman remains. Salobreña’s castle, from the 13th century, stands 73 m above the sea and was a summer residence of the Nasrid kings of Granada; Yusuf III was held there for eleven years, and the Catholic Monarchs took the town in 1489. Entry costs €4 (reduced €2), by card only, and is free on Monday afternoons (Castillo de Salobreña, checked Oct 2026).
Castle of San Miguel
14th-century fortress on Roman remains above Almuñécar, open to visitors.
Read the guide →Castillo de Salobreña
Nasrid castle 73 m above the sea; €4, card only, free on Monday afternoons.
Read the guide →Roman Almuñécar and two more castles
The tourist board’s cultural route lists a Roman fish-salting factory, the Cueva de Siete Palacios and a Roman aqueduct in the town (Turismo Costa Tropical, cultural routes). The same route lists castles at Castell de Ferro, reached on foot from the village, and at La Rábita, in good condition in the centre. On their age, the Andalusian tourist board says the Castell de Ferro castle is of Roman origin (Andalucía.org, Castell de Ferro castle), and that La Rábita’s castle has two parts of Arab work reformed in the 16th century and a third, an artillery bastion with two towers, built in the 18th century (Andalucía.org, La Rábita castle).
Chirimoya and sugar
The custard apple of this coast has a protected designation of origin, «Chirimoya de la Costa Tropical de Granada-Málaga», ratified in 2002; only the Fino de Jete and Campas varieties qualify (BOE).
In Motril, the Museo Preindustrial del Azúcar, at Calle Zafra 6, says it holds the oldest sugar mill (trapiche) in Europe. Tickets are €3 (€2 for young people and pensioners); it opens Tuesday to Saturday 10:00–14:00, and Thursday to Saturday also 16:00–19:00 (Motril Turismo, checked Oct 2026).
Diving, snorkelling, kayaking and birds
The seabed off Cerro Gordo is part of the Maro–Cerro Gordo protected area, with sponges and Posidonia seagrass; the protected strip from Tesorillo to the Caleta de Salobreña is the tourist board’s other suggestion for diving and kayaking (Turismo Costa Tropical, natural spaces).
The Charca de Suárez nature reserve lies behind Playa de Poniente in Motril, and the rocks of the Peñones del Santo are a protected Natural Monument. In the mountains behind the coast, the tourist board also lists the Sierras of Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama Natural Park.
When to go
Average temperature and rainfall for the model grid point at 36.73, -3.55 (between Salobreña and Motril), from NASA POWER for 2001–2020. The grid cell includes hills behind the coast (model height 179 m), so read it as a guide to the seasons, not a beach forecast.
July and August are almost dry and the warmest months; the annual mean is 18.2 °C. From 1 June to 15 October all use of fire is banned in Andalusia’s forests and the land around them, so no barbecues in the hills. Salobreña’s castle keeps longer summer hours from 15 June to 31 August (10:00–13:00 and 17:30–20:00) and shorter winter hours from late October to late March. We found no official sea-temperature series for this coast, so we give none.
Itineraries
Both plans use only places with their own CostaMap page.
Three days
Day 1
Almuñécar
Start at the Castle of San Miguel above Almuñécar, a 14th-century Muslim and Christian fortress built over Roman remains. It now houses the town’s history museum and is closed on Mondays. Stay in town for the Roman fish-salting factory and the Cueva de Siete Palacios. In the afternoon, pick one of the coves the tourist board lists for Almuñécar: Cotobro, Tesorillo, Calabajío or Cabria-Curumbico. Later in the day, La Herradura, in the same municipality, has the coves of Calaiza and Berengueles.
Day 2
Salobreña
Climb to the castle of Salobreña in the morning: it stands 73 m above the sea and was a summer residence of the Nasrid kings. From 15 June to 31 August it opens 10:00–13:00 and 17:30–20:00; entry is €4, card only, and free on Monday afternoons. After lunch, go down to La Guardia, a Blue Flag beach of coarse sand and pebbles in the fishing quarter, with beach bars and showers. For a quieter swim, Punta del Río lies at the mouth of the Guadalfeo.
Day 3
Cliffs or Granada
Choose one. The Maro–Cerro Gordo cliffs are a protected strip 12 km long that reaches one mile out to sea; spend the morning on foot or in a kayak, and look for sponges and Posidonia seagrass under the water. Or take an ALSA bus from Salobreña to Granada, a link that runs several times a day. At the Alhambra, buy tickets in advance: the Nasrid Palaces can only be visited at the time on your ticket, and tickets are personal, so carry your ID.
Seven days
Days 1–3: as above, based in Almuñécar or Salobreña.
Day 4
Motril
Spend the morning in Motril at the Museo Preindustrial del Azúcar on Calle Zafra, which says it holds the oldest sugar mill in Europe. It opens Tuesday to Saturday 10:00–14:00, and Thursday to Saturday also 16:00–19:00; tickets are €3, or €2 for young people and pensioners. In the afternoon, go to Playa de Poniente, a 2,231 m family beach with a promenade named after King Baudouin of Belgium. The Charca de Suárez nature reserve lies at the same beach, so you can end the day there.
Day 5
The eastern coast
Drive east from Motril. Carchuna beach, almost 4 km long, starts at the Sacratif lighthouse, and Calahonda, 13 km from Motril, has a beach of 1,375 m. In Castell de Ferro, walk up from the village centre to the castle, then swim at the coves of La Rijana or Cambriles. Further east, the tourist board lists Cala del Lance in Rubite and Los Yesos and Melicena in Sorvilán. End the day at La Rábita, where the second castle stands in good condition in the village centre.
Day 6
The Alpujarra
Drive up into the Alpujarra, on the south slopes of the Sierra Nevada, where the average elevation is 1,200 m. See the three villages of the Poqueira valley, Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira, and Trevélez, where visitors come for the air-cured hams. Mulhacén, the highest mountain in mainland Spain, is a few hours’ walk north of Trevélez. If you travel with a tent or van, stay at Camping Trevélez. From 1 June to 15 October all use of fire is banned in Andalusia’s forests and the land around them, so no barbecues.
Day 7
Granada
Spend the last day in Granada. The Alhambra opens every day at 08:30 and closes at 20:00 from 1 April to 14 October, or at 18:00 from 15 October to 31 March. A general day ticket costs €22.27. Book in advance, because the Nasrid Palaces are visited only at the time on your ticket, then plan the rest of the city around that slot. Tickets are personal, so carry your ID. In the evening, fly home from F.G.L. Granada-Jaén airport (GRX).
Getting there and around
By air
F.G.L. Granada-Jaén airport (GRX) is the closest, about 50 km from Almuñécar and 54 km from Motril in a straight line. Málaga-Costa del Sol (AGP) has the most flights and is about 72 km from Almuñécar; Almería (LEI) is about 72 km from La Rábita, at the eastern end (coordinates from OurAirports). Road distances are longer.
By bus
ALSA runs the intercity buses. Motril’s bus station is on Calle Tegucigalpa in the El Vadillo estate (Motril Turismo, getting here), and buses link Salobreña with Granada, Motril and Málaga several times a day. Check times with ALSA before you travel.
By car
The towns are spread along more than 80 km of coast. The eastern coves and the campsite in the Alpujarra are the places the bus section above does not cover.
Practical and safety
- Fire: from 1 June to 15 October all use of fire is banned in forest areas and the land around them (Junta de Andalucía, Plan INFOCA).
- Naturist beaches: Cantarriján (La Herradura), El Muerto (Almuñécar), La Joya (Torrenueva) and Cala del Ruso (Albuñol). Clothing is optional, not required.
- Beach surface: bring water shoes for La Guardia (coarse sand and pebbles), Calahonda (fine gravel) and the rocky coves.
- Salobreña castle: card payment only; closed on 24, 25 and 31 December and 1 January.
- Torrenueva Costa has been its own municipality since 2018 (Decree 184/2018), so older maps may put its beaches under Motril.
FAQ
Where is the Costa Tropical in Spain?
On the south coast of Andalusia, in Granada province, between the Costa del Sol (Málaga province) to the west and the Costa de Almería to the east. Its main towns are Almuñécar, Salobreña and Motril.
Which towns are on the Costa Tropical?
From west to east: La Herradura and Almuñécar, Salobreña, Motril and Torrenueva Costa, Calahonda, Castell de Ferro, La Mamola, Melicena and La Rábita.
Is there a map of the Costa Tropical?
Yes. The map above shows every place on this coast with a CostaMap page, and the full-screen version is on the Costa Tropical map page.
Which airport is closest to the Costa Tropical?
Granada (GRX), about 50 km from Almuñécar in a straight line. Málaga (AGP), about 72 km away, has more flights; Almería (LEI) is closest to the eastern end.
Costa Tropical or Costa del Sol?
The Costa Tropical is the smaller coast, with five tourist centres and many beaches of sand, pebbles and gravel. The Costa del Sol, west of it, has Málaga airport on its doorstep.
Neighbouring costas
Costa del Sol
Málaga province, west of the Costa Tropical, with Málaga-Costa del Sol airport.
Costa del Sol guide →
Costa de Almería
Almería province, east of La Rábita, with Almería airport.
Costa de Almería guide →Sources and freshness
Checked 3 October 2026 · 26 sources Show
Corrected 9 November 2026: castle dates at Castell de Ferro (Roman origin) and La Rábita (Arab, reformed 16th century, 18th-century bastion) now follow Andalucía.org, Castell de Ferro castle and Andalucía.org, La Rábita castle; the earlier “14th-century” wording was removed.
Checked 3 October 2026. Official: Turismo Costa Tropical on the coast, beaches, cultural routes and natural spaces; Spain.info; Turismo Salobreña on the castle, the beaches and getting there; Motril Turismo on beaches (Poniente, Playa Granada, Carchuna, Calahonda), the sugar museum and getting there; Junta de Andalucía on Torrenueva Costa and Maro–Cerro Gordo (BOJA) and forest fires; BOE on the chirimoya designation. Climate: NASA POWER climatology, 2001–2020. Airports: OurAirports for Granada, Málaga and Almería. Locations and straight-line distances: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Photo credits · 30 photos from Wikimedia Commons Show
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, not altered except for cropping: Calahonda by Veinticuatro de Jahén (CC BY-SA 4.0); Almuñécar by Dguendel (CC BY 4.0); Salobreña by Dguendel (CC BY 4.0); Playa de Tres Alcantarillas, near Calahonda by Veinticuatro de Jahén (CC BY-SA 4.0); Alhambra, Granada by Jebulon (CC0); Playa San Cristóbal, Almuñécar by José Luis Filpo Cabana (CC BY 3.0); Salobreña by Dguendel (CC BY 4.0); Otívar, Río Verde valley by Veinticuatro de Jahén (CC BY-SA 4.0); Maro–Cerro Gordo cliffs by Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz (CC BY-SA 4.0); Trevélez, Alpujarra by Trougnouf (Benoit Brummer) (CC BY 4.0); Playa de Cabria, Almuñécar by Veinticuatro de Jahén (CC BY-SA 4.0); Playa de Cantarriján by Uviein (CC BY-SA 4.0); Peñón de Salobreña by Dguendel (CC BY 4.0); Playa Granada, Motril by Jiuguang Wang (CC BY-SA 2.0); Playa de Carchuna by Rosa F. Seguido (CC BY-SA 4.0); Playa de La Rijana by Veinticuatro de Jahén (CC BY-SA 4.0); Almuñécar by Dguendel (CC BY 4.0); La Herradura by jlpino (CC BY 3.0); Salobreña by Dguendel (CC BY 4.0); Motril by Rosa F. Seguido (CC BY-SA 4.0); Calahonda by Jebulon (CC0); Castillo de Salobreña by Inés Palomino Ureña (CC BY-SA 4.0); Castillo de San Miguel, Almuñécar by Veinticuatro de Jahén (CC BY-SA 4.0); Cerro Gordo by jlpino (CC BY 3.0); Motril by Gordon Leggett (CC BY 4.0); Castell de Ferro by Feranza (CC BY-SA 4.0); Pampaneira, Alpujarra by Trougnouf (Benoit Brummer) (CC BY 4.0); Albaicín, Granada by Grand Parc – Bordeaux, France (CC BY 2.0); Nerja by Tuxyso (CC BY-SA 3.0); Playa de Mónsul, Cabo de Gata by efepunto (CC BY 3.0).