Torrenueva Costa

Torrenueva Costa is a small beach town on the Costa Tropical in Granada province, 5.7 km east of Motril in a straight line, on the N-340 coast road. It became its own municipality in 2018 and is named after its coastal watchtower. Its 1,630 m town beach holds the Blue Flag and the Q for tourism quality, and west of Cabo Sacratif the naturist beach of La Joya hides below cliffs walked by a 10 km waymarked trail. It suits families who want a quiet, flat seafront and walkers; skip it if you want an old town, nightlife or a big choice of sights.

Quick facts

• Names: Torrenueva Costa, also Torrenueva de Granada, and locally just Torrenueva. The name “Costa” was chosen in a vote because another Torrenueva already exists in Ciudad Real province (Spanish Wikipedia).
• Where: Costa Granadina, Granada province, Andalusia; postcode 18720. On land the municipality borders only Motril.
• Coordinates: 36.7018, -3.4858 (village centre on OpenStreetMap).
• Population: 3,207 (INE 2025, as given by Spanish Wikipedia). In summer the beaches fill with visitors, mostly from the rest of Granada province, Jaén and Madrid.
• Municipality since: 2 October 2018, when the Junta de Andalucía approved its separation from Motril; it had been a semi-autonomous local entity since 1987.
• Beaches: the town beach and La Pelá–El Cañón (Blue Flag, Q de Calidad), La Joya (naturist) and Maruja García.
• Town hall phone (tourism): +34 958 65 55 00 (Andalucía.org).

Getting there and parking

By car: the N-340 coast road runs through the town between kilometre points 337 and 340, and Granada city is 69 km away (Spanish Wikipedia). From Motril it is a short drive east along the coast.

Parking: OpenStreetMap shows a free surface car park, Aparcamiento Bahía, about 240 m from the centre, and free car parks near the beach of La Pelá at the west end. Towards La Joya there is a free dirt car park above the cliffs and a paid car park for customers. Spanish Wikipedia notes that La Pelá–El Cañón and the town beach are very busy in summer because there is plenty of parking around them.

By bus: OpenStreetMap maps the “Las Salinas” bus stops on the main road next to the town beach. We could not check routes and timetables.

What to see

Torrenueva is a beach town first. Its sights are few and close together:

• The watchtower (Torre Atalaya). The coastal tower that gives the town its name stands beside the N-340. Andalucía.org dates it to the 16th century, built against Berber raids; Spanish Wikipedia says the present round tower, almost 11 m high, was built in 1739 during a reorganisation of the Granada coast defences, between the old castle of El Varadero in Motril and the castle of Carchuna. It is mapped on OpenStreetMap as “Atalaya nueva”.
• Nuestra Señora del Carmen. The parish church stands facing the sea and is one of the town’s main monuments (Andalucía.org).
• The Aljibe. An old cistern, now an exhibition space; Spanish Wikipedia says it was restored and opened as the town museum in 2021. It is thought to date from the early 20th century, fed by irrigation channels from the Guadalfeo.
• El Maraute. Archaeological sites with Phoenician and Roman finds, linked to a Roman anchorage now silted up and inland.
• Cabo Sacratif lighthouse. The 19th-century lighthouse on the cape is the main light of the Granada coast and still a landmark at night (Andalucía.org; Spanish Wikipedia).

Beaches

Town beach (Playa de Torrenueva Costa). 1,630 m long and about 50 m wide, split by several groynes, with sand that varies from coarse to medium. It is busy in summer and is used for children’s and sports activities and for open-air concerts and cinema. It has held the Q for tourism quality since 2005, plus a Blue Flag, the cardio-protected beach and environmental labels, and the accessible-beach label, with facilities for people with reduced mobility (Andalucía.org). Spain.info lists sunshade and lounger hire, water-sports hire, toilets, showers, and children’s and sports areas (spain.info).

La Pelá–El Cañón. West of the centre, between the Rambla del Puntalón and the Acapulco estate; it shares the Q and Blue Flag labels of the town beach.

La Joya. A naturist beach outside the town, between cliffs at the foot of Cabo Sacratif and the Peñón de Jolúcar (Andalucía.org). Spain.info gives about 300 m of dark sand, low occupancy, no lifeguard listed, and access by car and then about 500 m on foot along a path it rates as difficult (spain.info). Clothing is optional.

Maruja García. A dark-sand beach on the edge of the municipality with hardly any visitors (Spanish Wikipedia).

Walking and water sports

The PR-A 420 Sendero de Miradores y Acantilados is a 10 km circular trail along the cliffs and viewpoints of the cape, waymarked as an official short-distance route. Andalucía.org says it was named the best trail in Spain in the easy category. OpenStreetMap maps the Mirador Peñón de Jolúcar and the Mirador El Hondurón on the cliffs above La Joya. On the water, the town lists windsurfing, diving, kayaking and paddle surfing. The Cañada Vargas recreation area has barbecues, picnic tables, and padel and tennis courts (Andalucía.org).

Food

The town’s cooking mixes fish and the subtropical produce of the coast. Andalucía.org names caldero (fish stew), pulpo en zoquillo (octopus), rice and fish or seafood soups, fideuá, and fried or grilled fish; also espichás (dried anchovies), the sweets pestiños and roscos fritos, and leche rizada, iced milk with cinnamon.

Accessibility and safety

Best time to visit

July and August are the busy months, when the town fills with visitors; in the low season, Spanish Wikipedia notes, the resident population is very small and much is quiet. Spring and autumn are better for the cliff trail. The town celebrates the anniversary of its municipality each year (Andalucía.org events).

Nearby alternatives

• Motril town guide, 5.7 km away: the town, the port and Playa de Poniente.
• Charca de Suárez, 5.6 km away: the wetland reserve behind Playa de Poniente.
• Calahonda, 6.1 km away: a fishing and diving village past the long beach of Carchuna.
• Castillo de Salobreña, 10.4 km away, and the Salobreña town guide.
• Castle of San Miguel in Almuñécar, 18.7 km away.

Distances are in a straight line from the village centre.

FAQ

Where is Torrenueva Costa?

On the Costa Tropical in Granada province, 5.7 km east of Motril in a straight line, on the N-340 between Motril and Carchuna, at the western side of Cabo Sacratif.

Is Torrenueva part of Motril?

Not any more. It was part of Motril until the Junta de Andalucía created the municipality of Torrenueva Costa on 2 October 2018.

Is there a nudist beach in Torrenueva Costa?

Yes: La Joya, below the cliffs of Cabo Sacratif and the Peñón de Jolúcar. You reach it by car and then about 500 m on a path that spain.info rates as difficult.

Does Torrenueva Costa have a Blue Flag beach?

Yes. The town beach and La Pelá–El Cañón carry the Blue Flag and the Q de Calidad Turística, according to Andalucía.org.

Is there parking near the beach?

Yes. OpenStreetMap shows free car parks near the centre and at La Pelá, and a free dirt car park above La Joya. They fill up in July and August.

Sources and freshness