Torremolinos: 5 km from the airport, four beaches and a commuter train line

Torremolinos is a Costa del Sol resort town of 71,329 residents (INE, 2025), only about 5 km from Málaga airport. It suits a beach holiday with no car: four town beaches, a commuter train line through the municipality and a long seafront promenade. It is a built-up resort rather than a quiet fishing village, so skip it if you want empty streets in August. Torremolinos is part of our Costa del Sol guide.

Quick facts

• Where: Torremolinos, province of Málaga, Andalusia, on the western Costa del Sol between Málaga and Benalmádena.
• Residents: 71,329 (INE, 2025).
• Airport: Málaga–Costa del Sol (AGP) is about 5 km away, according to the town’s tourism site.
• Málaga city: the tourism site gives 14 km to the María Zambrano train station and to the bus station.
• Beaches: yes, four municipal beaches (Los Álamos, Playamar, El Bajondillo and La Carihuela), all in town.
• Language: Spanish; the tourism site publishes an English version.
• Market day: not confirmed in the sources we read; ask at the tourist office.
• Tourist office: Plaza de las Comunidades Autónomas, listed by the town tourism site.

Where to base yourself

The town tourism site splits Torremolinos into areas, and the main choice for a visitor is which part of the seafront to sleep near.

La Carihuela

The tourism site presents La Carihuela as the place to see the town’s fishing roots: some of the small original houses still stand, and the area is known for pescaíto frito, small fried fish. The beach is about 2 km long, with a promenade lined with shops, bars, restaurants and beach clubs. Choose it for a beach week with plenty of places to eat. It is also one of the busiest beaches on the Costa del Sol, according to the same site.

El Bajondillo and the centre

Bajondillo is an older neighbourhood of narrow streets that run down from the upper town to the promenade. The beach is more than 1 km long and 40 m wide, the tourism site says. The centre is on the slope above it, and the town’s own site describes it as lively all year. The slope is steep: you reach the sand by stairs, by the Cuesta del Tajo or by lift, so it is a poor base if climbing hills with luggage or a pushchair is a problem.

Los Álamos

Los Álamos is the beach and area described by the tourism site as having modern beach restaurants with chill-out music and a broad leisure offer. It is also the name of the first commuter-train stop in the municipality. Pick it if you want evenings by the sea rather than the older streets of Bajondillo.

Montemar and El Calvario sit higher up, and the tourism site calls El Calvario one of the town’s most popular neighbourhoods. They are further from the sand, so expect a walk, a bus or a train to the beach.

Things to do

Most days here start and end on the seafront, but there are a few sights worth an hour or two.

El Morro and the promenade

El Morro, also called La Punta, is a natural monument between La Carihuela and Bajondillo that is visible from much of the town’s coast. The tourism site says an extended promenade now lets you walk along the sea past it, and that an 18th-century defensive battery once stood on the cliff. It is free and open all year, according to the same page.

Torre Pimentel, Casa de los Navajas and the mills

The tourism site lists Torre Pimentel, a tower tied to the origin of the town’s name through the old Torre de los Molinos, and Casa de los Navajas, a neo-Mudéjar house from the first third of the 20th century at the foot of Bajondillo. Some of the old mills can still be seen near the Torre de los Molinos, at the junction of the Cuesta del Tajo and Calle San Miguel.

Molino de Inca

This is a botanical garden of more than 15,500 square metres on Camino de los Pinares, built around the oldest of the area’s mills. The tourism site describes nearly a thousand plant species, a Japanese garden of about 500 square metres and a working water-powered replica of the mill. Check opening times with the town before you go, because the page we read gives no year for them.

Walks

The tourism site also lists La Cañada del Lobo, a natural area a few minutes from the centre where a route climbs through pines to several viewpoints. Cars need prior permission to enter, so go on foot or ask first. The Senda Litoral coastal route is also on the town’s list of places of interest.

Beaches and places nearby

For 2026 the town hall reported Blue Flags on all four municipal beaches: Los Álamos, Playamar, Bajondillo and La Carihuela. Flags are awarded for the season, so check the current status before you rely on one. The same announcement mentions a 2026 special mention for universal accessibility, and the tourism site lists accessible points on each beach and assisted bathing by appointment.

Each beach has its own feel according to the tourism site: La Carihuela is the traditional fishing beach, Bajondillo is the central urban beach with showers and a promenade, Los Álamos has the modern beach restaurants, and Playamar is the active one, with beach volleyball and windsurfing. The bathing season runs from Holy Week and from 1 June to 30 September.

Walking west from La Carihuela takes you to the small Saltillo beach and then to Puerto Marina, already in Benalmádena. Nearby places on CostaMap include Benalmádena, Fuengirola, Mijas and Málaga.

Other town guides nearby: Marbella (about 36 km in a straight line).

On CostaMap near Torremolinos: Bajondillo Cave (0.7 km) · Castillo de Colomares (6.7 km) · Benalmádena Stupa (7.5 km) · Mijas Pueblo (12 km).

Food and drink

The tourism site names fried fish (pescaíto frito), espeto (a grilled sardine skewer), rice dishes and paella, cold soups such as gazpacho, ajoblanco and salmorejo, and classic tapas such as Russian salad and croquettes. Typical seafood includes anchovies, sardines, red mullet, squid and cuttlefish. For eating, it points to beach restaurants, long-established bars across town and the Sabor a Málaga gourmet market in the centre. La Carihuela is the area most associated with fried fish. The town also runs a tapas route in spring and a Grandma’s tapas route in autumn, according to the tourism site; dates change, so check the current agenda.

Where to stay

The tourism site lists accommodation in all the main areas, from the seafront to the upper town. For a beach week, La Carihuela and Los Álamos put you closest to the sand and to restaurants. Bajondillo and the centre give you more street life and a shorter walk to the train, at the cost of the slope down to the beach. We have no verified price table for this page, so compare current rates on the booking site of your choice: prices change a lot between summer and winter.

Getting there and around

By air: the tourism site puts Málaga airport about 5 km from Torremolinos and says La Nogalera is less than fifteen minutes from it.

By train: the Cercanías line from Málaga has five stops in the municipality, according to the tourism site: Los Álamos, La Colina, Torremolinos (La Nogalera), Montemar-Alto and El Pinillo. Aena describes the airport station as being on line C1, Málaga Centro Alameda to Fuengirola. Check the live timetable on Renfe before you travel.

By bus: intercity buses run from several points in Torremolinos to Málaga in under half an hour, the tourism site says, and it links an urban bus page. Network details are on the Málaga transport consortium site.

By car: the A-7, the AP-7 and the N-340 are the main roads, says the tourism site. Parking is limited near the seafront in high season, and the town publishes a separate parking page.

Best time to visit

The tourism site claims more than 300 days of sunshine a year and an average temperature of 20 °C. The nearest AEMET normals we read are for Málaga Airport, a few kilometres away: the annual mean is 18.5 °C, January averages 12.1 °C and August 26.0 °C, with an August daily maximum of 30.8 °C and 534 mm of rain a year. Rain concentrates in the cooler months. Summer is the busiest season on the beaches, so spring and autumn give you warm days with more room. We list no festival dates, because our sources give none with a year.

FAQ

Is Torremolinos worth visiting?

Yes, for a beach holiday close to the airport with train and bus links. It is not the right choice if you want a small, undeveloped village.

How far is Torremolinos from Málaga airport?

About 5 km, according to the town’s tourism site.

Which area of Torremolinos is best for a first stay?

La Carihuela if you want a long beach and fish restaurants, Los Álamos for beach bars, and Bajondillo and the centre for street life, with a slope to the sand.

Are the beaches Blue Flag?

For 2026 the town hall reported Blue Flags on all four municipal beaches. They are awarded per season, so check before you travel.

Can I reach Torremolinos from the airport without a car?

Yes. The airport has a Cercanías station on line C1, and the line from Málaga has five stops in the municipality. Intercity buses also link the town with Málaga.

Sources and freshness

Last checked: October 2026. Sources: INE, population of Málaga municipalities; Torremolinos tourism, home page; Torremolinos tourism, areas; Torremolinos tourism, arriving and leaving; Torremolinos tourism, gastronomy; Torremolinos tourism, places of interest; Torremolinos tourism, beaches; Torremolinos tourism, La Carihuela; Torremolinos tourism, Playa de La Carihuela (Spanish); Torremolinos tourism, Playa del Bajondillo (Spanish); Torremolinos tourism, El Bajondillo area (Spanish); Torremolinos tourism, El Morro (Spanish); Torremolinos tourism, Molino de Inca; Torremolinos tourism, La Cañada del Lobo; Torremolinos town hall, Blue Flags 2026 (Spanish); Aena, Málaga airport by train (Spanish); AEMET, normals for Málaga Airport; Consorcio de Transportes Área de Málaga.

Main photo: ianpudsey, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.