Torremolinos is considered today as Spain’s top tourist destination. From being a former village of fishermen in 1920, the Torremolinos tourism is rapidly improving its performance since the government shifted thrust and focus.
One proof of this is the highest occupancy rate in the city. The average occupancy rate of hotels in the city is an incredible 80%, which is considered the highest in Europe. This is considering that Torremolinos is just a small city on the Costa del Sol, South of Spain. Furthermore, from its average population of only 43,000, it can bloat to up to 250,000 during peak seasons and Torremolinos holidays when tourists visit the city.
The most familiar destination for all tourists in Torremolinos is the magnificent beauty of the beaches in the city. An equally famous destination in the city is the Calle San Miguel, which is a road where vehicles are prohibited. This means that the road is only meant for walking people.
As you walk through the street, you will not be bored at all because there are lots of shopping centres, restaurants and bars that you can enter into. This Calle is actually stretching from the town centre all the way down to the beach area. You can walk down there and enjoy the best Torremolinos whether you have been dreaming of.
Aside from going to the Calle San Miguel, you can also enjoy the Torremolinos life by visiting the city’s several districts like the El Bajondillo, Playamar, Los Alamos, La Carihuela and the Montemar. The El Bajondillo is the district closest to the town centre where you can find beaches. Towards the east of this place, you can find the Playamar, which is a commercial and tourist area. This place is also where you can find the high-rise hotels during the 60s. Just near that area is the Los Alamos, which is a very beautiful district beside the beach area.
On the other side, in the western part of the Town centre is the La Carihuela, which is a former village for fishing. This place is among the most famous spot in the city and all over Spain primarily because it is considered the heart of famous Andalucian cuisine. In this area, you can find the widest array of seafood that you can find in the region of Andalucian.
Lastly, one of the districts of the city is the Montemar area that connects the municipality of Benalmadena to the city proper.
While tourism in the city encourages all packages like family, lovers, and retires, there is one sector that is especially being entertained by this town. This is the gay community. Since the tourism boosts in the latter part of the 1950s, the town has been considered as the safe haven of European homosexual holiday goers. Even during the time of Franco, when homosexuals have been highly ostracized, discriminated against, imprisoned, tortured and killed in Spain at large, Torremolinos has been the paradise and Mecca of these people.
Nowadays, a special district or zone can be found in the city. This is the Nogalera complex at the heart of the city, where you can find several gay bars and restaurants.
