7 Reasons to Visit Almuñécar, Spain

You might be surprised to hear that before I hopped on a plane for my latest trip, I had absolutely no intention of blogging about it and I definitely didn’t think I would end up writing 7 reasons to visit Almuñécar. For the past 2 years I have travelled almost every month for my blog, but this trip to Almuñécar was my first personal holiday in well over a year. Almuñécar is located on the southern Andalucian coast of Spain and is 1 hour’s drive from Malaga Airport.

Although it was only for 4 days, I was looking forward to travelling without the pressures of having to photograph every inch of my room before unpacking or think about how many tweets I had done that day. I knew that would come as refreshing change.

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely adore travelling as a travel blogger and all of the quirks that come with it, but every once in a while it feels liberating to holiday just like everyone else. I love photography so still took plenty of photos, but didn’t feel the need to excessively post my every movement on social media or take a photo of every meal I ate.

So why did I go to Almuñécar? It was to join my family on their 2-week holiday where they were staying in a beautiful private villa.

And why did I change my mind and decide to blog about it in the end? Because this trip made me fall in love with Spain again. It opened my eyes to the fact that the South coast of Spain is still scattered with quaint, authentically Andalucian coastal towns that make for the perfect European hideaway. Almuñécar is one of them, and the experience was too good not to share.

Here are 7 reasons to visit Almuñécar…

1. It actually feels authentically Spanish

It goes without saying that ‘Sunny Spain’ has been a firm holiday destination for Brits for decades. So much so that lots of the Costa del Sol has developed an unfortunate stereotype of being overrun with Irish pubs, greasy spoons and lager lout Brits. Almuñécar couldn’t be further from this stereotype. The seafront promenade is scattered with quaint seafood restaurants and tapas bars which feel like an authentic slice of Spain. The vast majority of the people in Almuñécar are Spanish, with a few French and only a handful of Brits. This is another thing I loved about it.

2. It’s perfectly located for exploring nearby towns

As well as being 1 hour from Malaga, Almuñécar is close to a selection of other well-known Spanish towns. If you want to explore more of Andalucia during your trip, hire a car and use Almuñécar as your base to make day trips to other cities. We made a day trip to Granada to visit The Alhambra during our holiday, which I am going to write about in a separate blog post. Here are some proximities to nearby towns;

Nerja – 15 minutes
Granada – 1 hour
Marbella – 1hour 50 minutes
Almeria – 2 hours 10 minutes
Seville – 3 hours 15 minutes

3. The surrounding coastline is beautiful 

One of the best things to do in Almuñécar is to explore the surrounding coastline on a boat trip. We had an amazing afternoon with Sail and Stay on their catamaran yacht ‘The Optimist of London’, which is docked in the Marina Del Esta in nearby Herradura. Because there was 6 of us, we had the whole yacht to ourselves and were looked after by 2 staff during the cruise, the skipper and the mate. We spent a blissful 3 hours sailing down the coast to undiscovered coves and sunbathing on the catamaran netting. We dropped the anchor for lunch and all dived into the clear blue ocean, which really reminded of my Greek Sailing experience.

The cruise included a welcome glass of cava (which stayed free flowing throughout the sail) unlimited drinks, a delicious buffet lunch on board, donut rides for every guest, snorkelling equipment and an excursion to a smugglers cave and snorkleling bay. At 60 euros per person, the cruise was incredible value and I can’t recommend this experience enough.

4. It’s SO Cheap

Everything in Almuñécar is incredible value. I was utterly gobsmacked at the price of things including drinks, restaurants and even clothes shops (if you live in London you will be even more surprised by the prices). Lots of the restaurants have a menu of the day, which includes a 3 course lunch / dinner with a glass or wine or beer for 10-15 euros each. A couple can go out and eat like kings for less than 30 euros in total. And if you’re going self-catered, the supermarkets are incredibly cheap too. If you’re on a budget, Almuñécar is half the price of the surrounding coastal spots such as Marbella and Malaga.

5. You can eat Churros and Chocolate on tap 

Almuñécar is worth visiting just for the Churros alone. They’re traditionally served for breakfast with coffee, but you can order them any time of day. For those of you that haven’t had churros, they’re like long deep fried donuts that are dunked in a warm and thick chocolate sauce. Utterly indulgent and divine. There are a string of Churro cafes along the Playa San Cristobal which you simply cannot walk past without picking up a bag of freshly made sticks of doughy heaven!

 

6. The Playa San Cristobal

The Playa San Cristobal is the name of Almuñécar’s main beach. Clusters of sunbeds attached to the waterfront restaurants mean you can comfortably lie out on the beach all day close to plenty of amenities. One word of warning I must give is that you shouldn’t expect a white sandy beach. It’s more of a brownish hue with more shingle than sand, but don’t let that put you off. The water is crystal clear and beautifully clean.

On the tip of the Playa is the Penon de San Cristobal, a tall rugged cliff face with a huge crucifix on top. The crucifix can be seen from miles away and is a reminder that Almuñécar is home to a strong catholic community. Think of it as Almuñécar’s statue of liberty. The rocky surroundings are dramatically beautiful and the bright blue waters are stunning. Be sure to take the short climb up the Penon for spectacular views.

7. The Old Town is super quaint and charming

Almuñécar’s old town is a charming labyrinth of winding alleyways that are filled with shops, coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants and eateries. There are, of course, some touristy shops here, but everything feels wonderfully Spanish and buzzing with locals. The alleyways and winding streets are all connected by quaint piazzas that are full of al fresco cafes, perfect for sitting in and watching the world go by. Allow at least half a day to explore the Old Town and get lost amongst the side streets.

Almuñécar Restaurant Recommendations: 

Pepes  – A fantastic seafood restaurant right on the beach. Great value (Playa de San Cristobal)
Los Geranios – My favourite restaurant in Almuñécar. Absolutely delicious Spanish food, very friendly service in a buzzing and intimate setting (Almuñécar Old Town)
La Ventura  – A cosy and authentic Spanish restaurant that holds a Flamenco show with live music, singing and dancing every Saturday night (Almuñécar Old Town)

What did you think of my 7 reasons to visit Almuñécar? Have you visited Almuñécar or are you thinking or can you think of more reasons to visit Almuñécar? If you enjoyed this post, please leave me a comment below! x