Playa de la Carihuela

About Playa de la Carihuela

La Carihuela is the beach of Torremolinos's old fishing quarter, a 2.1 km strip of dark, fine sand at the western end of the town. It runs from the Punta de Torremolinos, which separates it from El Bajondillo, to the marina at Benalmádena, with a seafront promenade along its length.

Before tourism, the neighbourhood lived from fishing, with almost forty sardine boats working here in the second quarter of the 20th century. Family-run beach restaurants began by cooking the local catch, and Casa Pedro, founded in 1951, was among the first on the Costa del Sol. Sardine espetos and pescaíto frito are still the main draw, and the quarter's visitors have included Ava Gardner, Orson Welles and Frank Sinatra.

The beach is well equipped, with lifeguards in summer, showers, toilets, sunbed and pedalo hire, play areas and adapted access, and it has held the Blue Flag. Every 16 July fishermen carry the Virgen del Carmen out to sea on a decorated boat.

Come in June or September, when the sea is warm and the sand less packed than in August. Arrive early in the morning for space and parking, which fills quickly at the western end, then stay for lunch at one of the espeto grills along the promenade.

Playa de la Carihuela in pictures

What you’ll find

• Beach boatsBoat rentalRent
• Beach lifeguardSupervised swimmingFree
• Beach sunbedsSunbed hireRent
• Public showersWash bodyFree
• Public toiletsPersonal SanitattionFree
• Sandy beachRest on beachFree
• Sea shoreSnorkellingRentSwimmingFree

Nearby places to visit

Along the Torremolinos shore, Playa Rincón del Sol (1 km) is the nearest neighbouring stretch of sand, and beyond the Punta de Torremolinos lies Playa Bajondillo (3 km), the town's central beach below the old centre. In the other direction, past Benalmádena's marina, Playa de Santa Ana (2 km) is a 500-metre beach right beside Puerto Marina. For a family break from the sand, Mini Golf Park Torremolinos (2 km) and Playa Mini Golf (2 km) in Benalmádena both offer crazy golf. The seafront promenade links most of these on foot, so you can leave the car behind.