Playa Puerta del Mar

About Playa Puerta del Mar

Playa Puerta del Mar is the main beach of Almuñécar, on the central seafront along Paseo de la Caletilla. It runs for about 1,140 metres and is roughly 50 metres wide, with gravel and fine dark sand.

The promenade is the centre of the town's beach life, with restaurants, bars and chiringuitos, and the Monumento a los Fenicios recalls Almuñécar's origins as the Phoenician settlement of Sexi. At its western end, the Peñón del Santo, a 30-metre rock topped by a cross, separates it from Playa de San Cristóbal. It is part of the Peñones de San Cristóbal natural monument, and its viewpoint looks over both bays.

Puerta del Mar has held a Blue Flag. Lifeguards, showers, sunbed and parasol hire and accessible facilities are provided, and an underground public car park serves the centre.

This is the busiest stretch of sand in Almuñécar. Come in June or September, when the sea is still warm, and arrive before 10:00 in summer to find space. Climb the Peñón del Santo in the late afternoon, when the light is softer.

Playa Puerta del Mar in pictures

What you’ll find

• Beach lifeguardSupervised swimmingFree
• Beach sunbedsSunbed hireRent
• Beach umbrellasUmbrella hireRent
• Pebble beachRest on beachFree
• Public showersWash bodyFree
• Sandy beachRest on beachFree
• Sea shoreSnorkellingRentSwimmingFree

Nearby places to visit

Heading east along the coast, Playa Tropical (2 km) and Playa de Velilla (2 km) continue the town's beaches; Velilla is a long Blue Flag promenade beach with the Aquatropic water park. Beyond it, Playa Cabria (3 km) and Playa Calabajío (3 km) are small, calmer beaches in the least built-up part of the municipality. To the west, past San Cristóbal and Cotobro, Playa El Muerto (3 km) is a naturist beach with no facilities and the start of the old fishermen's path towards La Herradura. The N-340 and town buses link them.