On Costa del Sol, close to popular Nerja, you can find a charming Andalusian hidden gem – Torrox. Unfortunately, we’ve never seen even a single mention of it in posts like “Places to visit near Malaga”, and we also found it totally by chance while scanning Google Maps! So chances are quite high that you’ve never heard of Torrox too. But now you can add one more pin to your Spanish bucket list! Vamos, let us show you all the best things to do in Torrox Pueblo & Costa in Spain.
Fun fact. The word “Torrox” comes from Arab, and means “tower”.
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Torrox Pueblo and Costa, Spain FAQ
Torrox is a small Spanish town located in Andalusia, in the Province of Malaga, on Costa del Sol. It lies on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and at the foot of the Parque Natural de Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara y Alhama. Torrox consists of two parts: Costa and Pueblo.
In our opinion – yes. Torrox is a peaceful little town where you can catch your breath after visiting bustling places like Nerja or Malaga. It has a lovely old town, as well as beautiful sandy beaches.
Torrox claims to have the best climate in Europe, with an average annual temperature of 18°C!
Torrox Costa, where you’ll find stunning sandy beaches, is located only 5 kilometers down the road from Torrox Pueblo.
A short history of Torrox
Not much to say about Torrox Costa as mostly fishermen and farmers inhabited it until the tourist boom of the 70s. On the other hand, Torrox Pueblo has a much richer history. Between the 1st and 4th century AD, during Roman times, the town was an important center for the production of garum – fermented fish sauce – that was exported to Rome.
Between the 4th and 8th centuries, Torrox was occupied by the Visigoths and was known as the ‘City of Arches’. Later, during Arab times, Torrox was a very important producer of silk which was sent to Malaga and Granada. Catholic Kings reconquered Torrox in 1487.
Things to do in Torrox Pueblo
Torrox Pueblo is the oldest part of the town, located at about 145m a.s.l. Like most of the white villages in Andalusia, it’s full of narrow streets and whitewashed houses decorated with flowers. There, you won’t find large crowds, even in the high season, which makes Torrox Pueblo a peaceful place to visit on Costa del Sol.
Plaza Constitucion
Plaza Constitución is the main square in Torrox Pueblo, full of orange trees, bars, and restaurants. It’s home to buildings like Town Hall, Church of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación, and Palace of La Joya. However, the square stands out with a very unique decoration – hundreds of colorful umbrellas. Spending some time here is definitely one of the best things to do in Torrox.
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación is Torrox’s Pueblo main church. It was built in the 16th century on the remains of a Moorish mosque and later enlarged in the 17th century. The earthquake in 1884 damaged the church and as a result, the “new” one was built in a Baroque style.
Palace of La Joya
The Palace of La Joya is an impressive 19th-century house. It was the residence of the Sevilla-Medina family, a bourgeois family who was exporting wines, raisins, and nuts with their own fleet of ships. Also, King Alphonso XII stayed in the Palace of La Joya in January 1885, when he was visiting the area after the earthquake. Now it’s home to Torrox’s law courts.
Ermita De San Roque
This hermitage is located a little outside the main part of the Torrox Pueblo, on Plaza de San Roque. It was built in Neo-Mudêjar style in the 19th century, on the ruins of an earlier oratory. It’s no longer used for worship.
Things to do in Torrox Costa
Torrox Costa boasts 9 km of coastline with beautiful sandy beaches and coves to explore. Once, fishermen used to live here, and currently, it’s becoming a popular holiday destination.
Lighthouse
The main attraction in Torrox Costa is the lighthouse from 1864. It’s open to the public and hosts a small museum with Roman archaeological remains. Also, a Roman archaeological site is located nearby.
Roman Ruins
In 1905 the lighthouse keeper discovered the Roman Ruins. He began to dig around the lighthouse and found what once was the Roman city of Caviclum. The archaeological site contains well-preserved Roman baths, a necropolis, and furnaces for the production of garum (which also confirms that Torrox was an important center for fishery production and export).
Torrox Costa Beaches
Along a coastline of 9km, Torrox Costa has a few nice beaches to offer. The most popular are Playa de Torrox, Playa del Peñoncillo, Playa las Dunas, Playa Calaceite, and Playa de las Lindes. Above the Playa de Torrox there’s also a lovely promenade, Paseo Maritimo de Torrox, stretching for about 2km.
There you can enjoy a nice walk, or eat a delicious meal in one of the few restaurants while enjoying beautiful views. What can we say, spending some time on the beaches is definitely one of the best things to do in Torrox!
How to get to Torrox Pueblo & Costa, Spain?
Torrox is located 15km from Nerja, 50km from Malaga, 70km from Benalmadena, and 85km from Mijas Pueblo. The most convenient way to get to Torrox is by car or by taxi.
Where to park in Torrox Pueblo & Torrox Costa?
In Torrox Pueblo we left our car in this parking lot for free. In Torrox Costa we left our car on Avenida Esperanto, where lots of free parking spaces are available.
Airport near Torrox
The closest airport to Torrox is located in Malaga, 60km away. Trip from Malaga Airport to Torrox will take about 1 hour 15 minutes by bus+train or 45 minutes by taxi. To learn more about connections that interest you visit rome2rio.com website.
To Torrox by bus
You can get to Torrox by bus, but isn’t your best option as often short trips takes a long time. For example, a trip from Malaga will take about 1.5 hours, 3h 15minutes from Benalmadena, and… 1.5 hours from Nerja which is located only 15km away. To learn more about bus connections that interest you visit rome2rio.com website.
To Torrox by taxi
Expensive, but fastest way of getting to Torrox. For example, a trip from Nerja will take only about 10 minutes (€13-17) and 35 minutes from Malaga (€65-80). To learn more about taxi connections that interest you, visit rome2rio.com website.
To Torrox by train
Unfortunately, you can’t get to Torrox by train as there is no train station in the town.
Camping near Torrox
If you’re traveling by camper you’ll probably be glad to know that there are few camping sites near Torrox. You can check out MiluCar Camper Area or Camping Cortijo San Miguel.
Things to do in Torrox Pueblo & Costa, Spain – Summing up
Now you know what are the best things to do in Torrox Pueblo & Coasta. It’s quite a charming place near Malaga to visit , isn’t it? No matter if you’ll be visiting it only for a day trip or if you’re planning on staying a little longer for holidays and taking full advantage of its amazing beaches – chances are high that you’ll really enjoy this place! Enjoy!
Our opinion about Torrox Pueblo & Costa
For us, a visit to Torrox was a day trip (combined with nearby Nerja) from Mijas where we lived for a few weeks. We visited it in November and during that time old town was super quiet – we came across only a handful of locals! It was a little bit busier on the coast, but still no crazy crowds, mostly British people walking on the promenade.
As for our opinion – we liked Torrox. Strolling in its peaceful old town, and relaxing on the beach was very nice. Torrox might not be the most exciting place on Costa del Sol, but we think it’s worth visiting, especially while in the area.
Restaurants, accommodations, and map
Where to eat in Torrox?
Here are your best, high-rated options in Torrox:
