Costa Tropical Holidays

The Costa Tropical is the area of coastline directly south of Granada and is located between the well known Costa del Sol and Almeria. The area doesn’t have the overdeveloped feel of many of the tourist destinations in Spain nor the glamour of Marbella but if you’re after a beach holiday with easy access to interesting cities and areas to explore as well as a taste of traditional Spanish life there are few places that compare to a holiday on the Costa Tropical.

Costa Tropical Climate
Known more commonly as Costa de Granada by Spanish, this small section of coastline (about 60 km) was given the name of the “Costa Tropical ” to highlight the unique sub-tropical climate that is found on the coast.

With the peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountain range (the highest in Spain) providing a physical barrier to the north the winters are milder than neighbouring Costa del Sol, the average temperature in the winter months can be over 20 degrees Celsius. This micro-climate means the warmest winters in mainland Europe can be enjoyed here and allows the growth of various exotic fruits such as the Chiromoya (custard apple), mangoes and bananas.

This climate is specific to the coast and as you move inland (beyond about 10 kilometres) and the altitude of the towns increases the climate can become rapidly colder in winter (and hotter in summer). In the spring and autumn there is no noticeable temperature difference between the coast an inland locations.

Costa Tropical Towns
The largest town on the Costa Tropical is Motril which is a typical Spanish working town set about two kilometres from the coast where there is a small port for commercial shipping and local yachting enthusiasts. Although worth visiting as a tourist and an essential destination for shopping for those that live in the area the main Motril town area would not meet most people’s expectations for a place to stay while on holiday but there are several nearby destinations such as the beach area of Motril, Calahonda and Castell del Ferro.

Along the coast to the west of Motril there are three Spanish holiday resort towns of Salobrena, Almunecar and La Herradura each with their own distinctive look and feel and most importantly are where you will find a good range of holiday accommodation, including villas for rent and holiday apartments on the beach.

Inland you find various small towns and Spanish villages such as Otivar, Jete, Guajar Alto and Gualchos. Further inland and along the main road connecting the coast to Granada is the Lecrin Valley and further to the east the pretty villages of the Alpujarras such as Orgiva and Lanjaron.

Click the link to see a map of the Costa Tropical with a number of the towns marked.

Costa Tropical Places to Visit
In addition to exploring the various towns along the Costa Tropical there are many places to visit beyond the coast.
Granada – Occupied as an important town or city since before Roman times and the last city in Spain occupied by the Arab conquerors the beautiful city of Granada sits at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The central area close to the Spanish department store El Corte Ingles has numerous streets for shopping and an imposing cathedral. The old Moorish casbah or “medina”, called the Albaicin, is a fascinating labyrinth of narrow streets and old houses with secluded inner gardens. The climate is very diverse with hot summers, with temperatures far higher than on the coast and cold winters with snow.
Alhambra Palace – The most popular tourist destination in Spain is only a forty minute drive from the coast. The best time to visit is in the spring or autumn but it is best to book ahead of time which can be done online. Recently short listed to be considered as one of the seven wonders of the modern world it consists of a series of palaces and gardens built under the Nazari Dynasty in the 14th Centuary. It stands at the foot of Spain’s highest mountain range, the Sierra Nevada, on the southern edge of the city which it overlooks.
Nerja Caves – Located just minutes from the Costa Tropical the Nerja Caves are equally enjoyable on a hot summer’s day or on one of the few wet days in the winter.
Alpujarras – The foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains are dotted with small Andalucian villages
Almeria – Almeria has a much drier climate than the Costa Tropical and is the home of the only desert in Europe. This made it an ideal location for filming various westerns due the similarity to the scenery of the desert regions of the USA
Malaga – The large port city whose large international airport you will probably arrive at when travelling to your rental villa or apartment on the Costa Tropical. There is much more to this city than the airport. As with most coastal towns there is a large castle to explore and various archaeological finds. Also in the area of the castle there are many old, traditional properties and pedestrian areas with boutiques, luxury goods and large chains all represented.

This list is not exhaustive as there are towns, villages and areas to visit such as the cave homes in Guadix and some visitors also go to Seville, Rhonda and Gibralter while staying on the Costa Tropical.

Costa Tropical Beaches
The Costa Tropical has many beaches along its length, the main ones are Playa La Herradura, Playa San Cristobal, Playa La Caletilla, Playa Velilla, Playa Peñon. In addition there are various smaller beaches and secluded bays and coves. The beaches do not have fine golden sands but even in summer can be relatively uncrowded and some of them are even deserted. A list of Costa Tropical beaches can be found on the information pages for La Herradura, Almunecar and Salobrena.