Algarrobo Costa is one of those places locals keep to themselves. It’s ten minutes from Torre del Mar but has half the people, a promenade lined with palm trees and a row of beach bars where the espeto is still made the traditional way. This is a beach for residents and long-standing summer regulars, not for brochures.
Getting there
From the A-7, junction 272 (Algarrobo), or along the N-340 from Torre del Mar. There’s free surface parking beside the promenade and on the village streets. Buses run by the Málaga Metropolitan Transport Consortium on the Nerja – Torre del Mar – Málaga route stop at Algarrobo Costa.
Facilities
- ✓ Lifeguard during the bathing season
- ✓ Numerous beach bars on the sand
- ✓ Showers and public toilets
- ✓ Sunbed and parasol hire
- ✓ Free parking
- ✓ Adapted access and a flat promenade
- ✓ Sports area and beach volleyball courts
The espeto and the almond cakes
Algarrobo has two culinary claims to fame. On the beach, the espeto de sardinas. In the village, four kilometres inland, the tortas de Algarrobo — an almond and sesame pastry baked in family workshops for well over a century. Driving up for a boxful after the beach is a classic Sunday outing.
What the beach is like
Around a kilometre of dark sand with fine gravel, a gradual entry into the water and almost always gentle waves. It’s well equipped and very well looked after: for its size, it’s among the best-maintained beaches in the Axarquía. Occupancy is moderate in July and August and low the rest of the year.
What to do nearby
The Phoenician site of Trayamar, with burial chambers from the 7th century BC, lies within the municipality and is one of the best-preserved Phoenician necropolises in the western Mediterranean. The Gran Senda de Málaga (GR-249) long-distance path also passes through, and the coastal section between Algarrobo and Caleta de Vélez makes a comfortable couple of hours.