Located on Spain's Costa Tropical, this coastal town draws visitors with its Mediterranean beaches, cliffside views, and Sierra Nevada backdrop. A center of local sugar cane production since 1500s.
Motril spreads across the Sierra de Lújar slopes, facing the Mediterranean on Andalusia’s tropical coast. Once a Moorish settlement, the town includes a 16th-century church constructed where a mosque once stood and a busy port with fishing boats and ferries heading to North Africa. Walk along Playa Granada’s pebble beach, pass fields of sugar cane used in local rum distilleries, or explore orchards filled with mango and avocado trees. The old town’s tight streets lead to the Baroque sanctuary on the hill, and museums here explain how sugar production shaped the area’s past.
Beaches and Coastal Areas
Motril’s coastline mixes pebble beaches and gravel coves. Playa Granada, east of the Guadalfeo River delta, has gentle waves and a clear view of Salobreña’s castle on the hill. Head west to Playa Poniente, a long stretch of pebbles bordered by restaurants grilling sardines and serving fried anchovies. Close to the port, Playa Calahonda draws snorkelers with its deep, transparent water, and Playa Carchuna remains less crowded, edged by greenhouses growing tropical fruits. The marina has fishing charters available, and ferries leave daily for Melilla and Tangier.
Historic Sites and Museums
The Church of La Encarnación stands in Motril’s old town, blending Mudéjar-style ceilings with Gothic arches on a site originally home to a mosque. Walk 10 minutes uphill to the Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza, a Baroque church with sweeping views from its elevated position. Casa de las Palmas, a 16th-century mansion now used as a cultural space, displays old sugar-processing equipment and details how the crop supported the local economy. The Pre-Industrial Sugar Museum recreates medieval mills, and the History Museum of Motril outlines the town’s shift from Moorish control to its importance in Spanish sea trade.
Food and Markets
Motril’s Municipal Market occupies a two-story building with twin courtyards, where vendors sell tropical fruits like cherimoyas and prickly pears from nearby farms. Order migas—fried breadcrumbs mixed with garlic and chorizo—or try boquerones (fresh white anchovies) at tapas bars around midday. Rum Montero Bodega, a family-owned distillery operating since 1963, gives tours explaining how sugar cane becomes rum. On weekends, locals meet at Plaza de la Aurora for morning churros and coffee, often before browsing handmade goods at the weekly outdoor market.
Nearby Excursions and Nature
Drive 15 minutes east to Salobreña, a village of white buildings topped by a 10th-century castle. For walks, Charca de Suárez Wetland has wooden paths crossing six lagoons frequented by flamingos and herons during migration seasons. The Park of the Americas, close to Motril’s sanctuary, grows over 50 types of subtropical trees, including kapok and tamarind, each marked with their native regions. Boat trips from the port go to Granada’s Alhambra Palace, and local farms invite visitors to tour mango groves and sample jams or fruit liqueurs.
Festivals and Seasonal Activities
Holy Week brings processions through Motril’s streets, with 23 detailed religious floats carried by participants in hooded robes, followed by drummers. In May, the Cross Festival fills squares with crosses decorated in flowers, and neighborhoods compete to create the most elaborate designs. July’s Feria de Motril turns the fairgrounds into nightly gatherings with flamenco dancing, horse parades, and stalls mixing rum drinks. The Calderón de la Barca Theatre holds regular performances, including classical guitar concerts and modern plays.
Travel Tips
Motril has warm summers and mild winters, with temperatures seldom falling below 15°C (59°F). The port area links to Granada by a main highway (45-minute drive) and to Málaga via the coastal road (1 hour). Spanish is the primary language, though some tour guides and port workers speak English. For urgent help, call 112. Many shops close from 14:00 to 17:00, reopening until 20:30. Cruise passengers usually take shuttle buses to the city center, a 10-minute walk from the old town.
