Motril Beaches
Your guide to the best beaches
The Costa Tropical has 28 kilometres (18 miles) of beaches. The mountains run right down to the sea in this area, creating a series of coves and promontories along the coastline, and making this one of the most picturesque sections of the southern Spanish coast. It is also one of the least populated, as the beaches here are less known to foreign visitors than those of the Costa del Sol further along the coast to the west. For the time being, at least, the Costa Tropical is still off the beaten tourist track.
Playa de las Azucenas – Motril
To the east of the port of Motril, we have the only sandy beach in the delta with remnants of mobile dunes, formed by the finer sediments of the Guadalfeo delta. With a width of about 30 meters, it is a beach with dark sand that stretches along 1600 meters of coastline between the Port of Motril and Torrenueva Costa. Easily accessible, it has a low level of occupancy. Coastal native vegetation and unique species along the Granada coast maintain their territories despite the advancement of the port and tourism. It is said that the Patron Saint of Motril, Our Lady of the Head, appeared on this beach. Pedestrian access is easy.
Playa del Cable (Playacan) – Motril
This is the only dog-friendly beach on the coast of Granada. Playa del Cable is a beach of considerable length. Its shoreline is dark and composed of fine sand and gravel. In addition, its waters are clean and crystal clear, with gentle waves, making it a peaceful spot for swimming. Because of this, it’s a very family-friendly beach, especially since dogs are allowed. It is equipped with a modern circular dog shower, a canine water fountain, trash bins, a regular shower, and a walkway to the shore.
Furthermore, it is located next to the maritime port of Motril. It also features a spacious promenade where you’ll find various leisure and dining options. So, while taking a stroll, you can explore shops, dine in one of the restaurants or cafés, or grab a treat from an ice cream parlor.
Access to Playa del Cable, or Playacan, is very convenient via its promenade, allowing you to approach on foot or by car.
Calahonda Beach – Motril
Calahonda is an small fishermen village near Motril. It is a fairly large beach, with fine gravel shores. The beach is well-equipped with facilities like restaurants and bars, making it convenient for visitors. The calm waves make it suitable for swimming, and there are also opportunities for water sports and fishing. The surrounding area has a pleasant promenade, ideal for leisurely strolls and taking in the sea breeze. Currently, there are three main parking areas: in front of the pier, on the Beach Promenade, and next to the Church of Calahonda.
Carchuna Beach – Motril
It has a very extensive length of around 3000 meters and an average width of 40 meters. Despite being quite popular, it offers a peaceful atmosphere. It is surrounded by intensive greenhouse crops. The surface composition is medium gray sand and gravel. It has calm waters for swimming.
There are residential developments, a campsite, and a hotel. It has a castle located at the edge of the sea, which in the past served as a military building to protect the area from Berber attacks.
Beach facilities: Parking, surveillance equipment, phones, nautical rentals, bus service, danger signs, showers, umbrellas, sunbeds, restaurants, local police, beach cleaning, trash bins, beach bars, Red Cross station. The beach has access for people with disabilities. It also has a beach football field, a beach volleyball court, a table tennis area, and barbecue areas.
You can also find beach bars, refreshment kiosks, ice cream stands, etc., and water sports companies.
Pedestrian access is easy, with a compacted sand walkway in the dry area and boardwalks leading to the wet area along the entire beach.
Access is also available via urban bus. Currently, there are two main parking areas, one in the Chucha area and another in the Urbanización La Perla area.
Playa Granada – Motril
A long (1,3 km), fine sand beach that is usually fairly quiet and peaceful. Beside it is the 18-hole Los Moriscos golf course.
With a tranquil atmosphere and enhanced by the greenery of its golf course, it is bathed in a special light. It was chosen by the Belgian Kings as their vacation spot in “Villa Astrida”. Nowadays, it is an expanding residential area surrounded by a golf course and offering great facilities for water sports. The cape formed next to Villa Astrida allows for taking advantage of both westerly and easterly winds, and many visitors come specifically to Playa Granada for paddle surfing, wind surfing, and kite surfing. In some spots, it’s possible to see Sierra Nevada right from the beach sand. During snowy seasons, the visual contrast is spectacular, creating a unique scene that combines sea and mountain.
There is easy road access from Camino del Pelaillo and from the exit of the N-340 roundabout. Pedestrian access is simple, with a compacted sand walkway in two sections, next to the two existing parking lots, which also have four bike parking zones. There is a bus stop. It has all the necessary public facilities and security measures. There are beach bars and restaurants, refreshment kiosks, sunbed and umbrella rentals, pedal boats, a nautical activities school, and an area for summer cinema.
The Los Moriscos Golf Club is located here, boasting an 18-hole golf course right on the beachfront. Visit our Golf page for more information.
Playa de Poniente – Motril
It is the closest beach to the center of Motril, only about 2 km away. This beach is large, pebbled, and always full of activity. It is popular with water sports enthusiasts who frequent the marina and nautical club. People also come here to water-ski, paraglide, scuba-dive and so on. There is also a fish and seafood auction, which is open to the public. The beach-front and surrounding area is well served with shops, bars, restaurants, camp sites etc. It includes hire of sunbeds and umbrellas, children’s recreational area, beach soccer field, beach volleyball courts, beach tennis court, boules area, ping-pong tables, night market once a week in summer, pedal boat area, etc.