Motril - Costa tropical - España

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Motril is the second largest town in the province of Granada and is located on the Mediterranean coast, close to the Guadalfeo River. It forms an important part of the Tropical Coast and with its sprawling beaches and warm climate it is a stark contrast to the snowcapped Sierra Nevada that forms part of the same region. Motril is the southernmost municipal district in the entire province of Granada and is an important commercial and industrial center for the region.

Motril boasts a wide variety of stunning beaches, the most famous of which is the 'Playa Granada' which is equipped with its own golf course. Thanks to its priviledged geographical location, Motril enjoys a semi-tropical climate with more than 320 sunny days throughout the year and an average annual temperature of 20 degrees. As a result, the town's beaches have become a popular tourist attraction . With well-facilitated family-orientated beaches, breathtaking hidden coves and even a nudist beach on offer, Motril truely has something for everyone.   

Motril also has a lot to offer visitors in terms of sports and leisure activities: hiking, sailing, surfing, windsurfing, golf, horse riding, paragliding, canyoneering, deep-sea fishing and more are all possible here. In addition to outdoor activities, visitors can also make use of a number of indoor swimming pools and leisure complexes in the town.

A brief history of Motril

During the period of Muslim dominance, the town developed into an important urban center and bastion of defence against attack as a number of walls and look-out towers were erected along the coastline. It wasn't until 1489 that the Catholic Kings seized control of the town and finally expelled the Moors in 1507. The town remained mostly unpopulated following this period and later repopulation of the town was again interrupted by the Alpujarras War in 1569 when a large part of the town was reduced to rubble.

Consequently a period of restoration and reconstruction followed as it was necessary to fortify and protect the town from persistant pirate attack.

One of the most important buildings in Motril is the Town Hall, which was reconstructed in 1631over the ruins of the previous Town Hall which, interestingly, had been accidently destroyed in a powder keg explosion during an attempted pirate attack in 1620. 

However because of the excellent defence systems installed in the town to protect against such attacks, Motril was awarded with the title 'The Noble and Loyal City of Motril' by King Felipe IV in 1657.

In the following years the town continued to grow and develop, interrupted only by an outbreak of plague in 1679, until the town was completely destroyed by the 1884 and 1885 earthquakes.

However, over the past century, the town has developed into an important agricultural and maritime center.

Motril Cuisine

As a popular and bustling coastal town, fish plays an important role in the Motril gastronomy. The town boasts a number of fisheries which provide a wide variety of high-quality and freshly caught fish on a daily basis. Anchovies, sardines and shrimp are some of the most popular fish to be served in Motril and are often concocted into innovative and delicious dishes that are entirely unique to the region. 

However, Motril's most popular speciality dish is migas (literally translated as crumbs) which is similar to Moroccan couscous. 

Motril's most famous drink is also a regional speciality: the locally produced ron palido (pale rum).

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