The ‘laid-back beauty’ holiday hotspot in Spain with autumn sun and amazing sea views
A LESSER known holiday spot in Spain could be the perfect place to get some autumn sun this year.
The south of Spain still has warm weather in both September and October, with average highs between 17C and 25C, making it a popular spot for people looking to extend their summer.
While places like the Costa del Sol are consistently popular with foreign visitors, there are a few unsung destinations along the south coast that are more than worth a visit.
One of those is La Herradura, along the Costa Tropical.
The seaside resort has been described as a “laid-back beauty” due to its quieter beaches and impressive Islamic-era castles that can still be explored.
What’s more, its pebble beaches are popular with kayakers and paddle boarders, especially those with bars, or chiringuitos as they’re known locally.
Writing about the resort, i said: “Often overshadowed by Málaga’s busy Costa del Sol, Granada’s Costa Tropical is a laid-back beauty, with cliffs cascading into the Mediterranean and low-key beach towns where Islamic-era castles hide among whitewashed lanes.
“A sweeping horseshoe-shaped bay sets the scene in La Herradura, a locally popular watersports hub just 50 miles south of Granada.
“You can kayak, sail or paddleboard to wild pebble beaches, such as nudist-friendly Cantarriján and heavenly El Cañuelo – both with great chiringuitos.”
Among the nearby landmarks are several castles, including La Herradura Castle which can be found surrounded by palm trees close to the beach.
It was built in the 18th century during the reign of Carlos III to defend the town from piracy, along with the towers of Cerro Gordo and Punta de la Mona.
Elsewhere Castillo de San Miguel can be found overlooking the old town of Almuñécar, surrounded by whitewashed houses.
The small fort, originally built during the Muslim period, is still in very good condition and has a small museum inside it.
It offers sea views over Andalucia, with La Herradura Bay stretching out beneath it.
Further along the coast is Playa Marina del Este, one of the more popular beaches in the resort.
It is often frequented by scuba divers, looking to see the vast array of marine wildlife beneath its calm blue waters.
One TripAdvisor review of the beach reads: “Cove with transparent waters and calm waves.
“A stone beach, where it is very frequented by divers even at night, since there is a diversity of marine fauna.”
A night in a boutique hotel in La Herradura just 250 yards from the beach can be found from £68 per night for two people online.
Meanwhile, this little-known Spanish holiday hotspot is soaring in popularity – and has hotels from £15.
And these are the cheapest all-inclusive holidays to Spain and Turkey.