Motril, on the Costa Tropical coastline of the province of Granada, Andalusia, has announced it is building just under 1,500 homes to keep up with housing demands. The town has long been a favourite among British expats and Spanish second homeowners.
Also known as the Costa Granadina, the region consists of picturesque beaches and is far less crowded than its more popular neighbour, the Costa del Sol. It has earned its name thanks to the effects of a microclimate that gives the weather characteristics of a sub-tropical environment.
This is due to a combination of the Sierra de Lunjar blocking cold winds from the north and the Mediterranean Sea acting as a thermal regulator to the south.
In September, average daily temperatures range from around 20 to 27C.
It is located south of the Sierra Nevada mountains, making it popular with climbers and hikers as well as among those who enjoy watersports such as scuba diving, in the coves east of Punta de la Mona.
Motril is home to both small bays and large beaches like the shingle Playa Granada. Many of the area’s beaches include car parking facilities, first aid stands, showers, bars and restaurants and beach furniture.
The announcement of the new homes comes after the City Council revealed it had approved the construction of four new hotels amid a surge in tourists.
Of the 1,395 homes being built, 470 of them will be “VPO”, meaning they will be set aside for lower income families.
Luisa Garcia Chamorro, Mayor of Montril, highlighted the importance of the project for the economic and social development of the city.
“With these new homes, we are not only responding to residential demand, but we are creating accessible homes for our families, our young people and for those who need it most,” she said, according to The Olive Press.
Construction is scheduled to begin in 2025.
While its origins may be hidden, the town can be traced back milenia. By the early Middle Ages, Motril had become an important defensive port on the southern edge of the Al-Andalus empires of Muslim Spain. The Arab’s sugarcane cultivation quickly became the town’s primary agricultural export and remains so today, with the town’s drink of choice being “ron palido” or pale rum.
Tourists interested in this history can visit the Motril Pre-industrial Sugarcane Museum, where they can admire ancient machinery and go on a free tour of the local Ron Montero bodega.
La Noche de San Juan, one of the town’s many summer festivals, is celebrated on June 24. During this event, locals spend a night on the beach with bonfires to welcome the start of summer. They throw three wishes for the year into the flames. The next morning, women wash their faces with seawater and cover them in rose petals.
Around July 16, locals celebrate a week of festivities dedicated to the patron saint of fishermen and sailors, La Virgen del Carmen. To thank her for keeping them safe at sea, locals gather in the coastal Varadero neighbourhood and fill the streets with music and celebrations, culminating in a huge procession in the saint’s honour, passing along the coast.
Motril is served by the major highway A-7 to Malaga and Almeria and the A-44 to Granada. Its closest airport is Malaga Airport, a trip that takes about an hour and 15 minutes. You can also take a bus to Motril. Airlines that fly from London, Barcelona and Madrid include easyJet, Vueling and British Airways.