Motril

Home to some 60,000 people, Motril is the largest town that sits along Spain’s Costa Tropical. It’s a land steeped in history, spanning civilizations that include the Phoenicians, Romans, Moors and Christians. One thing that has remained constant over the centuries, however, is its production of sugar and sugar cane, for which Motril is known. Sugar refineries in the region are in fact plentiful, as are sugar-related products, including the locally famous run pálido, a type of rum.
Motril’s town is a maze of streets lined by balcony-adorned buildings, all which reside just a short drive away from the Mediterranean Sea. Meanwhile, the Sierra Nevada mountain range lingers in the distance, a reminder of inland treasures not far away. Indeed, from Motril you can either go to the beach – such as the expansive Playa Poniente – or travel to the interior, where you can visit the iconic city of Granada and its Moorish Alhambra Palace, or even hit the ski slopes in the aforementioned Sierra Nevada.
Apart from taking advantage of the beach and neighboring mountains, you won’t want to miss sampling Motril’s local cuisine, such as fish, and migas (a hardy dish of bread crumbs, most closely resembling Thanksgiving stuffing). And if you happen to be in the region during spring, witness one of the city’s most revered and historic traditions: that of Holy Week, which is filled with a spectacle of religious processions put on by local brotherhoods.