La Herradura

La Herradura is a seaside resort on Spain's Costa Tropical, part of the borough of Almuñécar, in the province of Granada, Andalucía.

Several tombs with remains of bronze weapons were found in El Pago de la Mezquita in the 19th century.

There are vestiges of habitation from Roman times, in places such as in the country house de la Argentina, in the ravine of Las Tejas, and in the construction of the old road from Málaga to Almería.

There are also the remains of a hermitage or rural mausoleum of Byzantine design from the sixth century AD in the upper course of the river Jate.

The watchtower of Punta de la Mona, restored in the 18th century and now serving as the base for a lighthouse, dates from the Nasrid period.

Cerro Gordo has a similar 10.5-meter-high tower that was part of this warning system, using smoke signals during the day and fire at night.

In 1764, Charles III of Spain ordered the construction of nine fortresses along this coast and La Herradura castle was finished in 1768.

Behind the beach is the main street, Paseo Andrés Segovia, lined with cafés, restaurants, bars, shops and apartments.

As the settlement has grown from a fishing village into a tourist resort, more modern developments have spread along both sides of the bay and into the surrounding hills.

[2] The flora includes Mediterranean pines, carob, juniper, boxwood, olive and palm trees, while the fauna is most notable for numbers of wild mountain goats (Iberian Ibex).

[3] The eastern headland of Punta de la Mona separates the town from the marina of Punta de la Mona, formerly called Marina del Este, the beach of Los Berengueles and the naturist beach of El Muerto which borders Cotobro ravine.

Dawn Rosary takes place in the early hours of December 21 to 24, a tradition that dates back to the end of the 19th century.

[4] By road: La Herradura can be reached via the coastal highway A7, with connections from Almería to the East and from Malaga to the West.

Alternatively, you can access La Herradura via the Port of Motril, located less than 20 kilometers away, which offers ferry services and commercial cruises.