Looking for a different destination in southern Spain for your next vacation? Torrenueva, Granada Spain is a fabulous beach town home to the first suspension bridge in Spain that crosses the Mediterranean.
This was what drew us to this little jewel in the first place, and I must say we were positively surprised by the town, the beaches, and not to mention the friendly locals!
Torrenueva Costa deserves to be on your radar and it’s an easy day trip from Granada.
If you’re looking for a small beach town in Andalucia with a local feel to it and great attractions, this is your place.
Here is everything you need to know before visiting and the best things to do in Torrenueva Spain and its surroundings.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. That means that if you make a purchase through one of those links, I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you.
I’m Linn Haglund, the face behind Amused by Andalucia! I’ve been based in Andalucia, Spain for the last 10+ years, mainly in Seville and Costa del Sol while exploring the region extensively. Since 2022, I’ve slow-traveled in my van with my fiancee and dog, spending significant time in each place to truly get to know all the hidden corners of this exciting and diverse region. I’m here to help you uncover Andalucia too!
Table of Contents
How to get to Torrenueva Costa Granada
Torrenueva Costa, Granada is located in Costa Tropical a 10-minute drive from Motril. The closest airports are Malaga Airport at a 1 hour 10 minutes drive and Granada Airport at a 50-minute drive.
There are direct buses from Granada to Torrenueva Costa which takes anything from 1.5 hours to 2 hours. Check prices and availability here.
You can also take the bus to Torrenueva from nearby Motril in about 10 minutes.
Parking in Torrenueva Costa is fairly easy on the street and there is plenty of free parking. That said, I haven’t been there in August and I imagine it can be quite a different story when all of Andalucia take their summer vacation.
Alternatively, there’s also parking on top of the hill of La Joya Beach where you might find parking early in the morning. It’s a nice walk along the cliffs to the village.
We walked along the road one day, and I wouldn’t exactly recommend it as the cars drive fast and there isn’t any dedicated sidewalk.
If you need a rental car, make sure you book early to secure the best deals. Check availability and prices here.
Where to stay in Torrenueva Spain
Your best bet is to rent an apartment or a beach house when visiting Torernueva. Andalucia’s beach towns that are a bit outside the main tourist radar often don’t have that many hotels and Torrenueva Costa is no different.
That said, there is a low-cost hotel in town, Hotel Sacratif, where you can stay. It has a great breakfast and a bar. I like that they accept pets (I mostly drag my dog with me when I travel in Andalucia) and they’re right on the beachfront.
If you prefer an apartment, Casa Pepita is a fabulous beachfront apartment that sleeps up to 6 people. It’s located on the way to the Torrenueva Hanging Bridge and the sea views are spectacular. Casa Pepita is also pet-friendly.
Best time to visit
Torenuva is absolutely best to visit in the summer. That’s when the town comes to life and the beaches are lively.
We went in spring and loved it for the near-empty beaches. Especially La Joya Beach – I can only imagine how it fills up in the high season.
But even in spring, there were a few tourists about and I loved the local vibe at the bars and restaurants.
In winter, Torrenueva dies down a bit according to the locals. But if you’re interested in walking the hanging bridge, seeing La Joya Beach without the crowds, and hiking, winter might not be so bad.
I imagine the sea might not be so beautiful as it’s often more sea and wind in Andalucia in the winter months. So I would still vote for spring (mid-April to mid-Junne) and fall (mid-September to the end of October.)
How long time should you spend in Torrenueva?
You can easily see Torrenueva in a day. But it’s a nice little town to spend 2-3 days and explore the surroundings like Calahonda and Salobreña as day trips.
There are also beautiful hiking routes in the mountains behind Torrenueva that you can explore if you travel outside the summer months.
CHECK OUR EXPERIENCE IN TORRENUEVA AND CALAHONDA ON YOUTUBE
Things to do in Torrenueva Granada
Stroll across Torrenueva Hanging Bridge
The main attraction in Torrenueva Costa is Spain’s first suspension bridge over the Mediterranean. It was opened in May 2022 and we visited just a year later, so it’s still a pretty new attraction in Andalucia.
It feels really stable, but there is a section of a few meters with a glass floor where you can see straight down to the sea, so if you have severe vertigo, I’d recommend you take the path around the bridge. It’s still pretty unique to see.
In total, the bridge is 60 meters long and hangs 35 meters above the Mediterranean Sea. Take note of the “heart reef” on the outer part of the bridge as you cross over.
Relax at Torrenueva Beach
Torrenueva Beach is fabulous with all the amenities you need from sunbeds and umbrellas for rent to beach bars, changing rooms, showers, and toilets.
There are also plenty of palm trees on the left side of the beach offering natural shade if you prefer that.
A day at the beach is of course one of the best things to do in Torrenueva in Granada’s Costa Tropical.
Kayak along the coast
If you get restless just lying on the beach, there are paddleboards, kayaks, and pedal boats for rent at the beach. I highly recommend kayaking along the coast as steep cliffs protect several secluded beaches and picturesque coves.
The water is crystal clear so bring a snorkel and mask so you can explore the underwater world too.
Walk the coastal walk to La Joya Beach
There is a beautiful coastal walk taking you across Cañon de Jolúcar from Torrenueva Beach to the hanging bridge and continuing to La Joya Beach (I’ll get back to the beach below.)
On the way, you’ll pass several stunning viewpoints overlooking the crystal-clear water and secluded beaches. I still can’t get over how clear the water is in this area, you basically see straight to the bottom.
This is by far the most beautiful thing to do in Torrenueva, but make sure you bring a hat, sunscreen, and enough water when it’s hot.
You might also want to go swimming once you reach the beach, so pack what you need for that too.
Go swimming at La Joya Beach
La Joya Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Granada and I was baffled that I hadn’t discovered it before.
You must climb down a long flight of wooden stairs to reach the beach but it’s worth every step. With black, soft sand, it’s a true beauty.
The beach is mainly a nudist beach, but there’s no problem wearing swimwear if that makes you feel more comfortable.
There are no amenities on the beach, so you need to bring everything you need from water to an umbrella.
I haven’t been there in the middle of summer, so it might be different then. In my experience, the nudists disappear in the high season in some of the “easier to get to” nudist beaches in Andalucia.
Have tapas on the beachfront
Make sure you don’t miss out on drinks and tapas on the beachfront. Most places will serve you a free tapa when you order a drink. So if you’re open for local surprise tapas, just order drinks and snack on what they serve you.
As vegans, we let them know when they came out with a plate of fresh shrimps that we were vegan and they quickly swapped it out for us with something else.
I can’t say everyone will do that for you, but in my experience, they mostly do if they have any vegan tapas available.
See Torre de la Atalaya
Torre de la Atalaya is an 18th-century watch tower at the entrance of the town. It’s about 11 meters high and was originally built to protect the coast from Berber pirates.
It’s one of a large network of watchtowers on the coast that were used to communicate with fire when the enemy was spotted.
Pin it for later!
Hike Miradores y Acantilados de Torrenueva Costa (PR-A 420)
This is a 10-kilometer hike that takes you along the coast, across the hanging bridge, and to several coastal viewpoints. It then loops inland and takes you up the rugged mountains overlooking Torrenueva before it loops back down to the starting point.
It’s a beautiful 2.5-hour-long hike that I don’t recommend taking on during the hottest months as there’s no shade. However, in the shoulder and winter season, this is a perfect activity in Torrenueva Costa.
If you go around sunset, there’s a high probability of seeing mountain goats roaming around.
See the views from Cabo Sacratif
A short drive from the village, you find the beautiful Cape Sacratif where you can admire stunning sea views.
There is also a 17-meter tall lighthouse from the mid-1800s on the highest point of the cliff worth seeing.
Reflections on Torrenueva
Summing up, Torrenueva Costa is a charming little coastal town, home to one of Andalucia’s true hidden gems.
I really enjoyed Torrenueva and I highly recommend visiting. The hanging bridge is still pretty new, but I imagine tourism starts picking up as soon as word comes out.
Happy travels!
