TORREMOLINOS

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Torremolinos is located at the westernmost end of the Bay of Málaga, in the foothills of the Sierra de Mijas. Its ever-growing population presently stands at 35,000, a figure which tripels in summer. Though taken altogether, Torremolinos is the most  bustling cosmopolitan tourist resort of the Costa del Sol, the city can be divided into three sections: El Bajondillo, the Centre and La Carihuela. El Bajondillo is a picturesque fishing village perched on the cliffs and looking down over a huge expanse of beach stretching  eastwards as far as the boundary of the municipal area of Málaga. In the Centre, Calle San Miguel is the main thoroughfare communicating with the residential areas, the shopping centres and the leisure amenities. This street leads to the steps up to El Bajondillo, a point where we find the Torre del Pimentel, an old look-out tower which owes its name to Rodrigo de Pimentel, Count of Benavente, to whom the Catholic Monarchs granted these lands. The monument was formerly known as the Torre de los Molinos (of the windmills) from which was derived the name Torremolinos. Calle San Miguel also links the tourist section with El Calvario, one of the largest residential areas in the town. La Carihuela is a former fishing quarter transformed into a tourist area but which still conserves a maritime air, with its little whitewashed houses, now mostly converted into restaurants and small shops. To speak of La Carihuela is to speak of ¨pescaítos¨, small fried fish, seafood and the entire range of the Andalusian cuisine of the Meditteranean provinces. The quarter extends from La Roca, which seperates it from El Bajondillo, as far as the boundary with Benalmádena, next to the pleasure port. It has a long, sandy beach with calm waters which until recently sheltered the local fleet of small inshore fishing vessels. To the west the beach takes the name of Montemar, like the gentle hills and small rises of the hotel and residential area. It was here, in the 1950´s, that the Hotel Montemar, now converted into luxury apartments, was founded by Carlota Alessandri. This hotel is renowned as a pioneer in the international projection of Torremolinos and the entire Costa del Sol.