The driving spirits

Abd al-Rahman I – the prince from Damascus

He landed at Almuñécar in 755 as a refugee and became the founder of the Emirate of Córdoba. The town has erected a statue of him by the beach in the square that bears his name.

Laurie Lee – the author

The English author lived in the town in 1935–36 and again in 1951–52. In his books, he called it "Castillo". His memoir about his journey through Spain and the outbreak of the Civil War was published in 1969 and is a classic. In 1988, he got his monument on Paseo del Altillo.

The archaeologists

It was archaeologist Manuel Sotomayor who, in 1972 through his excavations, proved that there was a large Roman salt-salting factory in Parque El Majuelo. And Federico Molina, who has a street named after him, helped unearth the town's Phoenician past.

The fishermen

The town has not forgotten those who for centuries reaped their livelihood from the sea. The monument to the fishermen and the monument to the Phoenicians – the town's first sailors – both stand in the town.

Pepe and his ship

Engineer José María "Pepe" Pérez Ruiz built his home in the 1970s like a ship – using parts from real ships. Read the story of Casa Barco.

The Danes at Playa Tropical

And then there are our own driving spirits: estate agent Finn Daugaard, who in 1969 gathered the first Danish buyers at Hotel Prinsen in Roskilde. Hans Chr. Gejlsbjerg, who was chairman for many years and had the menus at El Meson translated into Danish. Photographer Kaj Grosen, who started the club magazine in 1984. And Irene and Preben Mikkelsen, who arrived at Playa Tropical in 1974 – she looked after the club accounts, and he became chairman and told the story.