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Beach bars and summer terraces in the evening in Almuñécar

A summer evening in Almuñécar often ends up by the beach. The chiringuitos, the beach bars on the sand, are open until late in summer, and on the promenade people sit on the terraces with a cold beer, watching the sky turn red over Peñón del Santo. Here are the beach bars from Velilla to San Cristóbal, the council's free beach concerts and what you need to know about the season.

02-11-2026 · 7 min. read

Fact-checked 02-11-2026

Checked against Almuñécar Council (Noches en Azul and the Midsummer notice 2025), COPE (09-07-2026), the Junta de Andalucía's tourism website andalucia.org, the Chiringuitos Costa Tropical association, The Seaside Gazette, the site's own restaurant list and OpenStreetMap. Internet access was limited: we could only read search results, not the pages themselves. What we could not confirm: the evening opening hours of the individual chiringuitos in 2026, which of them stay open in winter, and whether there are regular nights with a DJ or live music.

The view from Paseo del Altillo over the beach and the rocks at Peñón del Santo
The view from Paseo del Altillo over the beach and the rocks at Peñón del Santo Photo: Manuti · CC BY 3.0 · Commons

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What is a chiringuito?

A chiringuito is a bar or restaurant right on the beach. During the day they serve lunch, grilled sardines on skewers (espetos) and fish. In the evening many of them become a place to sit with a drink until it gets dark. Some have music or a DJ, especially at weekends in summer. The atmosphere is relaxed: shorts and sandals are perfectly normal.

Playa Puerta del Mar with the castle and the old town behind. Along the promenade there are cafés and beach bars
Playa Puerta del Mar with the castle and the old town behind. Along the promenade there are cafés and beach bars Photo: Zarateman · CC0 · Commons

Velilla – right by Playa Tropical

The nearest beach bars are right outside the door. These are on Velilla beach according to OpenStreetMap and the site's own restaurant list:

  • Chiringuito Primera Ola, approx. 150 m. Tables on the sand, fish from the grill and a view over the sea. The beach bar celebrated its reopening after a refurbishment with a DJ until late at night according to infocostatropical.com. The article is not dated.
  • Chiringuito El Callejas, approx. 500 m.
  • Chiringuito Tropical, approx. 850 m. Beach bar with tapas.
  • Chiringuito C'Mariano and Playamar are also on Playa de Velilla according to the Chiringuitos Costa Tropical association.

Further east, at Playa del Tesorillo, is Uha Playa. The Junta de Andalucía's tourism website describes a wooden terrace, pool and table football. The opening hours are unclear in the listings we have found. At the same beach, almunecarinfo.com mentions Chiringuito El Tesorillo as the only place with flamenco all year round. That is not dated either, so ask before you go.

The old Torre de Velilla watchtower on the point by Velilla beach
The old Torre de Velilla watchtower on the point by Velilla beach Photo: Veinticuatro de Jahén · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
A tinto de verano – the typical summer drink at the beach bars
A tinto de verano – the typical summer drink at the beach bars Photo: Xemenendura · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons

Puerta del Mar and San Cristóbal

Puerta del Mar is the town's main beach, approx. 20 minutes' walk from Playa Tropical. On the promenade there are cafés and cervecerías, including Salitre Playa. At the end, beneath Paseo del Altillo, is Arena Beach, the beach terrace of The Big Bang Ocean Club nightclub, with a DJ and lounge area facing the sea. Read more in House, chillout and disco.

West of Peñón del Santo lies San Cristóbal. Here you will find Chiringuito El Calabré on Paseo de las Flores. It opened in 1967 and is called the town's oldest chiringuito according to The Seaside Gazette. From the Peñón del Santo rock with the cross there is one of the town's best views at sunset.

Playa Puerta del Mar and Peñón del Santo
Playa Puerta del Mar and Peñón del Santo Photo: Zarateman · CC0 · Commons
Playa San Cristóbal west of Peñón del Santo
Playa San Cristóbal west of Peñón del Santo Photo: Veinticuatro de Jahén · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
San Cristóbal beach with the town behind
San Cristóbal beach with the town behind Photo: Veinticuatro de Jahén · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons

Free concerts on the beach: Noches en Azul

In summer the council holds Noches en Azul, free concerts and outdoor films on the Blue Flag beaches in Almuñécar and La Herradura. In 2025 Velilla, Puerta del Mar, San Cristóbal, Marina del Este and La Herradura all took part according to almunecarinfo.com. In 2026, for example, Arousa Group played on Playa Puerta del Mar on 28 July at 22 according to COPE. The programme for 2027 has not been published as of November 2026. See the council's website in June–July.

Midsummer's Eve on the beach

On the night between 23 and 24 June the beach is full of people all night. The council lights a big bonfire on Playa Puerta del Mar around midnight, and people barbecue and swim at midnight. Every year the council issues rules on bonfires and tents on the beach. Read all about the evening in San Juan in Almuñécar and Salobreña.

Midsummer bonfire on a Spanish beach at midnight. The photo is from Valdelagrana near Cádiz, but it looks like this on Playa Puerta del Mar too
Midsummer bonfire on a Spanish beach at midnight. The photo is from Valdelagrana near Cádiz, but it looks like this on Playa Puerta del Mar too Photo: El Pantera · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons

Maps and routes

The map shows the beach bars at Velilla and the two town beaches. The buttons below the map open the route from Playa Tropical directly in Google Maps. All the routes are walking routes along the beach.

Red star = Playa Tropical. Click on a point for the name and distance. Map data © OpenStreetMap.

Open the route in Google Maps

The routes start at Playa Tropical. On mobile devices, they open directly in the Google Maps app, ready for navigation.

Good advice

  • Arrive before sunset. The best tables by the water are taken when the sun starts to go down.
  • Bring a jumper. Even in summer it can get cool by the water after 23.
  • Mosquitoes. There are often mosquitoes by the beach in the evening. Bring insect repellent.
  • Do not swim after drinking alcohol. There are no lifeguards in the evening and at night.
  • Ask about the season. Outside June–September a chiringuito may close early or stay closed on weekdays.
  • Cash. Most places take cards, but small beach bars prefer cash for small amounts.
  • Do's & don'ts. Read the most important rules on alcohol, driving and safety in the nightlife overview.

More articles in the series: Bars and tapas in the evening, House, chillout and disco, Live music, flamenco and karaoke, La Herradura in the evening, Nightlife – practical guide and Worth the trip: Granada. See also The beaches.

Sources

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