Los Álamos ("the poplars") is Torremolinos's easternmost neighbourhood. The land has been inhabited since antiquity: under the Roman Empire, a road lined with villas and fish-salting factories ran through it, with at least one of the eleven known factories in the region located here.
History & origins
As with other Costa del Sol neighbourhoods born on former Roman sites, Los Álamos's ancient occupation has no continuity with its contemporary lively identity: two thousand years separate the Roman road from today's beach neighbourhood.
The neighbourhood as it exists today developed after the tourism boom of the 1960s. One of the area's first hotels, the Hotel Los Álamos, was built in the late 1950s.
Heritage & architecture
Documented ancient remains include a Roman road between Gades and Malaca and at least one fish-salting factory, its state of preservation not specified in the sources consulted. The neighbourhood has seen its traditional beach establishments evolve into the "beach club" concept.
Playa de Los Álamos
Namesake beachModern beach bars, chill-out music.
Remains of the Gades-Malaca Roman road
Ancient routeRunning through the neighbourhood.
Beach clubs
A contemporary evolutionOf the traditional chiringuitos.
Culture & living traditions
Los Álamos is described as one of Torremolinos's liveliest neighbourhoods, one of the city's hubs for nightlife and leisure. A two-thousand-year documentary gap separates the Roman road from the neighbourhood's contemporary lively identity.
Suggested itinerary
Morning · 9am-12pm: Beach
Playa de Los Álamos, relaxing and swimming.
Afternoon · 12pm-5pm: Beach club
Lunch at a beach club, chill-out music.
Evening · 5pm onwards: Nightlife
Beach bars and a lively atmosphere.
Suggested itinerary, not field-tested.
Frequently asked questions
Does Los Álamos have a history that predates tourism?
Yes, a Roman road linking Cádiz and Málaga ran through the neighbourhood, with no documented continuous link to the tourism era.
Why is Los Álamos so lively?
The tourist office presents it as one of the liveliest neighbourhoods, a nightlife hub.
What is the oldest hotel in Los Álamos?
The Hotel Los Álamos, built in the late 1950s.
What was an ancient fish-salting factory?
A site for producing salted-fish preserves from Roman times.
Is Los Álamos Torremolinos's newest neighbourhood?
It's one of the youngest in terms of urban development, even though the site has been inhabited since antiquity.
