Located at the very end of the province of Granada, separated from Nerja and the Costa del Sol only by the Cerro Gordo-Maro Nature Reserve, lies this tranquil and authentic coastal town. La Herradura is the hidden gem of the Costa Tropical and belongs to the neighbouring municipality of Almuñécar. La Herradura is one of the most attractive, yet quiet and unspoilt places on the Andalusian coast, with plenty of charm and chic flair. The natural horseshoe shape of the bay of La Herradura, from which the town takes its name, is considered one of the most beautiful coastlines in Spain. La Herradura is home to just over 4,000 inhabitants who live in this tropical paradise all year round.
One of the most sought-after areas in Southern Spain for luxury homes and vacation rentals is Punta de la Mona, known on the coast as one of the most exclusive and expensive neighbourhoods to live. Punta de la Mona is located on a protruding rock with cliffs on the east-side of La Herradura and mainly consists of large villas with private gardens and swimming pools. The urbanisation is filled with pine trees and colourful bougainvillea, which give it a lush, a tropical feel. It’s a wonderful place to wander around and enjoy its natural beauty with stunning views to the Herradura bay, the natural reserve of Cerro Gordo and its breath-taking sunsets on the west, and views to the up-scale harbour Marina del Este, Almuñécar and the lovely sunrises on the east side.
Marina del Este is one of the few luxury harbours on the southern Spanish coast. The marina was developed around a large, natural rock formation. It is a quiet and secluded harbour with just over 200 moorings and a pleasant dock with some boutiques and fine restaurants. It’s a paradise for diving, snorkelling, sailing, and boaters. Right next to the Marina, you’ll find the pretty bay “Playa Marina del Este” of 250m long, including a nice chiringuito that often plays live music.
When leaving Punta de la Mona, you will reach the eastern side of the main beach of La Herradura and its promenade, which is 2 km long and has all kind of amenities – from restaurants, bars with live music and shops, to kayaking, paddle boarding, windsurf and more. Directly behind the beachfront, you will find the old town. The old town of La Herradura is tiny, but very pretty. It has small, beautiful tiled streets, whitewashed houses leading to patios, doorways often openings onto tiny streets, and hundreds of colourful pots filling the walls. Next to the old town, you will find the castle-fort of La Herradura. Built in 1764, connecting the watchtowers of Cerro Gordo and Punta de la Mona, to defend La Herradura from the pirates. Since throughout history, La Herradura had been as a strategic enclave to different civilisations for the transit of sea-going expeditions.
On the western side of the Herradura bay, you will find the popular neighbourhoods of Peña Parda-Las Palomas, and the natural reserve Cerro Gordo-Maro. Within this natural area, there are just a couple of houses with one of the most incredible views to the Mediterranean Sea, the cliffs and the turquoise water, and to the most beautiful beach of the Costa Tropical, Playa Cantarriján – located on the border between the provinces of Granada and Málaga.
For more information about La Herradura, visit the website of Tourism of Almuñécar & La Herradura.