Underrated European town filled with white-washed buildings and staggering history
Cast into the shadow thanks to a nearby party-mad hotspot, this beautiful EU town with golden beaches, crystal-clear waters and a 6,000-year history has managed to avoid the tourist spotlight
This Mediterranean 'jewel' perched atop a cliff is the perfect blend of golden sand and rich history - and yet you've probably never heard of it. Last year, a record-breaking 94 million international visitors flocked to Spain - lured by the country's balmy temperatures, pristine beaches, and cheap pints.
But hotspots like the Brit-favourite Malaga have started to turn their back on holidaymakers. It follows a string of anti-tourist protests that erupted across the nation in 2024, with banner-carrying locals taking to the streets to demand holidaymakers 'go home'.
Fed-up residents argue the unsustainable influx of holidaymakers and consequential spike in short-term holiday lets have priced them out of the property market, amid Spain's escalating housing crisis. The furore has already resulted in a huge tourist clampdown, with fresh rules brutally dictating locals wanting to turn their home into an Airbnb.
However, just 50 miles (a one-hour drive) from the overcrowded region of Malaga, lies a beautiful whitewashed town named Salobreña. Built on the summit of a rocky crag, and offering stellar views of the Mediterranean Sea, this idyllic destination has managed to escape the tourist spotlight.
It boasts a slew of soft-sand beaches, has a renowned seafood scene, and is just a stone's throw away from the peaks of the Sierra Nevada and its stunning National Park. However, it's the town's 6,000-year history that really sets it apart from the rest.
"Salobreña traces its origins back to Phoenician times," explains the country's official tourist board, Visit Spain. "Founded as a trading colony, it was also populated by Romans and Arabs until it was reconquered by the Catholic Monarchs.
"Pirate attacks forced the city to wall itself, and its inhabitants chose safer locations in the mountains. Today, its excellent tropical climate, with temperatures between 15 and 32 degrees, attracts visitors year-round."
The upper part of the town centre is dominated by a Roman-built castle, which looks down on quaint cobbled streets lined with white cottages. "Another interesting structure is the parish church of Nuestra Señora del Rosario, built on the site of an old mosque in the 16th century," Visit Spain added.
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The nearest airport to Salobreña is Granada-Jaén, but there are no direct flights to the hub from the UK. However, Brits can catch a quick flight over to Malaga, which takes just under three hours.
You can fly directly to the hotspot from a slew of major UK airports, including Birmingham, Nottingham, Newcastle, Bristol, and London Gatwick. If you're flexible with dates, you can grab return fares for as little as £28 in June and July. You'll then need to take a one-hour and 10-minute taxi drive over to Salobreña.
There is a range of accommodation types in the town, meaning you'll find the perfect pad no matter what your budget. For example, a week's stay (Monday, June 2-9) in a three-bed duplex just 50 yards from the beach will set you back £684, based on two adults sharing. However, a smaller one-bedroom apartment with a terrace costs just £54 3 for the exact same dates.
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