Holidays in Torremolinos are all about letting your hair down. The hotels, bars and restaurants of this large resort offer everything you need for the ultimate Spanish sunshine break. However, it was the resort's enormous expanse of beach – some five miles long – that first began attracting holidaymakers decades ago. And most people on Torremolinos holidays still prefer to start their days at the beach, which has welcoming golden sands and warm, shallow seas.

Later in the day, meanwhile, they might choose to head to one of the hundreds of restaurants on the strip, which offer traditional Spanish favourites alongside Italian, Indian, Chinese and South American cuisine. A bit of shopping may also be on the menu, either before or after the afternoon siesta. And if so, the back streets of Torremolinos are strewn with a variety of stores selling clothes, arts and crafts or souvenir trinkets. Even the airport – Malaga Airport (AGP) – is just 15 minutes down the road.

But it’s nevertheless after dark that Torremolinos really comes to life. DJ-infused music bars, pubs, and cocktail lounges spring into action as the town warms you up for one of its many nightclubs. For a quieter alternative, make a beeline for the far ends of town where you’ll find cosy, peaceful little bars or take a look at some of the spa hotels that offer deals on a day of pampering.

Get your invite to the Costa del Sol's biggest party venue by using the TravelSupermarket search tool to find all the best deals on holidays to Torremolinos.

Long, hot and dry summers interspersed with a short but mild winter are the norm in Torremolinos, which is blessed with a typical Mediterranean climate. Rainfall here is also quite low and restricted mainly to late autumn and the end of winter. At the peak of summer, daytime temperatures can often reach 35C, cooling to a pleasant 22C in the evenings. 

Dia Del Pescaito; June: Every year, on the first Thursday in June, the air around La Carihuela Beach is filled with the delicious smell of frying fish as the town pays homage to the delights of the sea. Turn up to this event hungry, as you’re bound to be tempted to try some.

Fiesta de Virgen del Carmen; July: An idol of Carmen – patron saint of sailors and the sea – is carried from the church of La Carihuela to a boat in the harbour, from where she is transported around the coast to bless the sea and vessels that fish there.

Fiesta de Arcangel San Miguel; September: A week of parades, music concerts, fireworks and fun build up to Saint Michael's Day – a big deal in these parts.

Kids & teens: Summer days can get very hot, so keep the youngsters cool with a day trip to Aqualand and its selection of slides and splash pools.

Nightlife: As nights out go, Torremolinos is pretty unrivalled in this part of Spain. The bars of San Miguel Street are a great warm-up for whichever nightclub takes your fancy.

Babies & toddlers: With two golden beaches in the shape of La Bajondillo and La Carihuela, and the warm shallows of the Med, there’s lots of safe play time to be had.