Caleta de Vélez – Beach, Fishing and Holiday Apartments

Caleta de Vélez is considered a fishing and nautical centre on the eastern coast of the Province of Málaga.

Nature

Playa de Caleta de Vélez is an urban beach consisting of two sections, incorporating the local fishing and sports port. The beach has dark sand, is almost one kilometre long and averages 60 metres in width. Throughout the summer season, from June to September, a lifeguard service is provided on the beach.

Las Palmeras Beach has a volleyball court and a beach football-handball court. The Port of Caleta de Vélez serves both a sporting and a fishing function. The Caleta de Vélez Marina has 274 berths for boats up to 20 metres long.

Active pursuits

The Torre del Mar–Caleta coastal path runs from the mouth of the Río de Vélez through Torre del Mar to the port of Caleta de Vélez and is 3,400 metres long in total. The coastal path connects the western area of Torre del Mar with the Port of La Caleta. The different route references and the stated length provide specific points of reference for classifying walks along the coast.

El Barco del Arroz is a catamaran trip with swimming stops and opportunities for snorkelling. The trip departs from the Port of Caleta de Vélez and heads into the landscape of the eastern Costa del Sol.

Local character

Caleta de Vélez is also shaped by its fishing industry. In terms of landings and trade value, the Lonja de Caleta is one of the most important fish markets in Andalusia. The main products sold at auction include sardines, anchovies, mackerel, horse mackerel and octopus.

In addition to sellers, auctioneers and buyers, the activities at the fish market are observed by numerous locals and curious tourists. Alongside its commercial and social functions, the fish market therefore also has a tourist use. The cuisine of Caleta de Vélez includes fresh fish, including pescaíto frito and sardine skewers.

At the end of the Feria de Caleta de Vélez, espetos and paella are offered for tasting.

The supplementary selection of places includes Archez, La Capellania, Benamargosa, Los Villalones, Alfarnatejo, Villanueva Del Trabuco, Monda and Estepona.

Culture

An important local seafaring festival is the maritime and land procession in honour of the Virgen del Carmen, the patron saint of the people of Caleta de Vélez. It takes place on 15 and 16 July. During the procession, the image is taken aboard a boat in the port and carried along the coast amid fireworks; dozens of decorated fishing boats accompany it, while locals and visitors watch the event from the shore.

Nuestra Señora del Carmen is a small parish church located close to the sea and a 20th-century ecclesiastical architectural and artistic monument; it is considered a maritime church. Along the coast of Caleta de Vélez, some single-storey houses with tiled roofs have also been preserved. Known in the Province of Málaga as casas-mata, they were inhabited by local fishermen.

At the western exit of the port area, near the start of the promenade, a small monolith monument commemorates the local fisherman Gabriel Rodríguez Barranco (1894–1969). He was a pioneer of trawling and traíña fishing in Caleta de Vélez; the monument was erected on the centenary of his birth. Old wooden boats stand as a representative monument at the roundabout entrance to Caleta de Vélez.

The Feria de Caleta de Vélez is held during the first week of July at the fairground next to the fishing port and includes, among other things, social and sporting activities. The maritime pilgrimage Romería marinera de Caleta begins with a floral offering and the preparation of decorated floats at Las Palmeras Beach beside the port. It is celebrated in May in honour of the Virgen del Carmen, the patron saint of fishermen.

For the higher-level travel overview: Málaga.