About Manilva

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Where is Manilva Situated?

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The municipality of Manilva can be found at the extreme west of the province of Malaga and borders Cadiz province. It is situated in the region of Andalucia its eastern border is 97 Km from Malaga and its west border 35Km from Gibraltar is bounded by Punta Chullera to the west and Manilva Rio to the East. It has 8 Kilometres of beaches ranging from the low cliffs and rocky coves in Punta Chullera to the wide sandy beaches that are spread around the village of Castillo de la Duquesa, the Marina at Duquesa Port and the expanding town of Sabinillas. Manilva town itself sits above Sabinillas approximately 2 Km from the coast. In addition to this are numerous developments and urbanisations which are contributing to Manilvas rapid expansion which will see Manilva becoming one of the prominent beach resort towns in the Costa del Sol and rivalling that of Estepona, Marbella and Puerto Banus.

To the east lies the municipality of of Estepona with its traditional town and fishing port, to the west lies Sotogrande which is the most exclusive gated resort development in Spain and to the north the municipality of Casares with its Moorish cliff-hugging town and spectacular scenery. The whole area is dominated by the Sierra Bermeja mountains including Pico de los Reales which at 1,452 metres is higher than Ben Nevis.

The Weather is very acceptable with rainfall limited on average to 56 days per year and an average temperature of 18^oC though this can range from the teens to the mid thirties centigrade.

The many expansive Beaches - or playas - offer a safe opportunity to take advantage of a range of Activities that include swimming, snorkelling, scuba diving, fishing and a mixture of leisure water sports.

Manilva Town

Manilva has previously been both a Roman and a Moorish settlement however the current town dates back to the mid-16 century when King Charles ordered the building of a watch tower to warn of attacks from the Barbary pirates who were persistent in tormenting the southern coast of Spain. By the end of the century a small community had collected around the tower and was located within the Municipality of Casares in 1976 it was given its autonomy and own Villa status. 

It has remained mainly Spanish in character and atmosphere, as most of the English and other sizeable nationalities prefer to be on the coast (approx 2 km away) , it therefore still recognises the siesta period where time seems to stand still.

The largest building, the Iglesia de Santa Ana, replaced the original church in the 18 century after its predecessor was destroyed by an earthquake.

The village has been surrounded by acres and acres of vineyards with Moscatel grapes converted not only to wine but also raisins which can be seen drying on the hillsides during September. However this is s diminishing site as many of those nearer to the coast are being sold for conversion to houses, apartments, shopping complexes and golf courses.

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San Luis de Sabinillas

More commonly known just as Sabinillas this fast growing and bustling town offers much to the holiday maker. previously a poor relation to Manilva with a collection of sugar factory workers and fisherman who lived in the town which is fast becoming the commercial and leisure centre of municipality of Manilva.

The recently constructed Paseo Maritimo, which already extends for 2 Km to Castillo village, will in time be further extended to reach the port of Duquesa. This offers a great opportunity for an uninhibited flat for a walk for a distance of about 3 to 4 kilometres. In the town are many squares and gardens as well as bars, cafés and restaurants that encourage you to watch the world go by. 

The “blue flag” beach stretches for 1650 metres between the Puerto de la Duquesa and the Rio Manilva and includes the entire frontage of the town of Sabinillas. It is also a “working beach” as local fishermen still launch their boats here recovering them to the beach on return via capstan winches.

Hence this is a popular beach for tourist and locals alike. The café and restaurants that face the beach are varied and plentiful, offering a range of cuisine that should meet the needs of all.

Currently a new sports complex is being constructed that will allow the residents and tourists to participate in sports such as indoor football, swimming, paddle tennis and squash. The associated underground car parking will enhance the ability to locate a space.

Puerto de la Duquesa

 The Puerto de la Duquesa is situated almost midway between Castillo de la Duquesa village to the west and the  town of Sabinillas to the east. The marina complex is a picturesque port used by fishermen and pleasure craft alike due to the extensive boatyard and off water storage that also provides maintenance facilities

The beaches are “blue flagged” offering a opportunity to relax on wide sandy expanses or take advantage of the activities often available on the Sabinillas side of the port.

The harbour itself is surrounded by attractive apartments and an array of shops bars, restaurants that are essentially traffic free due to the restrictions on vehicle access.

The pleasant and relaxed atmosphere is welcomed and is in contrast to other ports along the coast. In short this is a  great place with facilities for all that provide an opportunity to relax away the afternoon in the heat of the sun or extend the stay in the evening, when the well lit areas provide a social scene most will welcome.

During the evening the port transforms into a different world, where lifestyle prevails. The wonderful colours, smells and sounds that emanate from the bars and restaurants create a cacophony that stimulate the senses so that is impossible not to enjoy yourself.

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Castillo de la Duquesa

This small hamlet can be found just to the west of the Marina of Puerto de la Duquesa. It took its name from the18 Century fortress that stands at the entrance to the fishing village. Its history extends back to roman times when it was a busy centre for salted fish and a paste known as Garum. This was a “gentlemen’s relish” craved by the Romans and as such brought great prosperity.

The remains of the Roman settlement are located to the southwest of the castle next to the Plaza de Banos is an old bathhouse and although locked behind gates, the old boiler house and associated hypocausts together with a large stone bathing tank and patches of the original mosaic floor can be seen.

Between the Castle and the main road is the site of the Roman Villa although only bits of the hypocaust are visible. To the northeast between the castle and the port, is where the salt pans and fermentation tanks were located. 

The castle itself was erected in the 1760 and the architect Francisco Paulino was granted the command of a company of cavalry by King Charles lll for his services. Since then the building has had many uses and is currently used for exhibitions, cultural events and council offices.

This is a very compact village with its own church, Iglesia Nuestra Senora del Carmen and a number of pleasant squares and gardens and boasts some of the best fish restaurants in the area.

Finally a sea wall, built in 2002/203 after a violent storm that demolished a number of houses along the seafront, offers an uninterrupted view of Africa across the Mediterranean, Gibraltar to the west and Fuengirola to the east.

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