Chilches: Beach, Coastal Path and Local History
Accommodation in Chilches
If you’re looking for a hotel in Chilches, you can plan your trip around four themes: Playa de Chilches, the town’s buildings, a section of the Senda Litoral, or the Feria. These themes lead to different questions: Are you mainly interested in the beach, local history, a coastal path, or the programme of a festival?
The beach and its three named sections
Playa de Chilches is very extensive, with dark sand and moderate surf. It is divided into three sections: “Estación”, “Puerta de Hierro” and “El Cañuelo”. This puts a general description of the beach alongside three specific section names. When planning, you can distinguish between focusing on Playa de Chilches as a whole and focusing on one of its named sections.
The tower and the church: different aspects of local history
Torre de Chilches has Arab origins and was rebuilt to improve coastal defences after the conquest of Granada in 1492. As a coastal watchtower, it is shaped like a truncated cone and built of stone and brick. Its truncated-cone shape and the two building materials give the description of the tower a specific architectural dimension; its origins and reconstruction add historical context.
The Iglesia de la Inmaculada ConcepciĂłn in Chilches was built in the 17th century. This simple, single-nave church has a wooden roof. Along the sides are four niches containing images of the Immaculate Conception, Saint Joseph, Saint Pancras and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The date of construction and the layout describe the architecture, while the niches identify the specific religious images. The church and the Torre thus present two different themes: a 17th-century church building and a coastal watchtower associated with coastal defence.
The Senda Litoral at two scales
A municipal completion report dated 15 December 2023 records an almost 1,200-metre section of the Senda Litoral between Arroyo Chilches and the El Cañuelo residential development. A broader description places the Senda Litoral in the western part of the municipality of Vélez-Málaga: there, it includes a section connecting Benajarafe and Chilches with the municipality of Rincón de la Victoria.
Feria de Chilches and its programme
Feria de Chilches is a traditional festival in honour of the Immaculate Conception and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The programme for the 2026 edition lists a traditional Moraga popular, with tastings of sardines, gazpacho and ajoblanco; the dishes are prepared by the AsociaciĂłn de Mujeres de Chilches. The specific food offering may vary from one edition to another. The programme for Feria 2026 also mentions a solemn procession; the exact programme may also vary with each edition. If the festival is relevant to your trip, check the dates of the edition that falls during your stay.
Road connections for planning your trip
Chilches is near the N-340 and is connected via the AutovĂa del Mediterráneo. These road connections add another aspect to choosing your destination, regardless of whether the beach, buildings, coastal path or Feria is your main interest.
Discover more destinations: Torre Del Mar, Benajarafe, Mezquitilla, Almayate, Almayate Alto, Trapiche
Back to the main travel overview: Vélez-Málaga.
