Where to stay: Costa Tropical, Granada or Alpujarra?

Short answer. Stay in a coast town (Motril, Salobreña, Almuñécar) if you want to walk to the beach; in Granada city if the Alhambra and city life come first; in the Alpujarra if walking and mountain villages are the point. A base inland in the Guadalfeo valley, such as Vélez de Benaudalla at the southern end of the A-44, suits travellers with a car who want the coast, Granada and the Alpujarra from one place, but it has no sea view and the beaches are a drive away.

Four bases compared

Summary from our guides.
Base	Best for	Less good for	Car
Coast town (Motril, Salobreña, Almuñécar)	Beach on foot, promenades, evenings by the sea; coves for snorkelling around Salobreña and La Herradura	Granada and the Alpujarra become day trips; beach car parks fill early in summer	Useful for day trips; ALSA coaches link Granada with Motril and the coast
Granada city	The Alhambra (timed tickets), the Albaicín, the cathedral and Royal Chapel, tapas, city life	The beach is a day trip; parking in the centre is limited	Not needed in the city; useful for the coast and the Alpujarra
The Alpujarra (Poqueira villages, Lanjarón, Órgiva)	Walking, white villages, Sierra Nevada scenery	Beach and Granada are further away; narrow, winding roads; snow can reach the upper villages in winter	Strongly recommended
Guadalfeo valley (Vélez de Benaudalla)	Changing direction every day (coast, Granada or mountains) without changing accommodation; village life	No sea view; beaches only by car; fewer shops and services than a town	Strongly recommended

A coast town: when the beach comes first

If most of your days will be spent by the sea, stay on the coast. Motril is the largest town and port of the Costa Tropical, with the long beaches of Playa Granada, Poniente and Torrenueva. Salobreña is a white town on a rock crowned by a Nasrid castle, with beaches on either side of the Peñón. Almuñécar has Roman remains, the San Miguel castle and, at La Herradura, a bay popular with divers.

The trade-off: Granada and the Alpujarra become day trips, and on summer weekends the main beaches and their car parks are busy. Most Costa Tropical beaches are dark sand mixed with gravel or pebbles.

Best beaches near Vélez de Benaudalla: beach by beach, with parking and facilities
The Costa Tropical, town by town: Almuñécar, Salobreña, Motril and the east coast

Granada city: when the Alhambra and city life come first

If your trip is built around the Alhambra, the Albaicín and evenings out, Granada city is the obvious base. You can walk or take city buses to the monuments, and you do not need a car in town; parking in the centre is limited anyway.

The trade-off: the coast and the Alpujarra are day trips from the city. If you also want several beach days, consider splitting your stay or choosing a base further south.

Granada and the Alhambra: tickets, timed entry to the Nasrid Palaces, Albaicín

The Alpujarra: when walking and mountain villages come first

On the southern slopes of Sierra Nevada, the villages of the Poqueira gorge (Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira) are protected historic ensembles, and trails link them. Lanjarón and Órgiva are the gateway towns of the western Alpujarra. For a walking holiday, sleeping in the mountains saves time on the road.

The trade-off: the roads are narrow and winding, the beach and Granada are further away, and in winter snow can reach the upper villages.

The white villages of the Alpujarra: Poqueira gorge, Trevélez, Lanjarón and Órgiva
Hiking in the Alpujarra and Sierra Nevada: official trails with published figures

The Guadalfeo valley: when you want all three

Vélez de Benaudalla lies inland in the Guadalfeo valley, at the southern end of the A-44, the motorway from Granada to the coast. Granada is to the north, the beaches of Motril and Salobreña to the south, and the village sits between the coast and the Alpujarra. From one base you can choose a different direction every day.

It is a working village of around 3,100 inhabitants, not a resort, with its own shops and bars, the Jardín Nazarí and the Ulloa castle; larger supermarkets and services are in Motril. It is not on the coast: the Booking.com listing of Rincón Salvaje gives 16 km to the Peñón de Salobreña.

Hotel or holiday apartment?

A hotel

Practical for short stays and one-night stops, or if you want a reception desk and do not plan to cook. Services vary widely: check each hotel’s own listing.

A holiday apartment

More space and a kitchen, useful for families, small groups and stays of a week or more. Check on the listing the check-in hours, the parking situation, house rules and whether the pool is seasonal.

For a multi-direction trip

If you change direction every day, unpacking once in an apartment is often easier than moving between hotels. If you plan one night in Granada and the rest by the sea, two hotels may suit you better.

Whatever you choose, book only through official channels and check the tourist registration number on the listing.

Who Vélez de Benaudalla suits, and who it does not

It suits

Travellers with a car who want to combine the coast, Granada and the Alpujarra; families or small groups of up to four who need two bedrooms and two bathrooms; slow travellers who like village life; travellers with pets (Rincón Salvaje accepts them at no extra charge).

It does not suit

Anyone who wants a sea view or to walk to the beach; travellers who will not have a car at all (coach stops and times must be checked with ALSA; a base in Motril, Almuñécar or Granada city is easier); those looking for a big resort or nightlife; groups of more than four.

Costa Tropical or Costa del Sol?: if you are still choosing the coast itself
With or without a car: what is realistic without one

Plan the days

Southern Granada in 3, 5 or 7 days: mixed itineraries from one base
Cultural itineraries: heritage between Granada and the coast
Outdoor stay plans: hiking holidays from the Guadalfeo valley

If the Guadalfeo valley fits your trip

Rincón Salvaje is a two-bedroom holiday duplex (84 m², up to 4 guests) in Vélez de Benaudalla, with a kitchen, terrace and a seasonal pool open until 31 October. It is booked only through Airbnb and Booking.com.

Where to go in Andalusia: the regions compared before you choose a base
Remote work in Andalusia: city, coast or village for a stay of several weeks
Budget: the main costs of a trip to the area
Cost of living in Andalusia: monthly budget calculator from your own figures

Frequently asked questions

Where should I stay between Granada and the beach?

If you have a car, inland on the A-44, for example in the Guadalfeo valley at Vélez de Benaudalla, so Granada is to the north and the beaches of Motril and Salobreña to the south. Without a car, choose Granada city or a coast town and make the other a day trip.

What is the best base for Granada and the Alpujarra?

For the Alhambra and city life, Granada city; for walking, a village in the Alpujarra. If you also want beach days, a base between the three in the Guadalfeo valley avoids moving, provided you drive.

Hotel or apartment on the Costa Tropical?

A hotel for short stays and one-night stops; a holiday apartment for a week or more, for families and if you want to cook. Check parking, check-in hours and pool season on each listing.

Is Vélez de Benaudalla on the coast?

No. It is inland in the Guadalfeo valley, at the southern end of the A-44. The beaches of Motril and Salobreña are reached by car; the Booking.com listing of Rincón Salvaje gives 16 km to the Peñón de Salobreña.

Can I stay in Vélez de Benaudalla without a car?

It is possible but not recommended. ALSA runs coaches between Granada and the coast; check on alsa.com which services stop in the village. Without a car, Motril, Almuñécar or Granada city are easier bases.

Where can I find rural accommodation between Granada and the coast?

There are two kinds of rural base. The Alpujarra villages on the slopes of Sierra Nevada (the Poqueira gorge, Lanjarón, Órgiva) suit walkers, with narrow, winding roads. The villages of the Guadalfeo valley along the A-44, such as Vélez de Benaudalla (about 3,100 inhabitants), sit between Granada and the beaches of Motril and Salobreña. Either way, plan on a car. Rincón Salvaje is a holiday duplex in Vélez de Benaudalla, booked through Airbnb and Booking.com.

Sources · Facts checked on 8 November 2026

Where to stay to explore the Costa Tropical and southern Granada