As soon the first days of  Spring arrive in the Costa del Sol locals head to the beach. It seems as though they just cant wait to take off all of their cumbersome winter duds and show some skin. Torremolinos is trying to change its image of a terribly overpacked, overdeveloped tourist beach town into something with more charm. It recently completed a seafront promenade that runs the entire lenght of the town. It is here on the quiet outskirts where I found the local favorite Chiringuito El Sardina.

The most popular dish here is of course the fresh roasted sardines, hence the name. Countless varieties of other fresh seafood make up the menu as well. All of it is pulled daily from the Mediteranean Sea, just a hop, skip, and a jump away from your table. During my visit the drink of choice was without a doubt the Tinto de Verano. This refreshing concoction comes from a tap and is made of red wine and lemonade, or tonic...and it goes down quick! It is served in a large pitcher with ice, and every table in the place had at least one.

[caption id="attachment_433" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Lunch...straight from the Med."][/caption] If you are looking to have a roaring good time partying at numerous bars and nightclubs until the wee hours of the morning, then Torremolinos is the place for you. Here you will find one of the largest concentrations of nightclubs on the Costa del Sol. However, if you want a more relaxed experience, there are plenty of great restaurants that are moderately priced and carry extensive wine lists. Keep your eyes out for local specialties like lenguda a la cava (sol with cava) and peras al vino (pears in red wine).