In the 60s and early 70s Torremolinos was still considered the gay Mecca in Europe. In the 80s and 90s, however, the travel-happy gays discovered more and more new interesting destinations and it seemed that Gay Torremolinos had virtually fallen into a ‚beauty‘ slumber.  

With this basic knowledge, we set out and were quickly proven wrong. Our flight hardly took longer than the one to Barcelona but much less than to the Canary Islands. Surprisingly pleasant were also the short transit routes from Malaga airport to Torremolinos - less than 10 minutes after baggage claim we were already on the train and another 10 minutes later we were standing at Placa de La Nogalera in the center of Torremolinos - and just a few steps away from our apartment.

In the first moment, the ‚building sins‘ of past times were immediately noticeable, but with detailed observation of architectural sophistication and a somehow charm, these are quickly forgotten. As self-caterers still briefly bought a few groceries for the coming days, we started with our exploration tour. 

First we went to Francesco at the BOXER Torremolinos store, where we were warmly welcomed and also provided with numerous going out and experience fun tips. 
We then walked through the narrow streets past numerous stores down to the Paseo Maritimo, the kilometer-long beach promenade. Our destination was the Gay Beach with beach café, where we immediately enjoyed a refreshing cocktail on a comfortable lounger under a bright blue sky. After an extensive sunbathing we were strolling through the city center in the early evening, following Francesco‘s restaurant recommendations. 

Surprised by the good value for money, we enjoyed our dinner with an excellent Andalusian red wine on the terrace and we finally decided to dive into the nightlife of the scene. 
Overwhelming here was the offer of the numerous bars and clubs in the Nogalera - for a drink (or two...), dancing, cruising or just to experience the colorful hustle and bustle in the middle of it all in an extremely friendly, open-minded, and warmly hospitable atmosphere. We quickly got into contact with others and received further tips on numerous excursion possibilities in the region. Thus we let the evening end comfortably in great company. 

Captivated by the experiences of our first day, the anticipation of the coming time and satisfied with the decision to spend our vacation here, we immediately arranged for the next day with our just met vacation acquaintance.