In 1502, it was placed under the jurisdiction of Málaga capital. Over the years, it built castles and watchtowers to protect itself; the 18th century Castle of Santa Clara was one of the most important. In the 1920s, it was a tiny village whose 3,000 residents made their living from farming, fishing and making flour. By the end of the 1950s, Torremolinos was already an important tourist town. Many Phoenician, Greek, Roman and Arab remains have been found in the area.
Fish is probably the central dish of the town, especially its fried fish, or "pescaíto" frito, and is often served with a glass of gazpacho soup. Also popular are paella, roasted pepper salad and pastries. The town has about 250 restaurants.
The town's fiestas include dancing festivals, musical competitions and the Carnival as well as the Holy Week, Cruces de mayo, Veladilla de San Juan and Corpus Cristi festivals. A celebration of the town's patron saint, the festival of San Miguel Arcángel, takes place in the last week of September and is preceded by the Día del Pescaíto.
The traditional seafaring neighborhoods of El Calvario, El Bajondillo and La Carihuela; the parish church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen and the 19th century Casa de los Navaja; the defensive bulwarks of the Torre de Pimentel or Torre de los Molinos; and archeological sites of the Neolithic, pre-Roman and Roman periods in Cortijo del Tajo are among the sights.
The town's Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones de la Costa del Sol (Congress Hall) is a modern conference facility. El Pozuelo, whose auditorium seats 1,790, hosts classical concerts, ballet, theatre and other cultural events. Ciudad de Torremolinos is a sports complex with stadium, athletic track and indoor swimming pool.
Nina Jivanevskaya, medal winner in swimming at the the Sydney Olympics and resident of Torremolinos, practiced at the Ciudad de Torremolinos.
