Aguilas

Introduction to Aguilas

Águilas is a coastal town, with 28 kilometres of  Mediterranean coastline, boasting 35 glorious beaches, many of them wild, unspoilt and natural beaches.

It is a popular Spanish summer holiday resort, and during the summer months has a busy cultural schedule, with probably the best summer entertainments schedule in Murcia. During 2011 the new Auditorio y Palacio de Congresos Infante Doña Elena was inaugurated, amplifying the cultural offering.
The marina is also a big attraction, with a range of watersports and sailing opportunities on offer throughout the year.
The History of Aguilas is one of population fluctuations. Águilas has been inhabited for more than 5000 years, used as a port by the Phoenicians and Romans, with Roman thermal baths and salt fish manufacturing units evidence of the industrial activity which took place here 2000 years ago.
During the Middle Ages and Moorish occupations it was largely unoccupied, used only as a transit port by the City of Lorca, it's location as a border town between the Kingdoms of Granada and Murcia leaving it vulnerable to raids and attacks, both by Berber Pirates from the sea and from Granada by land.
It's key development came during the 18th century, thanks to the intervention of the 10th Count of Aranda, who is responsible for the urban development which enabled Águilas to develop into the  modern town it is today.
As a town, it has a good mixture of museums and places to visit, including the Castillo de San Juan de las Águilas, la Torre de las Palomas, the Torre de Cope, the Embarcadero del Hornillo, the Casino de Águilas, the  Museo Arqueológico and the  Museo del Ferrocarril, although it's main attraction is the beaches.

Whilst Águilas is essentially busier in the summer, the Spring Águilas Carnival attracts large numbers of visitors, the biggest and most flamboyant Carnival in the Region of Murcia.
The other major economic activity in Águilas is agriculture, farming both on and off shore with fish farms and fishing fleet contributing to the economic activity as well as on-shore tomato farms and livestock exploitations.
Residential tourism has attracted a good ex-pat population, and the associated service sector also offer extensive employment in the municipality.

Where is Águilas?

Águilas is 103 kilometres from Murcia capital, on the border with Almería, belonging to the Comarca of the alto Guadalentín. To the North and East it borders with Lorca, to the South with the Mediterranean and to the West with the Almerían municipality of Pulpi.
It has around 35,000 inhabitants.
Click for map, Águilas