200 years of tourism with Nicolás Antonio Fernández

Today, 16th September 2.021, the illustrious writer from Almuñécar, Don Antonio Nicolás Fernández, will receive in the Parque del Majuelo of the Tourist Board of Almuñécar and La Herradura on the occasion of “Tourism Day” the Tourism Award 2021, for his entire career and mainly for his latest work recently published: “Almuñécar y su turismo de antaño” (Almuñécar and its tourism of yesteryear).

And from Descubre Almuñécar we would like to send him our congratulations, as we know first hand that if there is anyone who deserves this award it is Don Antonio Nicolás Fernández, for the great work he has been doing in the dissemination of the History of Almuñécar and La Herradura, work that shows great passion and dedication.

We at Descubre Almuñécar would also like to wish him lots of encouragement and strength to continue the great work he has been doing for more than 20 years.

Nicolás Antonio Fernández was born in Almuñécar in 1962. He is currently a land registrar and is also the author of various studies on Almuñécar, including the following: Almuñécar ilustrada (1752-1808), published in 2004; Manuel de Seijas Lozano.

Tras las huellas de un liberal olvidado, of 2007; Federico García Lorca and el grupo de la revista gallo. La vanguardia literaria en la Granada de los años veinte (Federico García Lorca and el grupo de la revista gallo. The literary avant-garde in Granada in the 1920s), 2012; El violinista en el balneario. Laurie Lee in Almuñécar (1935-1936) and many more.

He has also participated in various conferences on nineteenth-century history and the War of Independence in the Kingdom of Granada, and is an expert on the life and work of the jurist Don Manuel de Seijas Lozano.

He has also collaborated in exhibitions on Enrique Mateos Almoguera, friend of the international poet Federico García Lorca, and the magazine and the gallo group during 2012 and 2013 in the poet’s house in Fuente Vaqueros and Almuñécar.

But in Discover Almuñécar today we are going to highlight his latest work, Almuñécar y su turismo de antaño (2.021). In it he makes a detailed study of the origin and evolution of tourism in Almuñécar and La Herradura over the last 200 years. Thanks to the interview that the author has granted to this media.

What is the origin of tourism in Almuñécar and La Herradura?

According to Don Nicolás’ own words, the origin of tourism in Almuñécar and La Herradura was almost 200 years ago. Having established itself in the mid-19th century with a network of inns, inns, inns and old spas, in 1824 local doctors were already recommending sunbathing as a therapeutic measure.

Almuñécar was therefore a pioneering town in this sector, not only in Andalusia, as the author himself will later explain, but in the whole of Spain.

It should also be pointed out that numerous personalities of the last two centuries have enjoyed the charms of this town, including the writer Pedro Antonio de Alarcón, who was already a frequent visitor to Almuñécar in the 1960s, and it was here that he met his wife, as well as the visits of Niceto Alcalá Zamora, president of the Second Spanish Republic; the guitarist Andrés Segovia, who lived in Marina del Este; the family of Ángel Ganivet; the musician Manuel de Falla, and the international poet from Granada, Federico García Lorca. In addition, a large number of films were shot in Almuñécar at the beginning of the 20th century, so many famous actors and musicians passed through Almuñécar at the dawn of commercial cinema in Spain.

The author also points out that in 1891 the Neptuno spa became very popular.

The writer also points out that, in the first decades of the 20th century, there were up to four luxury hotels on the Paseo del Altillo, since in 1914 the Hotel La Marina was inaugurated, seven years later in 1921 the famous Hotel Miramar was opened to the public, the third luxury hotel opened its doors in 1925, the Hotel Palace, and in the 1930s the Balneario Mediterráneo.

About the name Costa del Sol:

It is a much discussed denomination, and it is a term that only appears from the twenties of the twentieth century, and this denomination covered not only the coast of Malaga as it does nowadays, but the entire Andalusian coast.

At that time, of the Malaga coast only perhaps the capital of the province had something of what today we might call tourism, but by then Almuñécar had already been receiving tourists and visitors for a whole century.

On the impact of tourism on the economy:

As for the impact on the economy of the municipality, tourism is nowadays the basis of its economy, however, until the end of the 19th century the economy of Almuñécar and La Herradura was based mainly on agriculture and fishing, until they opened the sugar factory. Obviously over time everything has evolved, and fishing is nowadays only a small redoubt, with tourism being the main economic engine of Almuñécar and La Herradura.

But we must also bear in mind that in 1901 Almuñécar already had electricity supply and there was even an attempt to bring the train, but this project ended up failing.

So, don’t wait to hear about it, discover Almuñécar from the best expert, Nicolás Antonio Fernández, with the help of his book Almuñécar y su turismo de antaño and of course by visiting the city.