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Rincón de la Victoria was a fishing town up to twenty years ago, but at only 12 kilometres from Malaga, it has now become an important centre of both residential and seasonal tourism. One arrives on the Autovía del Mediterráneo,  heading towards Motril and turning off at La Cala del Moral, or keeping to the autovía. The N-340 road passes through the town, and even from here one can see that this was once a typical fishing town on the coast. The municipality covers an area of 30 square kilometres, and offers something for everybody: lots of hotels, restaurants and bars, ten kilometres of coastline for water sports or simply lying in the sun, an excellent golf course and other sporting facilities.
Rincon de la Victoria is sometimes described by local residents as a "dormitory town". It makes a convenient base for those who work in the city but prefer sea breezes and beaches, and the relative tranquillity of an overgrown fishing village. It is also a popular place for the Spanish to "veranear" (spend the summer months) and many families have their second home here. The municipality of Rincon includes the neighbouring fishing village of La Cala and the pretty inland village of Benagalbon.
Rapid expansion in the last five years or so, however, with apartment blocks springing up  literally overnight, has meant that services are overstretched in July and August. The winter population of 26, 600 inhabitants almost triples during this period. Those of us who live here breathe a sigh of relief when the vacationers go back to the city and leave us the best month of the year, September, all to ourselves.
The rest of the year, the town retains a laid-back atmosphere, yet offers the tourist or resident an ever-wider choice of places to dine-out, tapear (drink and tapa-bar crawl) and dance the night away Sadly the "cine de verano" (open-air summer cinema) is no longer a part of the evening entertainment but enthusiasts of this wonderful institution can go to Cine Las Palmeras in the neighbouring village of La Cala. For the latest in air-conditioned, high-tech, super-sound, ergonomic-seated cinemas, the Rincón Centro Comercial (opened 2002) offers twenty screens.
Rincon de la Victoria's greatest asset is its lively urban sea front and beach. From the westernmost cliff top, marked by a Moorish watch-tower, the view sweeps down the length of the sandy beach, past the clutter of blue and white fishing boats, chiringuitos (fish restaurants on the beach), palm trees, the occasional cluster of thatched sunshades, and the endless to-ing and fro-ing of promenaders, cyclists and joggers. The sea front itself, recently rebuilt and improved, stretches from one end of the town to the other. Two popular walks with Rinconites are along the sea front to La Cala, and to the shrine of the town's patron, the Virgin del Carmen, embedded in the rock at the westernmost tip of the beach.
The route to La Cala cuts through the cliff-side, going through three rock-hewn tunnels. Once dark, dank, malodorous and full of holes and puddles, the tunnels have recently been done-up and lit-up to allow walkers and cyclists easy access. After the first tunnel, you can climb up the steps and follow the outcrop round for the scenic route, or carry on straight through until you come out at La Cala.
The 18-hole Añoreta Golf Course, designed by Jose María Cañizares, is on the border with Torre de Benagalbón, and is considered one of the best in Spain. The paseo marítimo (esplanada) that links La Cala del Moral with Rincón is seven kilometres long, and from here there are wonderful views over Malaga Bay. There are chiringuitos (beach bars and restaurants) on the beach, where one can eat fresh fish or have a drink. One of the old traditions that has not yet been lost in Rincón de la Victoria is net fishing on the beaches in the early morning. A net of about 40 or 50 metres long is thrown into the water by a group of men, who make a wide circle with it, gradually pulling it in to the beach again full of fish, if they are lucky. This is a sight that is seldom seen in other parts of Europe, and well worth getting out of bed early for. | 
