This Murcia Seaside Town Has Been Named Europe's Best Place for a Boat Trip

Europe's Top Spot for Getting Out on the Water

Águilas, a working coastal town of nearly 38,000 residents on the Costa Cálida in southwest Murcia, has been named Europe's best destination for a boat trip by villa rental company CV Villas. The ranking assessed destinations across the continent on four practical criteria: wind speed, water temperature, sunshine hours and boat availability — and Águilas topped all comers.

Located near the border with Andalucía, the town sits on 28 kilometres of Mediterranean coastline and has retained the character of a genuine fishing port while developing as a tourist destination in its own right.

What Makes Águilas Stand Out

The CV Villas ranking reflects what regular visitors to the Costa Cálida already know: the stretch of coast around Águilas offers consistently favourable conditions for time on the water. Low wind speeds, warm sea temperatures, high sunshine hours and readily available boat hire combine to make it a reliable choice across an extended season — not just in the height of summer.

The town has four named beaches — Poniente Beach, Las Delicias Beach, Playa Amarilla and Playa del Hornillo — each with a distinct character. From Las Delicias, the Castle of San Juan de las Aguilas is visible on the promontory above the town, a 16th-century fort that has watched over this stretch of coast for five centuries.

History Beneath the Surface

Águilas is a town with deep roots. Evidence of habitation stretches back to Palaeolithic times, and the town has been shaped by Argaric, Phoenician, Roman and Muslim civilisations in turn. Roman baths dating from the 1st to 4th centuries are preserved in the town centre — a reminder that the attraction of this coastline is far from new.

The modern town developed under King Charles III, when ministers Aranda and Floridablanca established the port as an export point for fruit and vegetables from the Lorca plain. The 19th century brought mining and railway expansion, cementing Águilas as a working town with real economic purpose — a character it has never lost.

Worth the Trip from the Costa Blanca

For residents of the Costa Blanca and wider southeast Spain, Águilas is a relatively short drive south — and the kind of destination that rewards visitors looking for somewhere less visited than the main resort towns. A working fishing port, a genuine old town, four beaches, a historic fort and now Europe's best-rated boating conditions make for a compelling day out or weekend away.

Tourist Office: Plaza de Antonio Cortijos, s/n, 30880 Águilas
Phone: +34 968 493285
Email: turismo@aguilas.es

This article is based on reporting from Spanish News Today, published May 4, 2026.