This doesn't mean that Las Marañuelas isn't popular with the foreign crowd. It's a favourite with the town's large population of overwintering Scandinavians. There's so many of them in January that the beachfront promenade looks and sounds like south Oslo.

The beach itself is about 300 metres of palm-fringed black sand in a bay on the western side of Arguinegín town. Sheltered by a headland and by Arguineguín harbour, the water is calm and warm. While Las Marañuelas has a few sun loungers and parasols for rent it's a laid-back place at heart.

Beachfront restaurants and bars cater to locals all year round and Scandinavians during the winter, Prices are reasonable all-year-round and the food, especially the seafood, is local and tasty. Arguineguín town has plenty of restaurant options from quality pizza restaurants to top-notch tasting restaurants.

Arrive early and you'll find parking right on the beachfront. Otherwise, park in the marina, or here.

For an alternative Arguineguín beach, walk west along the shore from Las Marañuelas and you get to little La Lajilla beach (recently refurbished and now all shiny and new) and natural pool. Carry on along the coast and eventually, you come to Patalavaca beach and Anfi beach