For much of its history the residents of Sabinillas have relied on fishing as a means of income and it is still an important part of the community and its everyday life.

Whilst there has certainly been a lot of tourism throughout the rest of the province and along the Costa del Sol, Manilva has only just been experiencing a rise in foreign visitors and as such it has managed to keep much of its Andalusian character.

The 18 Century fortress of Castillo de la Duquesa stands on the coast in the middle of what was once a large Roman fishing village. It has been suggested that the village may have been called Saltum in classical times, but no definite Latin name has survived.