About the Costa Almeria

The Costa Almeria is situated in South East Spain and is covered by a surface area of 8,774 sq km. crossed by high mountain ranges and separated from each other by narrow valleys. The coastline, which extends to 120km, is beautiful and presents the visitor with some marked contrasts. Cabo de Gata is the rockiest and most elevated coastline with a mountainous formation made up of volcanic materials. Small beaches, and coves can also be seen with extensive sandy beaches. From the beautiful Sierra Cabrera foothills, to the white sandy beaches of the Mediterranean, unspolit Almeria is dotted with ancient villages, stunning coves and is an idyllic environment for those seeking a traditional Spanish lifestyle. Almeria is also approximately 2 hours from the fabulous skiing resort of Sierra Nevada - making it the perfect all year round location. Average yearly temperature is 19.3 centigrade, with especially mild winters and very warm and dry summers.

Almeria itself has an important port which offers a regular ferry service to Melilla, a few hours away. Some very interesting monuments are also in the city, e.g. the Arab alcazaba, built by Abd al-Rahman lll, the Cathedral which originally served defensive purposes and the churches of Santiago el Viejo and San Pedro. As the local cuisine is fish, the most popular dishes are pickled sardines, shellfish with mayonnaise, prawns, lobsters, etc., but not forgetting there are different kinds of stew made with partridge on offer here.

Almeria’s most striking landmark is the Arab fortress, Alcazaba that stands on a hill overlooking the city. Dating back to the 10th century, this lavish monument was built by Caliph of Cordoba Abd-ar Rahman III and comprises of three great walled enclosures the second of which contains the remains of the sites original mosque, converted to a chapel by the Catholic kings. Outwardly it remains a truly impressive sight to behold.
At the heart of the old quarter stands the strange fortified Cathedral with its Renaissance façade and six Gothic towers that once held cannons.

Around the Costa Almeria there are numerous places of interest. The landscape has made it a popular location for the movie industry. Lawrence of Arabia was filmed here, as were a plethora of westerns including Fistful of Dollars, the set of which now stands as a popular tourist attraction. In nearby Los Milares there is a large archaeological site dating back to 1800BC that is believed to be Spain’s first metal works, and a crucial stepping-stone between the Stone and Bronze Ages. The year round clear skies make the area a favourite research centre for Astronomers and on the outskirts of the small town of Gergal, in the Sierra de los Filabres, there is the Hispano-German Astronomical centre where you’ll find the worlds most powerful telescope.

Also inland, in the surrounding desert lands are the famous troglodyte villages, towns in which many or most of the homes are caves dug into the soft, sand-coloured cliffs. The casas-cueva, as they are known, often have façades with windows and tiled roofs like conventional houses. The most interesting place to visit cave dwellings is in the region around Sante Fe de Modujar.

Like the rest of Spain, Costa Almeria likes to celebrate and holds several festivals through the year including the nationally celebrated Carnival and Holy Week festivities. However the most important event on the calendar is the celebration of the Almeria Fair, which takes place during the last two weeks of August. As well as much drinking and dancing, the Fair holds various sporting events, religious acts and bullfights. Most of the celebrations take place in the numerous tent-like-pavilions pitched in the fairground.

If you’re after sea and sand you have come to the right place. Cabo de Gata is where you will find the most beautiful and least crowded beaches in the province. Here there is a wild almost undiscovered atmosphere. The sea is crystal clear and beaches are clean and quiet, remaining pleasant throughout the year.
Its growth is mainly due to families looking for somewhere relatively quiet and unspoiled to take their holidays. Consequently, even though it retains an air of pure Spain, there is still plenty to see and do for visitors of all ages.