Areas
Mojácar Beach
The long uncrowded sandy beaches are one of its main attractions and among the best in Almeria. The beaches are 14km long, with a large part being designated an area of natural beauty. Only 7km has been developed and they consistently earn European Blue Flag awards for cleanliness. The beach resort has been developed over the past two decades, it is now a lively resort with much to offer with beach bars, local and international restaurants, discos, hotels and shops. The resort enforces a building restriction to prevent it becoming a high rise concrete development; residential buildings are restricted to two storeys and hotels can't be built higher than four floors. Giving you a feeling of space that cannot be found anywhere else along the eastern Spanish coastline.
Vera Beach
The seaside resort of Vera Playa covers the beach area between Puerto Rey and Villaricos. Interestingly, it is said to be the place where Hannibal's elephants landed in Roman times. In the 1980s the area was practically undeveloped, however, recently this whole area has been undergoing intensive urban development and now boasts several hotels and many beach side complexes. The resort has earned the prestigious blue flag for its 8km of white sandy beaches: Las Marinas, Puerto Laguna, Pueblo Laguna, Puerto Rey and El Playazo. Along with restaurants, bars and shops Vera Playa also offers the only WaterPark in the area, Parque Acuatico. Here you can take a thrilling ride on one of the many flumes or sit and relax by one of three swimming pools. There is an excellent selection of water shoots and slides and a children’s section with a play area and their own water slides. The park is open from May until the end of September. For your shopping needs there is the Puerto Rey development close to Vera Playa which has a smart shopping centre and supermarket.
Cabo de Gata
The volcanic mountain range of Cabo de Gata with it’s sharp peaks and crags provides a dramatic backdrop. The long, straight beach to the east of Cabo de Gata is a popular hotspot during the summer weekends with the Spanish. Along the coastal road are salt flats. The salt works of Cabo de Gata are still in use. The plant consists of 300 submerged hectares divided by a spit and is the principal wetland of the Almerian coast. It has a significant permanent bird population, including pink flamingos and ornithologists will appreciate the local bird observatory. . A visit to the nearby Cabo de Gata Natural Park is a must. It is Andalucia's largest coastal nature park. The park covers some 38,000 hectares of land and another 12,000 hectares under water. It is an area of unspoilt beauty with unique scenery, volcanic craters, rocky headlands and sandy coves. Apart from walking and enjoying the scenery there is much for the visitor to do including water-sports, cycling and climbing.
Mojácar Village
Mojácar, with its hill-top village offers both history & romance. Mojácar Pueblo is a picturesque sight of whitewashed buildings and steep and winding, cobbled streets. Perched high on a hill in the Sierra Cabrera it overlooks the Mediterranean Sea. It was a centre of trade for the Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans but the Moorish influence dating from the 8th Century, is most visible. The place is a melting pot of cultures, indeed, it is said to have proportionately one of the most international blend of people in Spain. It is also a haven to people with an interest in the arts, many writers, painters and photographers have made Mojácar their home. Moreover, it is a very popular tourist destination thanks to its unique charm, relaxed atmosphere and warm hospitality. There are variety of interesting boutiques and shops to tempt you or why not relax and have a beer or two in the many excellent bars and street cafes. Every Wednesday is market day and the streets are home to numerous stalls selling essentials to the locals.
Garrucha
Garrucha is a beautiful and lively fishing town that still retains much of its original charm. Over the last few years it has become a popular tourist destination. Its tourist slogan is “Garrucha, Sun and Seafood”; the town is famous for the quality of its large red prawns, o¬nly fished in the local waters. Garrucha has a strong fishing industry, its main source of income, with a large port for both commercial and leisure pursuits. Garrucha has a great selection of restaurants and bars with many excellent seafood restaurants found along the seafront serving the fresh catch of the day. They are supplied with fresh fish from nearby port, if you find yourself down on the seafront at dawn you will experience the typically Mediterranean sight of a flotilla of small fishing boats setting out to sea. Later the fishermen host a daily fish auction each afternoon at a quayside fish market.
Vera Town
The walled, renaissance town of Vera is o¬ne of the most important commercial centres in the region. Originally called Baria, it was located by sea near Villaricos. The Arabs moved it to the hill of Espiritu Santo, but a huge earthquake destroyed it in 1518. The tale goes that Queen Isabel climbed to top of this hill, fired an arrow and ordered that Vera be built where it landed. Vera as we know it was built in the 16th Century in the urban Renaissance style and later enlarged in 18th Century. The main square, Plaza Mayor, has several noteworthy buildings. The Church de la Encarnación (1520), flanked by 4 great towers, was built as a fort to protect against the frequent Moorish attacks. Inside there are marvelous altarpieces, remarkable in their architecture. To the left of this is the Ayuntamiento (Town Hall), built in the 16th Century and renovated in the 18th Century. Here, on the ground floor, is the Ethnographic and Archaeological Museum, originally the barracks of civil guard. There are exhibits o¬n history, folklore and local traditions. The town hall also houses the municipal archives.
Almerimar
Almerimar is situated 40 km west of AlmeriaCity and 160 km east of MalagaCity. It is one of the few modern, purpose-built, coastal resorts in Europewhere the rainfall is scarce.It boasts 13km of wide, sandy beaches and offers bars, hotels, shopping arcades and night-life. The town has a 1,000 berth marina and a yacht club. Sailing and windsurfing are possible all year round and tuition is available for the novice. The clear, Mediterranean water makes it an excellent venue for snorkeling and scuba-diving. Fishing is also popular - the local industry brings in large catches of tuna. For the golfers amongst you there is Almerimar Golf course nearby & La Envia a little further away. Almerimar has a Port-Marina and a fishing harbor. More people each year are discovering the beaches, the sun and the natural beauty of this area. If you are looking for a relaxed way of life, free from stress, in a healthy environment, then Almerimar is for you, but if you fancy a bit of adventure and a dose of adrenalin, it's o¬nly an hour and a half’s drive from the snows of the Sierra-Nevada Ski Resort and mountains, where activities like hiking, rock climbing, canoeing, and cycling are just some of the other options to skiing. A Port-Marina and a fishing harbor adorn the bay of Almerimar, but its 18 hole golf course is one of its main attractions. The club has all necessary facilities, such as the hire of clubs, golf buggies and a shop. Water sports are also a main feature of this resort, offering a wide range of activities. You can practice all kinds of aquatic sports such as wind-surfing, swimming, fishing, diving, boating and yachting. A morning skiing, feeling cold, drinking hot drinks, practicing your skills on the slopes, a spot of lunch, approximately an hour and a half’s drive back to Almerimar to spend the rest of the afternoon soaking up the sun o¬n the beach with a nice cold cocktail in your hand. A contrast like that within reasonable time for a day’s activities is not available in many places in the world. Well worth doing to boast to all your friends. Almeria's climate is subtropical, Mediterranean, warm and dry and holds the title of being the Andalucian city with the most hours of sun a year, a total of over 3,000. Yet the mountain ranges visible from all around average being 2.000 metres above sea level and snow capped for an average of 7 months of the year.