 The Good, The Bad & The Ugly |
Almeria is the most easterly province in Andalucia and has a coastline of 214 kms with many isolated beaches and a subtropical climate. Hundreds of westerns like The Good, The Bad and The Ugly have been filmed in the hillsides, along with films such as Lawrence of Arabia and Patton.
Almeria has a good irrigation system despite its rugged landscape and the area is well known for the quality of its oranges and grapes, most of which are exported from its port.
The empty beaches and tiny hidden coves, with their crystal clear waters, are a mecca for tourists looking for that little piece and quiet away from the bustling Costa del Sol. Almeria is the region in Spain with the greatest number of cloudless days and exceeds 3000 hours of sunshine annually.
The city of Almeria is large and modern with a wealth of history from the time the Phoenicians founded the town through to the Moors, and finally Ferdinand and Isabella recovered it for Spain during the Reconquest.
The Alcazaba, built in 995, the cathedral and the caves in the old gypsy quarter are just some of the places worth visiting. Half of Almeria is Spanish and half African making it quite unique and there is a ferry port serving Africa.
Along the coast is the typical fishing village of Roquetas de Mar where you will find the ruins of the castles of Santa Ana and Los Bajos, and further along the town of Adra, a former Roman colony with a fortress overlooking the town, only the towers and walls remain but it is worth visiting. Here the beaches are long and wide and the coastal lagoons a haven for birds.
In the Sierra de los Filabres the villages rely on the extraction of marble from the surrounding rock to provide their main income. Castro de Filabres is located on a stream bed on a southern slope of the Sierras and preserves its Moorish origins in appearance and an unusual feature is that the village buildings are made of slate.
The village of Alcudia de Monteagud, situated in a rural, arid setting, has narrow labyrinth like streets with white houses and sits on a rise where it dominates the Tahal Valley.
Just outside of Tabernas is Fort Bravo, Mini Hollywood, where you can act out your cowboy fantasy and follow the trail of The Man with No Name or prop up the bar in the saloon.
The Almanzora Valley has an abundance of citrus and fruit trees, many quaint, white washed villages with narrow streets and in Purchena there is a wealth of history with a legacy left from its past in the ruins of the Torre del Aguan, the Alcazaba and the 16th century Parish church.
Tijola, known as the Pearl of Almanzora, stands on a beautiful, fertile plain in a valley formed by the Sierra de las Estancias and the Sierra de los Filabres, and has a Mudejar style church and several archaeological remains.
Nestling on a hillside with a 13th century castle is the village of Seron, rich in heritage and has been settled since prehistoric times.
The Parque Natural Cabo de Gata is where the stark landscape of eastern Almeria dramatically meets the Mediterranean and where the originally volcanic Sierra de Cabo de Gata plunges into the clear, azure waters. Here are some of the most beautiful beaches strung between coves and cliffs of the most awesome grandeur.
There are no real towns only a scattering of villages and San Miguel de Cabo de Gata has lovely coarse sand, small fishing fleets and the Laguna de Rosa, a large lake that is home to flamingoes and other waders. The lighthouse, Faro de Cabo de Gata, marks the cape's southern tip and on a clear day you can see the Rif Mountains of Morocco.
Almeria is one of the least visited Provinces of Andalucia and has so much to offer the resident and tourist alike, especially the long hours of sunshine and warm climate. |
