Almeria City
The capital of the Almeria region. Home to the magnificent, Moorish Alcazabar, high up on the hill overlooking the old town, with it's pastel colours and narrow streets, it's splendid cathedral and Town Square, home to the many religious and civil parties and celebrations that take place throughout the year. Just below the Alcazabar you can find Tetería Almedina, for fantastic, home made Lemonade, and other Moroccan treats and snacks, for us, a must visit every time we are in the City. At Puerta Purchena you can find Kiosko Amalia, serving ´Americano´, a milk based, Alcoholic drink particular to Almeria City. For tapas, try any one of the traditional tapas bars in the Old Town, Casa Puga being one of the oldest. Also look out for ´Él Quinto Toro´ for tapas, close to the Central Market, and Bar Habibi, directly outside the market, great for breakfasts and people watching. Down on the seafront is ´Tio Toms´, our favourite, unpretentious tapas bar, great value and always full to the brim with locals enjoying a wide variety of tapas at friendly prices. Shopping in Almeria City is a treat, we recommend ´The Paseo´, as well as the smaller shops around ´The Rambla´, and, of course the two shopping centres, ´Él Medditerraneo´, and ´Centro Commercial Torrecardenas´. It might be interesting to also visit the Civil War bomb shelters and tunnels, with a guided tour in English. We can also recommend the Guitar museum, the Photography museum, the Casa del Cine and a personal favourite, The School of Art for its wonderful architecture and occasional photo displays.
San Jose
A funky, bohemian, laid back coastal village that is now the center of The Cabo de Gata National Park, surely one of the most spectacular landscapes in the whole of Europe. The village of San Jose has something to offer all year round but it is in Spring and Summer it comes alive. Countless Bars, Cafes and Restaurants serving a wide variety of Spanish and World cuisine. Our favourites are ´The Plaza Bar´, for unpretentious tapas, and a good value ´Menu del Dia´, great for people watching and a locals favourite. A few doors up is Él Duende´, with it's eclectic music selection, and funky vibe. But our favourite restaurant is undoubtedly ´Éstrella de India´, a superb Indian Restaurant offering splendid, home style Indian food at great prices. There are many small, independent shops selling all kinds of produce, an occasional market along the promenade, a small Marina and a tourist office with English speaking staff giving advice on the many attractions Almeria Region has to offer. There are many parties and fiestas throughout the year. One not to be missed is ´Disembarco Pirata´, when the whole village is invaded by pirates, fought off by the hardy natives and culminating in a huge party on the village square! San Jose has a feel and atmosphere all of its own. It has the perfect balance of tourism and Spanish locals, we can spend hours wandering around, enjoying the beach, the bars, the pretty, whitewashed buildings and the special people of this fantastic Coastal Village.
Cabo de Gata Natural Preserve
The Cabo de Gata Natural Preserve boasts some of the most spectacular beaches and scenery in the whole of Europe. Where imposing mountains meet the crystal blue of the Mediterranean, where the epic plains of cactus and pita stretch far into the distance, a real treat for the senses. The wild beaches around San Jose have a character all of their own, these are not resort beaches, these are natural beaches, with a wild beauty. Genoveses, Baronal, Mosul, Media Luna…..Perfect for hiking, mountain biking, and horse riding. Feel the stress of the daily grind melt away in such a beautiful, calm, and spectacular environment. The pretty coastal villages of La Isleta del Moro, Agua Amarga and Las Negras offer beautiful beaches, bars and cafes, with many shops to browse. Rodalquillar is a favourite of ours, with it’s buildings adorned with artwork created by the resident artists of the village, the imposing, abandoned gold mines and the nearby beach, the ‘Playazo de Rodalquillar’ one of the most beautiful in all of Almeria. Going towards Almeria City you have the salt water flats of Cabo de Gata, fantastic for bird watchers, and again, some spectacularly beautiful beaches and coves. The sunsets in this part of Almeria are truly breathtaking. For film buffs, there are countless locations used in films by Sergio Leone, Steven Spielberg, David Lean, amongst others, and the amazing light and epic landscapes provide photographers with an endless source of inspiration. For the water lovers, there is snorkelling, diving, and canoeing. For those looking to escape the concrete jungle, to connect with the natural world around them, to feel inspired and amazed, there really is no better place than Cabo de Gata.
Inland Villages of Mojacar and Nijar
Almeria has some very pretty, inland villages, typical of Andalucia. Narrow, twisting streets, the whitewashed buildings packed in close to protect from the fierce summer heat. Steps adorned with colourful pot plants, cactuses and agaves, metal ‘rejas’, and roof terraces buzzing with life. Hot, sultry evenings spent outside on ancient chairs, collecting gossip and sharing the simple pleasures with the neighbours. Two of our favourite villages are Nijar and Mojacar Publo. Nijar is famous for it’s ceramics and it’s hand woven rugs, as well as it’s pretty streets and lively atmosphere! On the Main Street there are countless shops selling beautiful ceramics and rugs at very good prices. We like to visit ‘Lorca 41’ for breakfast around this area. The old town is very pretty, with narrow streets and beautiful facades. There is a tourist office and countless bars, cafes and restaurants, our favourite is the unpretentious ‘La Glorieta’ in the square of the old town. If you can manage the walk, the ‘Torre de la Atalaya’ on top of the hill has views that stretch for many kilometres. Mojacar Pueblo is located a few kilometres inland from Mojacar Playa and can be driven in roughly 10 minutes from the apartment or accessed by bus from Mojacar Playa. The pueblo is located high on a hill, and has truly breathtaking views of the surrounding plains, and the vast Mediterranean Sea below. The twisty streets offer a large selection of mainly Spanish bars and restaurants, as well as artisan shops selling all kinds of cool produce. Pretty white washed buildings, colourful pot plants, and a lively, buzzy atmosphere make this an essential visit in our opinion!
Oasys Mini Hollywood
In the late 60´s, early 70´s Almeria became known as ´The Land of The Cinema´. Filmmakers like Sergio Leone came to Almeria to film their ´Spaghetti Westerns´, drawn by the fantastic light, spectacular scenery and wonderful people of this region. Films like ´The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly´, Á Fistful of Dollars´ and ´A Few Dollars More´ were all filmed in Almeria, as well as countless other movies, stretching up to the modern day with ´The Crown´ and ´Game Of Thrones´ filming scenes in Almeria. Oasys Mini Hollywood is a theme park that celebrates this Western tradition of Almeria, providing a full Western Town, with real life cowboys and girls, a highly entertaining live story, a zoo, an aquatic park, several museums, restaurants and bars and a cactus garden. So pull that stetson down low on your eyes and squint like the man with no name, for this is Oasys Mini Hollywood!
