Local Attractions
Almeria City
Almeria is home to the second biggest Arab construction in Spain called the Alcazaba, which is only surpassed by the Alhambra in Granada. From here you have the best look out over the whole city. Besides the historic buildings, Almeria holds in its interior beautiful town squares filled with history and culture. Also in Almeria we recommend that you take a stroll along the Beach promenade. |
Mojacar Pueblo
The old town is just a short journey from the beaches and offers some magical sightseeing opportunities covering a rich history of Roman ruins, Moorish fortresses and fairytale medieval architecture. Stroll through a maze of cobbled streets containing vibrant market stalls, chapels and shaded courtyards while enjoying typically unique Andalucian hospitality in the myriad of traditional tapas bars. On Wednesday mornings you can enjoy the colourful chaos of the weekly street market. |
Beaches
The soft fine sand of Mojacar, Garrucha and Vera beaches stretch for several miles and encompass fabulous coastal scenery of rocky headland, enchanting secluded lagoons and wide bays backed by fragrant pine trees.
A day exploring this enchanting coast and you will discover sheltered and tranquil beaches, ideal for nothing more than simple relaxation, sunbathing and snorkelling.
In the busier resorts you will find exclusive beach clubs, where you can enjoy a refreshing cocktail while lounging by their pool or on the beach.
Cabo De Gata
Cabo de Gata has one of Andalusia’s most dramatic coastlines. It has one of the most beautiful coastal strips in the whole of the western Mediterranean. The park has a long rugged coastline. It's covered with idyllic bays and isolated beaches. Some of them can only be reached by footpath.
A lot of the park is made up of volcanic rocky mountains that plunge directly into the sea below. It's quite spectacular to look at.
Drive to the saltwater lagoon with exceptional bird life and pink flamingos. The village of San Jose is the largest in the park. To the north you'll find the small resorts of Las Negras, La Isleta del Moro and Agua Amarga.
Walking is one of the best ways to discover this unspoiled paradise. In fact, many parts are only accessible on foot. The pace is perfect; you won't want to miss a thing - even cycling can be a bit too fast.
You'll pass through sand dunes, secluded coves, rocky cliffs and salt flats. This sparsely populated area still boasts over 50 kilometres of virgin beaches. This is the driest place in Europe and the year-round sunshine makes it an ideal all-year-round walking destination.
Bird Watching
Almeria is a bird watcher's paradise. There's a fantastic variety of bird life to be seen here. Cabo de Gata Natural Park is rich in Bonelli's eagles, crested larks and black wheatears. Closer to the coast you’ll see puffins and razorbills. There are also storks and avocets. And in spring and autumn, you can sometimes see up to two thousand migrating flamingos; a truly spectacular sight. |
White Washed Villages
A small drive out to the quaint white washed villages dotted in and around the coast will never disappoint. Meet the friendly locals going to the colourful markets on their noble donkeys. Soak in the breathtaking views and savour every taste of your Spanish experience. |
Water Sports
Mojacar and Vera Playa are awash with thrilling water sports options that will ensure the most demanding devotee is more than satisfied.
Perfect sea breezes enhance a day of windsurfing, wakeboarding or sailing and pure unadulterated fun can be had skimming the waves with a banana boat ride. Enjoy an idyllic afternoon of warm sunshine, great scenery and immense fun and excitement.
Vera’s spectacular water park is full of exhilarating water slides, family events and entertainment to ensure a great day out for the young and young at heart.
Scuba Diving and Snorkelling
The waters off the coast of Almeria are a diver’s paradise. This is one of the best places to go diving in Spain. The waters here are packed with a fantastic variety of fish and visibility is normally excellent. Expect to see; snappers, pollacks, grouper, ocean sunfish, barracudas, eagle rays, morays, brown meagres, moray eels, conger eels, white breams, and many red seafish.
There are some spectacular wreck dives to explore. Although due to strong currents, you'll need a PADI Advanced cert. (or equivalent).
There some excellent diving schools in Mojacar and Villaricos.Sports
Mojacar and its surrounding areas is a paradise for sports enthusiasts.
Visitors with energy to spare should forsake the glorious beaches for a day for some rewarding sporting pursuits in lush and dramatic scenery. Enjoy the tranquillity of fishing, canoeing, cycling or hiking in an enchanting natural environment or satisfy a craving for golf at one of the many championship courses in the area.
Golf
Golfers will be spoilt for choice with numerous 18-hole courses within easy reach.
Marina Golf Mojacar combines flat fairways by the sea with spectacular mountainside terrain to test the skills of the most proficient golf enthusiasts.
Almeria's stunning Desert Springs course, designed by Walker Cup Captain Peter McEvoy, was the first desert course to be built in Europe. With lush fairways, water features and harsh desert terrain, the course rivals the famous desert courses of Arizona and California.
The Valle de Este course, a short distance to the north of Mojacar, uses the natural desert landscape to its best effect providing a challenging game in a beautiful setting. It has large greens and various water features.
The new Playa Macenas 18- hole golf course is built on a sheltered beach of over one kilometre long, Set in a remarkable landscape on the edge of the Cabo de Gata natural park.
Horse Riding
Almería offers some of the best horseback riding and beautiful routes to ride, in all of Europe.
Here there is a great variety of scenery, and a magnificent stage for this type of activity. La Alpujarra in particular, is an excellent spot to go horseback riding.
There are many excellent Riding centres in the area, in the stunning mountains and country or by the beach.
Sorbas Caves
Cuevas de Sorbas are an impressive labyrinth of underground caverns. They are full of stalagmites, stalagmites and pillars, all studded with glittering mineral crystal formations. Among the most outstanding caves are the 8km-long Cueva del Agua (Cave of Water), which is the largest gypsum cave in Spain. A great day out for the whole family.
Mini Hollywood
About 60 kilometres west of Mojacar is Europe’s only desert. It is here that Italian and Hollywood moviemakers filmed literally hundreds of blockbusters and spaghetti westerns; everything from the Clint Eastwood classics like A fist full of Dollars and the Good the Bad and the Ugly to films like Cleopatra, Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade and Lawrence of Arabia. Nowadays the mesetas and cactus trees of the Tabernas Natural Area and the run down film sets have been turned into a tourist attraction.
If you like westerns (Spaghetti in particular) this is the place to visit. There are three theme parks - Mini Hollywood, Texas Hollywood and Western Leone - which have preserved sets used in the classic Sergio Leone films.
It's like a mini Hollywood complete with double door saloons and trading posts. This is a fun, family day out in the "badlands" of Almeria where you can enjoy Wild West shoot-outs and can-can shows in a double door salon.
Granada
City: The historic city of Granada, with its fabulous Alhambra Palace and Generalife Garden (described by Moorish poets as "a pearl set in emeralds,") is only an hour and a half's drive west of Mojacar.
Make sure you book tickets for the palace in advance if you go in high season because this is one of Spain's top tourist attractions and visitor numbers are restricted.
Ski: Travel south of Granada and explore the magnificent Sierra Nevada mountain range, the home of Europe's most southerly ski resort. You can enjoy skiing in the Sierra Nevada from November to the end of March and there are 'runs' to suit skiers of all standards.
On its southern slopes you'll find the spectacular Alpujarras region - truly one of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring places in the whole of Spain.
The Sierra Nevada Mountains are two hours away from Mojacar and the ski resort at Solynieve can be reached from Almeria in one and half hours and is just half an hour from Granada.
Troglodyte Villages
An interesting excursion is a visit to the famous troglodyte villages where modern-day cave dwellers have burrowed their extraordinary homes out of the soft rock. You can see the doors, windows and chimneys from the outside but for the most part these "casas cuevas" are buried within the hillsides, protecting their occupants from the blistering summer heat. You'll find cave houses in several villages in Almeria including Alhabia, Gador, Benahadux, Fondon and Laujar de Andarax.
Fun For The Boys
• Enjoy quad biking in Mojacar and the desert with all the thrills of off-road 4x4 excursions.
• Enjoy some fun with scooter hire.
• Tank driving in Taberno
• Paint balling in Vera
• Go Karting in Garrucha
• Clay pigeon shooting in Zurgena
