On the eastern edge of Andalusia lies the province of Almería taking its name from the capital city, which lies on the southern coast of the province.

The province boasts more then 3000 hours of sunshine each year with average temperatures of 19 degrees. This area has a rich historical and artistic heritage and you will find a mixture of modern tourist complexes and protected open spaces, small fishing villages and Blue Flag beaches. Its economy predominately comes from the vast amount of fruit and vegetables, which exports each year as well as its growing tourist industry.

Almería province is made up of 200 kilometres of coastline along the southeast corner of mainland Spain and is home to Europe’s only desert. The COSTA DE ALMERÍA has astonishing varying landscapes with surprising contrasts and goes from San Juan de los Terreros to Adra joining many beautiful unspoilt beaches within the Cabo de Gata natural park and its main beach resorts offer tourists many facilities more suitable for families and couples.

You have to distinguished to Main Areas called “Levante Almeriense” (where the sun rises, east from Almería capital city) and “Poniente Almeriense” (where the sun drops, west from Almería capital city). Each area has its distinctive characteristic and you will have to discover which one is more suitable for your life style.
The cuisine from this province has a clear Arabic influence. It is also noted for the excellent local produce available. There is a strong tendency towards fish and seafood, which comes from its own fishing ports (Almería, Garrucha, Roquetas, Aguadulce). Excellent olive oil, local fruits (especially tomatoes), salads and vegetables. Good rice dishes, using fresh fish. Wines have improved over recent years.  
 
The range of sports activities available in Almeria are endless, everything from diving, horse riding, hiking in the surrounding hills and of course golf, with the Sierra Nevada national park only a two hour drive away for those who enjoy skiing and snowboarding.

Having the only natural dessert in Europe, its landscape has also proved popular with film makers over the years with hundreds of  “spaghetti” westerns being filmed in the hills around Tabernas, such as A Fistful of Dollars as well as films like Lawrence of Arabia. The old film set has now been turned into a tourist attraction called Mini Hollywood, which is worth a visit.

Tabernas:See Video

In the  “Levante Almeriense” you can go from San Juan de los Terreros to the town of Garrucha and  find many clean and wide beaches, being Vera Natura (Vera Playa Club) the nudism area one of the most known. Continuing towards Almería Capital city you will pass Mojácar, known as the white village with its unique narrow streets and shopping alleys built over the mountain slope.
Following the coastline we enter The Natural Park of Cabo de Gata being one of the jewels in the crown of Almeria created in 1987. It is the first Terrestrial/marine Park in Andalusia covering 38,000 hectares of dry land and 12,000 hectares of land under water, the breeding place of flamingos. The land in this area has remained largely undeveloped, there are no real towns, just small villages scattered here and there.

Don´t Miss

• San Miguel de Cabo de Gata home to a large lake favoured by flamingos.
• The Faro de Cabo de Gata (lighthouse) sits on the cape's southern tip and on a clear day the Rif Mountains in Morocco can be seen.

Cabo de Gata:See Video

If you are thinking in settling down and have your dream villa built, the Almanzora Valley region will be the place for you. You still find affordable prices and reasonable distance to beach and main facilities such as hospitals and shopping centres. Being in a Valley you will benefit of the mild climate from the sea side and still pay reasonable prices. Remember as higher you get from sea level the greater temperature spread you will experience. As an example in beautiful Granada city (740 m over sea level) you will have in winter below 0º C whilst during summer 35/40ºC are the standards.
Zurgena
Zurgena is a small town situated in the Almeria province, approximately 248m above sea level and approximately 12km from Albox. Zurgena has a town hall, post office, supermarkets/ general stores, several bars, a butchers and a hardware store. There is a school for children of up to 12 years and the nearest secondary school is in Alfoquia, only 1km away. Zurgena has a medical centre and a chemists with an english speaking pharmacist. The nearest major hospital is in Huercal Overa approximately 13km away. The municipal swimming pool is situated in nearby Alfoquia.
Arboleas
Arboleas is a typical Spanish village situated in the Almeria province, approximately 278m above sea level, and approximately 8km from Albox. Arboleas is centred around the church, situated on the edge of the rambla that once ran as the River Almanzora. This growing village currently has 3 supermarkets, a post office, banks, bakers, bars, restaurants, a chemist and a doctor who has an English speaking nurse. There is a local school for children of under 12 years and a bus service to the nearest secondary school in Albox. A municipal swimming pool is currently under construction, along with basket ball courts and childrens playgrounds. The weekly market is held every Saturday morning where you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables, clothes, shoes, linen, etc.
Albox
Albox is a typical Spanish market town, situated approximately 420m above sea level, and approximately 130km from the provincial capital of Almeria. All services and facilities can be found in Albox including shops, banks, post office, restaurants, bars and several builders merchants. There are schools for children of all ages and a 24 hour medical centre. The nearest major hospital is in Huercal Overa, approximately 21km away. Albox has a municipal swimming pool which opens in July and August, a sports centre, and a tennis club which also has its own swimming pool. A large market is held every Tuesday morning and a smaller market on Saturday mornings

All distances are in kilometres
	Albox	Coast	Almeria	Alicante	Granada
Albox		44.2	115.5	191.2	161.8
Albanchez	23.5	48.8	75.9	218.5	167.3
Arboleas	8.2	36.6	108.0	190.1	167.5
Baza	68.9	147.9	121.2	243.0	93.0
Caniles	62.5	104.1	112.9	250.0	101.0
Cantoria	11.5	53.1	87.8	206.6	155.4
Freila	95.2	139.4	150.0	257.7	101.2
Guadix	123.8	104.6	108.2	287.2	52.3
Lúcar	33.0	74.6	105.9	224.3	137.7
Oria	24.4	66.0	107.3	211.7	147.1
Purchena	23.4	65.0	96.3	218.5	138.4
Serón	38.7	80.3	111.5	229.9	123.1
Taberno	12.7	49.8	121.2	190.5	184.1
Tijola	31.4	73.0	104.2	222.6	130.5
Zurgena	12.1	32.8	104.1	186.2	171.4

Almeria City

Almeria is a lively, modern city that co-exists with the historical town, is a melting-pot of all different cultures. It still has a wealth of history to offer having been founded by The Phoenicians and occupied by the Carthaginians, Romans and Moors before being recovered for Spain during the reconquest. It has also undergone major redevelopment to accommodate the Mediterranean games in 2005. Take a stroll along La Rambla, in the city centre, it is a long avenue populated with cafes, squares and play areas. There is a sports marina and a bustling ferry port with regular crossings to North Africa.

Almeria City: See Video
Don´t Miss!
 The Alcazaba: Perched on a hill overlooking the town, this Arab fortress was once capable of holding an army of 20,000 men. Constructed in the 10th Century, with magnificent views over the city and surrounding areas, this is considered one of the greatest forts in Andalucia.
The Cathedral of Almeria: This is located in the old part of the city and is heavily fortified. Built during the 16th Century when the area was being raided by pirates from Turkey and North Africa . The corner towers once housed cannons to protect the port. Inside is a wealth of priceless artwork and the tomb of the Franciscan Bishop Fernandez Villalan who founded the cathedral.
ParishChurch of Santiago Apostol: Listed as a National Monument, built in 1559 the architecture is a mixture of gothic, renaissance and mudejar styles.

From Almería you can take the coastal road to Roquetas de Mar, a true holiday paradise. Is the most important municipality in the Almería province along with the capital city it belongs to the excellent tourist centre of Costa Almería. Situated at the western end of the Gulf of Almería “Poniente Almeriense”, 18 km from the capital city the town of Roquetas de Mar combines an agrarian market garden and fruit-growing economy with the beauty of its natural surroundings.
The origins of Roquetas de Mar are shrouded in mystery. The coast was visited by Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans, but the Neolithic cultures only settled temporarily on the coast of Almeria. We have to go back to the beginning of the XVIII century to find the first vestiges of lasting establishments, around 1737. Any investigation is complicated due to the destruction of buildings that has occurred. As is typical of Muslim culture, life centred around a castle bordering the sea, and groups of Farmhouses. In 1757 the Parish Church was constructed. 1777 was an important date for Roquetas de Mar when the independence of Almeria was obtained and, step by step, municipalities were annexed forming the nucleus know today as Roquetas de Mar.
This town is an open air sportscentre. With its lively wide promenade and fishing harbour where you can see the fish market. Passing the touristy promenade you will find the nature reserve of Punta Entinas and Punta Sabinar, the living space of over 150 different seabirds. You can enjoy their isolated and wild beaches like the nudist beach Cerillos close to the old lighthouse.
 
The sub-tropical, Mediterranean, warm and dry climate with mild winters and the sky nearly always without clouds is the reason for many long-term holidaymakers enjoying Roquetas de Mar in the winter time. Excellent possibilities for golfers as well as diversified water sport opportunities, an ideal place for starting different trips and excursions. Miles long beaches, spotless sunshine and the blue Mediterranean take always centre stage.
Roquetas is a fascinating growing town, which is culturally, touristy and economically active integrated in a fair and beautiful nature gains international more and more in importance and influence.

GOLF

Almeria is a wonderful setting for golf with its dry warm climate and mountainous landscapes making it an ideal all year round location for the keen golfer. Almeria has 7 first class golf courses each with their own individuality and charm.

Four of the courses; La Envía Golf, Playa Serena Golf, Alboran Golf and Golf Almerimar are within easy reach of the resort of Roquetas de Mar in the south of the region, and three courses in the north; Desert Springs, Marina Golf and Valle del Este close to the towns of Vera and Mojacar.

La Envia Golf

The Golf Course at La Envia Golf was designed by Francisco Mendoza..

The course is laid out in a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains which protects the course from East and West winds, creating the best golfing conditions.

The 18 holes, 6263 yards course is laid out in an irregular design, with many bunkers and lakes, which require accuracy, skill and expertise.

Playa Serena Golf

Established in 1979 and designed by Angel Gallardo and Peter Allis, the Playa Serena Golf course in Roquetas de Mar has been catalogued as the flattest course in Spain. It has wide fairways, 9 lakes and greens defended by bunkers, but its major difficulties are its long holes and the design of the greens. The course is in excellent condition year-round.

Alborán Golf

Alborán Golf is located in El Toyo Retamar, a new 18-hole Championship course just a few meters from the sea. The prestigious golf designer Ramón Espinosa designed Alborán Golf, to host the 2005 Mediterranean Games. The Golf course is a long 6,278 metres 18-hole Championship "Par 72", and with it 66 bunkers strategically placed throughout the course makes Alborán Golf a true test of golf. The course also has a spacious practice area, and it is planned to build a golf school later in the year.


Almerimar Golf

Almerimar Golf course was designed by Professional Gary Player it is a flat course with wide tree lined fairways, and large greens, which are well maintained and fast to play on. It is a beautiful spot with lakes and palms tree on the course as well as water features at five of the holes. The 100 metre over the lake shot to reach the 12th hole makes it the most challenging hole on the course.

Desert Springs

The first and only desert golf course in Europe and has been built to the full USGA specifications and high quality standards of the now famous desert courses of Arizona and California.The fairways have been kept generous to ensure that the less expert player can enjoy and improve their game whilst absorbing the awesome landscape and views that encompass the course. On the other hand, every hole has features which can be brought into play; the springs, watercourses, dry river beds and the rock and cacti areas are strategically located to test the skill of even the best players when playing off the competition tees.

Marina Golf

Marina Golf is a golf course with a character of its own. You can play 9 holes next to the beach on a flat, though not uninteresting section of the course. The remaining 9 holes are located on the other side of a hill, with different views, and even a different climate. Some holes have spectacular tee-shots, where players will appreciate the wonderful difficulty of this sport. As Marina Golf’s slogan says: it’s all just a stroke away: the town of Mojacar, the Sea, with over 17 km. of beaches and inlets, most of them still unspoilt, a marina, natural parks, a diverse and succulent cuisine, and attractive countryside.

Valle del Este Golf Resort

The 18 Holes (Par 71) of this course have been designed following the latest tendencies, attempting a perfect layout of the terrain and taking all the environmental measures required to make the course a totally natural enclave. From a playing point of view, the course will represent an authentic challenge for the player, who can also enjoy the amazing countryside. Those who play at Valle del Este Golf Resort can´t wait to come back. . It is a desert course with the typical vegetation of the Almeria region. The club also boasts its own hotel and spa.

SAILING

Despite the massive expanse of its coastline it is only in recent years that Spain has seen a growth in the popularity of sailing, historically the sea has been the province of working fisherman and not a leisure activity. The recent increase in the popularity of water sports has been bolstered by the large influx of foreigners, this is increasingly apparent when walking round one of Almeria´s many marinas where you will see a wide variety of international registration marks. The range of craft is also impressive from luxury motor cruisers to smaller sports boats. If you are not lucky enough to own your own craft there are a number of boats that you can hire by the hour, day or week as well as dolphin viewing and fishing trips as well as water-skiing and jet ski hire.

Almeria has numerous marinas, ideal for those with yachts who need a berth and for those who simply enjoy the atmosphere of a harbour.

Many of them can cater for the larger craft and have excellent services including yacht clubs, sports facilities, boat and equipment rental, hotels and shopping areas, plus fuel, workshops, cranes and winter hangars.

We have listed below the marinas which can be found along the coastline of Almeria together with some essential information.

ADRA

Latitude: 36* 44'6"N -

Longitude: 3*01'W - VHF: CH9 & 16

Harbour Entrance width: 65m depth: 7m

120 Moorings, 5-12m deep

AGUADULC E

With sporting facilities and only 11km from Almeria City

Latitude: 36*49'N - Longitude: 2*33'5"W - VHF: CH9 & 16

Harbour Entrance width: 60m depth: 6.5m

764 Moorings, 5-25m deep

ALMERIMAR

Set within a busy tourist complex with golf, tennis and horse riding.

Latitude: 36*41'48"N - Longitude: 2*47'48"W - VHF: CH9 & 16

Harbour Entrance width: 140m depth: 2- 5m

1100 Moorings, 6-60m deep

ALMERIA

Latitude: 36*49'N - Longitude: 2*27'6"W - VHF: CH9 & 16

Harbour Entrance width: 300m depth: 10m

286 Moorings, 4-15m deep

GARRUCHA

Latitude: 37*10'9"N - Longitude: 1*49'W - VHF: CH9 & 16

Harbour Entrance width: 170m depth: 14m

227 Moorings, 5-12m deep

ROQUETAS DE MAR

Close to fishing and other sporting facilities and near to the bustling tourist centre.

Latitude: 36*45'5"N - Longitude: 2*36'W - VHF: CH9 & 16

Harbour Entrance width: 90m depth: 4 - 6m

183 Moorings, 5-15m deep


SAN JOSÉ

Set within the Cabo de Gata-Nijar natural park.

Latitude: 36*46'N - Longitude: 2*6'W - VHF: CH9 & 16

Harbour Entrance width: 35m depth: 6.5m

243 Moorings, 5-12m deep

OTHER SPORTS

Scuba diving in Cabo de Gata

The 63 kilometres of coastline in the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Nature Reserve are a genuine paradise for scuba diving and snorkelling enthusiasts. This enclave is the first Terrestrial and Maritime Park in Andalusia and is just 20 minutes by car from the city of Almeria.

Thanks to the excellent underwater visibility, the mild temperature of the water from January to December, the calmness of the sea, and over a thousand animal and plant species on the sea bed, this area is a popular choice for diving fans. But remember, the park is a protected nature area. So if you decide to practise scuba diving on your own, you will need to obtain a permit from the Environment Department of the Regional Government of Andalusia. For this, you will be required to submit your official diving qualification and relevant insurance. And don’t forget that underwater fishing is prohibited in the entire park.

Skiing with sea views at Sierra Nevada

Skiing for all, beneath the Andalusian sun, with views of the coast. This could well sum up what it is like to ski at Sierra Nevada, in the stunning mountains of Granada. The privileged location of this Andalusian ski resort guarantees a high proportion of sunny days, even in mid-winter. This is not all, however. There are also a host of inviting activities to enjoy after a wonderful day's skiing.

It is Europe's southernmost ski resort, situated in southern Andalusia and only a two hour drive from Almeria, at more than 3,000 m above sea level. It is the resort's geographical characteristics that give it ideal weather conditions for skiing: during much of the season there are wonderful sunny days. If you are a good skier, you should definitely go up to the Laguna and Veleta pistes. They are so high that, on a clear day, you can see the coast and the sea on both sides of the Mediterranean. This is a spectacular view that it is well worth recording forever in your memory.

Sierra Nevada: See Video

Hiking

The countryside in much of Andalucía is breathtaking and, one of the best ways to appreciate the diversity and beauty of the natural scenery here, is via foot.

GR7
The GR7 is the footpath through Andalucia, which forms part of the European Route No. 4. The route is made up of itineraries, which are designed to avoid crossing or using tarmac roads or any roads used by traffic, wherever possible. The GR7 starts in Tarifa in on the furthest southwest tip of Spain, where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic. The route stretches across the provinces of Cádiz, Málaga, Granada, Almería, Córdoba and Jaén, covering approximately 1,250 kilometers of sign-posted footpaths. The GR7 footpath in detail.

Vias Verdes
Spain´s vías verdes (greenways) are one of Andalucia´s lesser known rural attractions and a great way to discover the countryside off the sometimes well-beaten track.

In the 1960s the Spanish government drastically reduced its regional railway routes and closed down many train lines. Since the early 1990s, the government has been transforming these former railway lines into over 60 routes nationwide (with 12 located in Andalucia), that can be used by cyclists, walkers, horse riders and wheelchair users.

The routes are usually clearly marked with posts marking the distance in kilometres and there are viewpoints and picnic areas along most vía verdes. Some railway stations have been converted into restaurants and bars or museums. Along these greenways you can also appreciate the many engineering feats used to create the relatively flat surface through an often rugged landscape. Many vías verdes have tunnels, viaducts, cuttings and embankments.

Each vía verde has its own particular and often fascinating history, reflecting broader political, economic and social changes of the time. You can find out more about the background of many routes in museums and visitors' centres along the way, as well as on the information boards that line the vías verdes (although most of this is available in Spanish only).

Horse Riding

Lying within the provinces of Almeria and Granada and situated on the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range are La Alpujarra with its varied landscapes and beautiful sceneray. Here you will find some of the best horse riding countryside in Europe.

There are numerous places to hire horses. Farms, riding schools, hotels and small stables offer a wide range of horses ranging from solid local Andalucian horses to stunning white stallions and as well as offering organised treks in the mountains you can also experience that moonlight canter along the beach.

If you are interested in riding lessons, there are plenty of places to do so. From tuition for the absolute beginner to gaining a full British Horse Society (BHS) it´s all here in Almeria

You might also like to think about the option of a horse riding holiday
to gain further experience, there are a large number of companies offering package holidays which advertise both on the internet and in the equestrian magazines.