Almeria

The Andalusian town of Almeria is located in the southeastern peninsula of Spain, and lies at the foot of a mountain range. The town boasts a scenic coastline and is surrounded by interesting villages and mountains.

At the heart of the city lies an ancient Arab fortress that has looked over Almeria for centuries. The wonderful Alcazba allows visitors great views over the city, especially of the famous cave quarter, the ‘Barrio de la Chanca’.

Almeria’s cathedral was built in 1524 to replace its predecessor that was destroyed by an earthquake in 1522. Built in a combination of Gothic and Renaissance styles, the cathedral is a must-see for fans of both history and architecture. The Almeria Museum contains objects discovered by the well-known Belgian mining engineer Louis Siret, while the Sala de Historia Antigua has a good collection of Iberian and Roman artefacts.

The coastline of Almeria is relatively untouched and is a great area to explore by car. The Puerta de Purchena, which lies at the end of Paseo de Almeria has a number of good bars and restaurants where visitors can relax, eat some wonderful food and sample the local beverages.

Almeria Province is famous for its ‘troglodytic’ villages where many of the towns’ houses and buildings are in caves dug into the soft sand-coloured cliffs that permeate the area. The most famous of the villages are Gudor, Benahadux and Alhabia. Other notable places of interest are the village of Mojacar and the quaint fishing village of San Jos, which has a wonderful cove and marina.

Almeria Airport is located about 5 miles east of the city with access using the N340 highway. The airport is actually located on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea and its runways are parallel to the coastline. The city and its surrounding areas can easily be negotiated by car which you can hire from the airport.