Visit Almería

Founded in the tenth century under the Caliphate of Córdoba, the fortress stretches along the ridge above the city in three successive enclosures: irrigated gardens, palace remains, then a Christian castle. Go up at opening time, especially from June to September, as shade is scarce on the ramparts. From the top you can read the whole layout of Almería: the port, the Chanca, the bay. The wall runs on to neighbouring San Cristóbal hill, another free viewpoint, quieter and far more exposed to the wind.

At the foot of the Alcazaba, the Chanca lines up its cube houses painted blue, pink or ochre, some still backing onto caves. This working-class fishing quarter has inspired writers and photographers, yet it remains a modest place to live, with no shops or marked route. Walk through by day, keep your camera discreet, and ideally come down from the fortress. The contrast with the shopping streets, ten minutes away on foot, sums up the city's double personality rather well.

The sixteenth-century cathedral surprises with its battlemented towers: the coast was then exposed to Barbary raids, and the building had to double as a refuge. Nearby, the arcaded Plaza Vieja leads to the Mercado Central, where the fish stalls liven up the mornings. Beneath the streets, the Refugios de la Guerra Civil, over four kilometres of tunnels dug to shelter residents from bombing, can be visited by booking. Finish at the Cable Inglés, the old iron ore pier reaching towards the sea, opposite the Paseo Marítimo.

Named Spanish Capital of Gastronomy in 2019, Almería keeps a habit other cities have dropped: the tapa arrives with your drink, and you often pick it from the blackboard. A round of the bars around the Plaza Vieja and the Paseo de Almería therefore makes a full dinner, as long as you don't linger at the first counter. Look out for gurullos, small pasta served in a stew, and tomatoes from the local huerta, grown in the greenhouses covering the nearby plain.

The Cabo de Gata-Níjar natural park protects a volcanic coastline unlike anything else on the Andalusian shore. In the south, the road follows the salt flats and their flamingos before reaching the lighthouse and the reefs of the Arrecife de las Sirenas. San José then serves as a base for Los Genoveses and Mónsul, two beaches with no bars or parasols: bring water, shade and a picnic. In summer, the Junta de Andalucía restricts car access to these beaches, and the dates change, so check before setting off.

The north of the park is quieter and more mineral. Rodalquilar lived off gold until the mid twentieth century, and its abandoned installations still loom over the valley. The road then climbs to the La Amatista viewpoint before dropping to Las Negras, where a coastal path leads to the Cala de San Pedro, a cove with no road access. Agua Amarga, further north, suits families better. One piece of advice here: keep a full day free, as the roads wind and the stops add up.

Inland, the Tabernas badlands served as a backdrop for Sergio Leone's westerns, and several film villages can still be visited, such as Oasys MiniHollywood (28 € adult entry in 2026) or Fort Bravo. Go in the morning: summer afternoons there are punishing. Níjar then offers its potters and its jarapas, rugs woven from fabric offcuts. To extend your trip, Granada is about two hours away by bus. The train takes nearly three hours, and the rest of Andalusia calls for a proper stopover.