Almería Coast - Independent Travel

European Regional
Development Fund
I
Almería Coast
Almería Coast
Spain
Spain
EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
Introduction
C O N T E N T S
Introduction
1
Destination
How to get there
Where to stay
Climate
4
4
4
4
Itineraries
From Adra to El Ejido
Almerimar and the Punta
Entinas-Sabinar Nature Reserve
Roquetas de Mar, Playa Serena
and Aguadulce
Almería
City street map
Cabo de Gata -Níjar Natural Park
From Mojácar to the boundary
with Murcia
The interior
5
5
18
19
Leisure and entertainment
20
Useful information
24
Ireland
United
Kingdom
Dublin
6
6
8
12
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London
Paris
France
Cantabrian Sea
Portugal
Madrid
Lisbon
The Almería coast is a land of contrasts and artful
contradictions, where every mile offers a new discovery. With
3,000 hours of sunshine a year and a mean annual temperature
of 20 ºC, the Almerían littoral contains treasures of rare beauty;
one such is the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park, an underwater
and dry-land paradise of blissful coves and smooth golden
beaches, and the scene of some of the great motion picture
adventures of the last twenty years. Charming and peaceful
fishing villages await any traveller who cares to tread this patch
of yet-virgin soil where the aura of solitude is as if time had
stopped.
For those who prefer, Roquetas de Mar offers one of the most
comprehensive open-air sports centres anywhere on the
Mediterranean coast. There they can enjoy all kinds of sports in
surroundings of natural beauty with excellent hotel and
catering facilities at places like Mojácar, another favourite
venue for tourists. Golf enthusiasts can visit Almerimar, one of
the most luxurious complexes in the area – a veritable oasis with
the added attraction of a 1000-berth marina.
S PA I N
Atlantic Ocean
Mediterranean
Sea
ast
a Co
í
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e
Alm
Almería
Ceuta
Melilla
Text:
Victoria Viudes
Translation:
Alistair Louis Ross
Photographs:
Turespaña Archives
Published by:
© Turespaña
Secretaría de Estado
de Turismo y Comercio
Ministerio de Industria,
Turismo y Comercio
Printed by:
EGESA
Printed in Spain
Graphic Design:
P&L MARÍN
Mojácar
D.L. M. 50881-2005
NIPO: 704-05-134-8
4th Edition
1
If you like to immerse yourself
among sand-dunes and bird
life, there are two good
choices: the Adra and Punta
Entinas-Sabinar nature
reserves. If you feel a touch of
nostalgia for the familiar
scenes of western movies, the
Tabernas Desert is one of the
few places in Spain that
achieve a perfect balance of
scenery, desolation and
beauty. And for those wishing
to discover a subterranean
realm of natural wonders, the
ideal choice is Karst in Yesos
de Sorbas, the most important
gypsum karst site in the
world.
In the interior, white cortijos,
cisterns and waterwheels
recall the Moslem past; in the
centre, presiding majestically
over the littoral and opening
on to the Mediterranean,
gleams Almería. Its great pride
is the Alcazaba, the secondlargest Arab construction in
Spain after the Alhambra in
Granada. Other attractions are
the Cathedral, the historic
port, a busy promenade and
numerous tapas bars where,
as everywhere else on this
coast visitors can delight in
the savour of a wide variety of
fish and shellfish, homely
soups and stews, and juicy
fruit.
Almería
2
Playa de Rodalquilar
Castala
Beninar
How to get there
By air
Almería Airport, 9 km outside
the city, has direct air
connections with a number of
major Spanish cities and
receives charter flights from
several places in Europe. There
is a bus link to the city.
By rail
There are rail links to the
principal Spanish cities.
By road
The Autovía del Mediterráneo
dual carriageway links the
coast of Almería with Alicante
and Murcia to the north and
the rest of Andalusia to the
south. Those who prefer can
take the old road that follows
the coast.
Where to stay
The coast of Almería boasts a
comprehensive and varied
supply of accommodation
including luxury hotels and
apartments, guest-houses,
charming cortijos, simple
fishermen’s cottages to let on
the sea shore, and camping
sites.
There is also a Parador in
Mojácar.
La Parra
dra
Río A
Destination
Félix
Berja
Vícar
Dalías
Reserva Natural
Albufera de Adra
El
Santa María A-7
Ejido del Águila
Balanegra
N-340
La Alcazaba
Piorno
1443
Dos Hermanas
1996
Adra Balerma
Guardias Viejas
La Mojonera
Matagorda
Las Salinas
Almerimar
Punta de los Baños
With 3,000 hours of sunshine
a year, the climate of the
Almería coast is typically
Mediterranean, with mild
winters and hot summers. The
mean annual temperature is
around 20 ºC. There is
practically no winter to speak
of – it is more like a
protracted springtime.
Tabernas Desert
Huércal
de Almería
Itineraries
Viator
El Alquián
Retamar
Aguadulce
ALMERÍA
Playa de
la Garrofa
Playa de Roquetas
Playa de Aguadulce
Roquetas de Mar
Playa Serena
Playa de Cerrillos
Reserva Natural
Punta de Punta Entinas y Punta Sabinar
del Sabinar
Golfo de Almería
año 2005
From Adra the next stop is
Berja, called Virgi (garden) by
the Romans. In the central
square stand a Neo-Classic
church, the town hall and the
curious Fuente de los Diecisiete
Caños with its seventeen spouts,
one of twenty fountains that
the town boasts and an outlet
for cool waters from the thaw
in Sierra Nevada. Twenty
kilometres further on is El Ejido,
surrounded by a sea of
greenhouse cultivation redolent
of wealth and prosperity.
From Adra to El Ejido
Climate
Enix
This itinerary begins in Adra, a
farming and fishing town close
to the boundary with Granada
with a comprehensive network
of hotel and catering services
in lovely surroundings. The
place to visit besides the
harbour is the parish church,
the shrine of the town’s
patroness, the Virgen del Mar.
Four kilometres away, the
Albufera de Adra Nature
Reserve, best visited in August
and September, harbours
numerous species of water
fowl which nest in the three
lagoons.
Returning to the coast road,
the route goes through
Balerma and Balanegra, towns
with a fishing tradition and
spacious, clean beaches
boasting the Blue Flag. The end
of the road is Guardias Viejas,
an area of now-abandoned salt
pans and a nesting-place for all
kinds of sea-birds.
Albufera de Adra
5
Almerimar and the
Only a few minutes away is
the Punta Entinas-Sabinar
Nature Reserve. The reserve
shelters over 150 species of
water fowl and a prosperous
community of vertebrates and
can be toured on foot or by
bicycle. Worth a visit in the
Reserve are Playa de Cerillos,
where nudism is allowed, and
the lighthouse, a magnificent
spot for enthusiasts of
photography and submarine
archaeology.
Punta Entinas-Sabinar
Nature Reserve
Almerimar is one of the
province’s most luxurious
developments, a veritable
oasis set in an arid zone with a
magnificent golf course
designed by world champion
golfer Gary Player, a nearby
luxury hotel surrounded by
2500 square metres of welltended gardens, a marina and
all the services one would
expect from a big city.
Almerimar
Bordered by a broad
promenade, the beach at
Urbanización de Roquetas is
one of the best on the entire
Almería littoral. Two
kilometres from the complex
is the village of Roquetas,
where one can visit the Castle
of Santa Ana, the Church of
the Virgen del Rosario and the
fishing port where the catch is
traditionally auctioned on the
quayside.
Roquetas de Mar
Playa de Aguadulce offers a
promenade, warm waters for
bathers of all ages winter and
summer, and a marina with
over 1000 berths. At night,
hundreds of youngsters
crowd discotheques, bars and
cafes.
Aguadulce. In Playa Serena,
over two kilometres of broad,
fine sands offer windsurfing
schools, sunshades, cafes and
beach bars for the pleasure of
visitors. There is an 18-hole
golf course for those who
prefer to keep fit without
getting wet.
Aguadulce
Roquetas de Mar,
Playa Serena
and Aguadulce
holiday paradise with 40,000
beds and one of the bestequipped open-air sports
centres on the Mediterranean
coast.
From Almerimar, the road
runs among greenhouse crops
to Roquetas de Mar, a luxury
There are three main tourist
complexes in Roquetas: Playa
Serena, Roquetas de Mar and
6
7
Almería
partially ruined by an
earthquake two years before.
Hard by the Alcazaba is the
city’s best vantage point.
Down below is the Church of
San Juan (2). Built on the
foundations of an Arab
mosque, it still preserves the
original walls of the quibla
and the mihrab.
The first stop on the visit to
Almería is the Alcazaba (1),
the second largest Arab
construction in Spain after the
Alhambra in Granada. Its
43,000 square metres are
divided into three areas. The
first is the largest and
loveliest: an area occupied
totally by gardens which one
enters by way of the Puerta de
la Justicia. A 15th century
Gothic archway, all that
remains of an old palace,
leads into the second area, the
former heart of the Alcazaba
where Moslem monarchs and
rulers dwelt amidst cisterns,
mosques, baths and
dwellinghouses. In the third
area is the mediaeval castle
built on the orders of the
Catholic Monarchs in 1489
when they reached the city
and found the Alcazaba
Only a few minutes walk away
is the Hospital Real (3), a
beautiful two-storey
Renaissance building with a
central cloister.
On the corner the Paseo de
San Luis, part-avenue and
part-park, leads to the
fountain known as La fuente
de los Peces. Opposite is the
Calle Real, one of the most
traditional and best-known
streets in Almería.
Alcazaba
8
A short step away is the
Cathedral (4), built in the 17th
century as a place of worship
and a refuge from pirate
attacks. This explains its grim
exterior, with crenellated
walls and four defensive
towers. Particularly interesting
are the main chapel, with its
Renaissance arcades and a
magnificent collection of 18th
-century paintings, and a
Choir-stall with delicatelycarved walnut benches and
fine reliefs.
Behind the Cathedral is the
Convento de las Puras (5),
which contains a lovely
Baroque altarpiece. The
adjoining Episcopal Palace (6)
boasts a fine facade built at
the end of the 19th century.
A walk by way of Plaza del
Bendicho, one of the city’s
most charming squares, Plaza
Masnou and Calle Séneca
leads to the Basílica de
Nuestra Señora del Mar (7),
the patroness of Almería. The
old cloister (8) in Plaza de
Pablo Cazard is now the
School of Arts and Crafts. Also
worth a visit are the
neighbouring Teatro
Cervantes (9) and the
beautiful rooms of the Círculo
Mercantil (10).
Círculo Mercantil
Further along Calle Ofalia is
the Templo del Sagrado
Corazón de Jesús (11), which
in its time has seen service as a
storehouse, a theatre and a
dance-hall.
Cathedral
City street map
Next door is the 18th-century
Church of las Claras (13), in
Mudéjar style with a
Plateresque portico. In Plaza
de San Pedro stands the
Church of San Pedro (14).
Founded by the Catholic
Monarchs, it was rebuilt in
Neo-Classic style after the
earthquake of 1790.
Very close to Plaza de las
Flores, the Templo de
Santiago (15) boasts a
Renaissance portico and a
majestic tower. While in this
district, it is well worth visiting
the Calle de las Tiendas, one
of the streets with the longest
tradition in the city, and the
Arab cisterns (16), built in
1038 to provide the Moslem
population with drinking
water. The site is now
Plaza Vieja, Town Hall
The traveller should now
return to the Cathedral and
go from there to the Plaza
Vieja (12), where the
Town Hall overlooks
the most appealing
and secluded spot in
the city.
Puerta Purchena
PLACES OF INTEREST
1 La Alcazaba
2 Church of San Juan
3 Royal Hospital
4 Cathedral
5 Convent of Las Puras
6 Episcopal Palace
7 Basílica de Nuestra Señora
del Mar
Railway station
8 Cloister of Nuestra Señora
del Mar
occupied by “El Taranto”
Flamenco Club, so called after
the particular style of
Flamenco singing of Almería.
9 Teatro Cervantes
10 Círculo Mercantil
11 Templo del Sagrado Corazón
de Jesús
12 Plaza Vieja
Walking straight on from
Plaza Manuel Pérez García
one comes to Puerta
Purchena (17),
the nerve-centre of the city.
From Puerta Purchena it is
only a few blocks to one of
the most atmospheric
squares, Plaza de San
Sebastián, overshadowed by
the 17th-century church (18)
of that name.
13 Church of Las Claras
14 Church of San Pedro
15 Templo de Santiago
16 Arab cisterns
17 Puerta Purchena
18 Templo de San Sebastián
19 Bull ring
CONVENTIONAL SIGNS
Tourist information office
Post Office
Hospital
Parking
Police
Railway station
Bus station
To round up the visit to
Almería it is worth seeing the
Bull Ring (19), the historic port
and the promenade with “el
cable”, an old mineral
loading dock built by an
English firm at the turn of the
century.
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CARTOGRAFÍA: GCAR, S.L. Cardenal Silíceo, 35
Tel. 914 167 341 - 28002 MADRID - AÑO 2005
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Alias Don Antonio
41
N-3
A-7
Pechina
Fernán Pérez
Cala de San Pedro
Las Negras
El Alquián
Retamar
ALMERÍA
Punta de los Muertos
PARQUE NATURAL Agua Amarga
CABO DE GATA-NIJAR
Los Albaricoques
Viator
Carboneras
La Mesa de Roldán
Campo Hermoso
Las Cuevas de
los Úbedas
Reserva de
SIE
las Salinas
San Miguel
de Cabo de Gata
La Almadrava
de Monteleva
Golfo de Almería La Fabriquilla
D
Gádor
Benahadux
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La Rambla
Honda
Venta
del Pobre
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de Almería
MILL
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Cabo de Gata
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Rodalquilar
La Isleta del Moro
Los Escullos
El Pozo de los Frailes
San José
año 2005
Playa de los Genoveses
Playa de Mónsul
Cabo de Gata-Níjar
Natural Park
From Retamar to Cabo de
Gata lighthouse
The coast road (carretera de la
costa) from Almería leads to
the Retamar
complex, from
where one
reaches Ermita
de Torregarcía
and the
watchtower of that name,
whose guardian according to
legend found the image of
the Virgin, now the patroness
of Almería, floating on the
waves.
Near the hermitage is the
entrance to the Las Marinas
Amoladeras Reserve (visits
with guide only) and the Las
Amoladeras Visitor Centre
where all kinds of information
about the Reserve are
available.
Cabo de Gata. Siren’s Reef
Playa de los Genoveses
The road runs among dunes
and cane-brakes to San
Miguel de Cabo de Gata, a
little fishing village, and from
there it follows Playa de San
Miguel to the Las Salinas
Reserve, home to flamingos
and many other birds which
visitors can watch from a
strategically-sited observation
post.
Around San José
To embark on this second
itinerary, the traveller must
take the road from the
lighthouse to San Miguel de
Cabo de Gata, and from there
to the old fishing village of
San José, which has now been
developed as a peaceful
family holiday resort with
good tourist services and a
small marina.
Past La Almadraba de
Monteleva and Fabriquilla,
the road – now a series of
tight, narrow bends – affords
a magnificent panoramic view
over the bay of Almería on
the way to the Cabo de Gata
lighthouse, locked in by the
Arrecife de las Sirenas or Siren
Reef. It is said that this stretch
of coast was once inhabited
by hooded seals –now in
danger of extinction – whose
cries in the night caused
sailors to talk of mermaids.
On the outskirts of the village a
dirt track leads to one of the
loveliest parts of the park, the
backdrop to a number of wellknown films like Indiana Jones
and the Last Crusade or The
Adventures of Baron
Münchhausen – Playa de los
Genoveses and Playa de
Mónsul where a tremendous
dune rears up over rocks
petrified in the shape of waves.
15
To see more of the Park there
are two alternative routes
from Las Negras: go back on
to the Autovïa del
Mediterráneo as far as the
Venta del Pobre exit, or head
for Fernán Pérez and from
there take a dirt track that
leads to Agua Amarga. This is
a peaceful little coastal village
where the limpid water is
ideal for bathing, diving and
fishing. Fishing is the main
pursuit of the inhabitants,
who draw their boats up on
the beach and there array
their catches for sale.
The Carboneras road passes
through Mesa de Roldán, a
good place to look over
towering cliffs and
magnificent views, especially
at dusk. Travellers stopping
here should visit the Playa de
los Muertos.
Cabo de Gata. Playa de Mónsul
Carboneras
Returning to Pozo de los
Frailes, the traveller can visit
Los Escullos, whose cliffs have
formed fantastical shapes
through the caprices of
erosion. Here there is a diving
club which organises boat
trips and hires equipment.
Carrying on with a stop at the
vantage-point known as
Mirador de La Amatista, one
of the best spots on the coast
for a view over the entire
Park, the road leads to
Rodalquilar, an old goldmining town where remains
of the mine can still be seen.
From Los Escullos one can
descry La Isleta del Moro, an
islet where the women still
use the public washing-place
while the men tend to their
nets and boats.
From Rodalquilar it is only a
short trip to the cliffs and
volcanic gullies of El Playazo,
or to Cortijo de los Frailes, the
scene of the real-life crime
passionel that inspired
Federico García Lorca’s famous
romance Bodas de Sangre.
Cortijo de Los Frailes
From Las Negras
to Carboneras
From Rodalquilar the road
runs on to Las Negras, a
beautiful fishing enclave with
a small promenade and bars
offering fine seafood.
Following a path along the
seaward side of the impressive
tor that gave the village its
name, one comes to Cala de
San Pedro, a lovely clean cove
containing the only fresh
water spring in the whole
Park, built according to
legend by a famous corsair.
The itinerary ends in
Carboneras, a 16-kilometre
stretch of sands where
numerous restaurants offer
the fish and shellfish brought
daily by the local fishermen.
Playa de los Muertos
16
17
Velefique
Embalse de
Almanzora
Cuevas de
Almanzora
A-7
Antas
Vera
La Perulaca
San Juan de
los Terreros
El Pozo
del Esparto
Las Herrerías
Palomares
Villaricos
Turre
Garrucha
Mojácar
año 2005
From Mojácar to the
boundary with Murcia
From Carboneras, one can take
the Autovía del Mediterráneo
or enjoy the fine clifftop views
of the coast road as far as
Mojácar, white silhouette,
cupolas and minarets recalling
Moslem times, which basks
under the protection of the
Indalo, an anthropomorphic
device that travellers will find
in every corner of Almería.
Mojácar offers abundant
beaches and coves, some
From Mojácar the road
follows the coast down to
Garrucha, where one can
enjoy the wonderful local fish
and shellfish in the restaurants
around the fishing port and
marina.
There are two possible routes
from Garrucha: by way of Vera
and Cuevas de Almanzora,
home of the interesting Museo
Antonio Manuel Campoy and
a good contemporary art
collection, or straight along
the coast to San Juan de los
Terreros on the boundary with
Murcia. This road runs by long,
fine beaches like Puerto Rey,
Villaricos or Vera Mar, site of
the Vera Playa Club nudist
complex.
Mojácar
año 2005
Sorbas
340a
Lucainena Paraje Natural Karts
de la s Torres en Yesos de Sorbas
Tabernas
Desierto de Tabernas
R
SIE
Vera Playa Club
Puerto Rey
Los
Gallardos
specially reserved for
practitioners of nudism, a
comprehensive supply of
accommodation and sports
facilities, and a lively night-life.
RA
DE
Turrillas
ALHA
Rioja
Las Cuevas de
Gádor Benahadux los Úbedas
Pechina
MILLA
Níjar
The interior
Río
La Rambla
Honda
Alias
Venta
N
del Pobre -341
with overhanging
houses and fine
ceramics to be
found in the Barrio
de la Alfarería.
From Sorbas, or
from Almería by
way of the N-340,
A it is well worthwhile to take a
T
A
G
trip to the Desierto de
E
Tabernas.
Fernán
A-7
Pérez
Campo Hermoso
D
HuércalOvera
RR
A
Almajalejo
Uleila
del Campo
Olula Castro de Filabres
de Castro
SIE
Pulpí
Moving inland, visitors should
not miss Níjar, a small,
typically Andalusian town
famed for its jarapas (large
fabric, cotton or woollen
squares that can be used as
rugs, blankets, curtains or
hangings), esparto work and
an age-old tradition of
colourful, highly-prized
ceramics; and Sierra de
Alhamilla, a breathing-space
for the city of Almería and a
venue for enthusiasts of easy
trekking.
There is nothing like it in
Europe. For many years its
singular beauty has attracted
the film industry as a natural
setting in which to shoot.
Western towns still stand,
where they were built
for such famous films as
For a Few Dollars More or
The Magnificent Seven.
They are open daily to
visitors wishing to relive the
authentic atmosphere of the
Western film – horseback
chases and tumbles, saloon
fights, shoot-outs and dances.
There is also a Zoological
Reserve.
Less than an hour away from
Almería is the Paraje Natural
Karst in Yesos de Sorbas, the
most important gypsum karst
site in the world. With over
1000 natural caves and a
history going back more than
6,000,000 years, it is best to
arrange a visit with specialist
guides.
Sorbas
Nearby is Sorbas, a village
perched high up in the hills
19
L
eisure and
entertainment
Sports
Water skiing, sailing and
windsurfing
Diving
Trekking
The waters of the Cabo de
Gata Park are the cleanest in
the Mediterranean. With
visibility up to 20 metres,
this is a diver’s paradise
offering myriad animal and
vegetable species.
Trekking is one of the most
attractive ways to get to know
the Almería littoral. There are
routes through Cabo de GataNíjar Natural Park and around
the Sorbas municipal district,
where the terrain is flat with
no really abrupt declivities.
Only in Sierra de Alhamilla
does the ground present any
greater difficulty. (Information
at Tourist and Environment
Offices, where there are route
maps).
All along the coast there are
clubs that organise excursions
and courses. Some of these
offer boat trips.
There are sailing, water skiing
and windsurfing schools
which run courses and hire
material in the Roquetas de
Mar municipal district and
Mojácar.
Information:
Federación Andaluza
de Actividades
Subacuáticas
% 950 270 612
There are a number of
marinas that arrange coastal
boat-trips:
Real Federación Española
de Vela
Luis de Salazar, 9
28002 Madrid
% 915 195 008
) 914 164 504
www.rfev.es
20
Golf
Real Federación Española
de Golf
Capitán Haya, 9-8º
% 915 567 134
) 915 564 328
www.golfspainfederacion.com
Centro de Información
del Parque Natural
Cabo de Gata-Níjar
% 950 380 299
Fishing
Off-road vehicles (4x4)
In the Cabo de Gato Marine
Park, only traditional fishing
methods are allowed, and
there are even areas where
this is restricted. Aqualung
fishing is absolutely
forbidden. Rod fishing for
sport is allowed from the
shore and from boats except
in prohibited areas (bathing
and species protection
areas). Everywhere else on
the coast fishing is freely
permitted.
There are restricted half-day
and full-day routes through
Cabo de Gata Park for offroad (4x4) vehicles, with
specialist guides.
Food and drink
On the Almería coast, especially
in the summer season, the
common practice is to go for
“tapas” in bars rather than
eating in restaurants. This
peculiar custom consists in
ordering a beer or a wine and
choosing from a range of small
fish, meat, rice and salad dishes
that every bar includes in the
price of the drink. Those who
prefer to eat in any of the
restaurants that abound all
along the coast can choose from
a wide and appetising range of
fresh fish and shellfish, and
warming soups like bullabesa,
made with shellfish and
Other activities
There are also organisations
devoted to canoeing,
mountain biking, potholing,
horse-trekking, Land-Rover
excursions, etc.
21
where 16 craft workshops
make, display and sell
their products.
Hand-crafted wares can also
be found in the itinerant
street markets, which set up in
a different town each day.
Fairs and Festivals
mayonnaise, garlic soup, the
famous gazpacho, or ajoblanco,
another cold soup made with
the white of bread dissolved in
oil, almonds and garlic. Desserts
include fresh fruit all the year
round and sweets with a
distinctly Arab flavour.
Almería
Feria de Almería. Held in the
second fortnight of August to
honour the city’s patroness, the
Virgen del Mar. This is a typically
Andalusian fair, boisterous and
colourful, with booths open till
daybreak where fair-goers dance
Sevillanas, drink cool manzanilla
and eat sausage and tapas.
There are also bull-fights.
Carnival. Beginning of March.
In the Auditorium, there is a
contest of parodias and
comparsas, troupes performing
their own blends of song and
social comment.
Cruces de Mayo. During the first
days of May, neighbourhood
associations adorn courtyards
and squares in the old town with
floral crosses. Visitors to the
crosses refresh themselves with
manzanilla and little morsels
known as tapillas.
Semana Santa. From Palm
Sunday to the Resurrection,
fifteen brotherhoods parade
Inland there are migas con
tropezones (bread sautéed
with garlic and meat), gurullos
con conejos (a species of
doughballs with rabbit), cocido
de trigo (wheat potage), ajo
colorao (cod and potato
cooked in garlic, peppers and
paprika), ajipán (garlic bread),
sausage and free-range meat.
Crafts
Many towns still preserve
traditional hand crafts such as
ceramics, embroidery,
weaving, esparto-work and
wood. There is a Craft Centre
in Mojácar, a large complex
22
through the city streets
enveloped in a respectful hush,
to the heart-rending song of the
saetas. The images, gold-work,
carving and embroidery of the
brotherhoods present a vivid
tableau.
Carboneras
From 11 to 15 June is the festival
in honour of the patron San
Antonio with a “battle” between
Moors and Christians for
possession of the castle. On 15
and 16 August the Fisherman’s
and Tourist’s Festival is marked by
a seafaring procession and a
popular banquet of sardines.
Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park
The villages of the Park celebrate
the traditional Semana Santa
with processions of images,
penitents and Via Crucis. Worth
visiting in summer are the
fishermen’s festivals in Las
Negras, Cabo de Gata and
Albaricoques, Pozo de los Frailes
and Isleta del Moro. During the
September Fair in Níjar, the
custom is to organise tapas in
the surrounding farm buildings
or barracas, a tradition dating
back to the 16th century.
Roquetas de Mar
Seafaring processions mark the
festivals of Aguadulce (16 July)
and Santa Ana (26 July), when the
saint is carried out in procession
after a ritual laving of her face
with harbour water. Bonfires are
made for cooking on the beach.
On 29 December the inhabitants
of Roquetas de Mar spend the
entire day on the beach roasting
fish with dried seaweed.
Adra
Maritime processions of the
Patrons on 8 September and
16 July. On 25 April is the Fiesta
del Agricultor or Farmer’s
Festival. A procession and festive
pilgrimage or romería is held in
the Vega del Adra in honour of
San Marcos; typical here are
roscos de San Marcos, a species
of sweet cake, riding contests
and decoratively harnessed
animals.
Vera
Veractiva. Mediterranean Trade
Fair. Second week in August. This
is an annual cross-sector fair
offering samples of gastronomic,
craft, traditional, cultural and
folk art, including amusement
and children’s items. Vera
celebrates a particularly famous
and solemn Semana Santa.
Huércal Overa
The Semana Santa here is classified
as a Festival of National Interest.
Mojácar
From 7 to 9 June, dancing and
processions mark the festival of
Moors and Christians.
23
USEFUL INFORMATION
International Telephone
Code % 34
TOURIST INFORMATION
TURESPAÑA % 901 300 600
www.spain.info
Tourist information
% 901 200 020
www.andalucia.org
Almería Provincial Tourist Board
% 950 621 117
) 950 267 545
www.almeria-turismo.org
TOURIST OFFICES
Almería
Tourist Office of the
Andalusian Government
Parque Nicolás Salmerón
% 950 274 355
) 950 274 360
Mojácar
Plaza Nueva % 950 615 025
Roquetas de Mar
Avenida Mediterráneo, 2
% 950 333 203
Vera
Plaza Mayor, 1
% 950 393 142
PARADORS
Central Booking Office
Calle Requena, 3 - 28013 Madrid
% 915 166 666 ) 915 166 657
www.parador.es
Parador de Mojácar
Playa de Mojácar. Almería
% 950 478 250 ) 950 478 183
TRANSPORT
Airport % 950 213 700
www.aena.es
Serviberia % 902 400 500
www.iberia.es
Trains (Renfe) % 902 240 202
www.renfe.es
Buses % 950 262 098
Trasmediterránea
% 902 454 645
www.trasmediterranea.es
Ferrimaroc Agencies
% 950 274 800
www.ferrimaroc.com
Highways information
% 900 123 505
www.dgt.es
USEFUL TELEPHONES
Emergencies % 112
Medical emergencies % 061
Civil Guard % 062
National Police % 091
Municipal Police % 092
Civic information % 010
Post Office % 902 197 197
www.correos.es
SPANISH TOURIST INFORMATION
OFFICES ABROAD
CANADA. Toronto
Tourist Office of Spain
2 Bloor Street West Suite 3402
TORONTO, Ontario M4W 3E2
% 1416/ 961 31 31
) 1416/ 961 19 92
e-mail: [email protected]
www.tourspain.toronto.on.ca
GREAT BRITAIN. London
Spanish Tourist Office
PO BOX 4009
LONDON W1A 6NB
% 44207/ 486 80 77
) 44207/ 486 80 34
e-mail: [email protected]
www.tourspain.co.uk
JAPAN. Tokyo
Tourist Office of Spain
Daini Toranomon Denki
Bldg.6F. 3-1-10 Toranomon
Minato-Ku. TOKIO-105-0001
% 813/ 34 32 61 41
) 813/ 34 32 61 44
e-mail: [email protected]
www.spaintour.com
RUSSIA. Moscow
Spanish Tourist Office
Tverskaya - 16/2 Edificio 3
Moscow 103009
% 7095 / 935 83 97
) 7095 / 935 83 96
e-mail: [email protected]
www.tourspain.ru
Chicago
Tourist Office Of Spain
Water Tower Place, suite 915 East
845, North Michigan Avenue
CHICAGO, ILL 60-611
% 1312/ 642 19 92
) 1312/ 642 98 17
e-mail: [email protected]
www.okspain.org
Miami
Tourist Office of Spain
1221 Brickell Avenue
MIAMI, Florida 33131
% 1305/ 358 19 92
) 1305/ 358 82 23
e-mail: [email protected]
www.okspain.org
New York
Tourist Office of Spain
666 Fifth Avenue 35th floor
NEW YORK, N.Y. 10103
% 1212/ 265 88 22
) 1212/ 265 88 64
e-mail:[email protected]
www.okspain.org
SINGAPORE. Singapore
Spanish Tourist Office
541Orchard Road. Liat Tower
# 09-04. 238881 SINGAPORE
% 65 67 37 30 08
) 65 67 37 31 73
e-mail: [email protected]
EMBASSIES IN MADRID
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Los Angeles
Tourist Office of Spain
8383 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 960
BEVERLY HILLS, CAL 90211
% 1323/ 658 71 88
) 1323/ 658 10 61
e-mail: [email protected]
www.okspain.org
Japan
Serrano, 109
% 915 907 600 ) 915 901 321
Canada
Nuñez de Balboa, 35, 3o
% 914 233 250 ) 914 233 251
Great Britain
Fernando El Santo, 16
% 913 190 200 ) 913 081 033
Russia: Velazquez, 155
% 915 622 264 ) 915 629 712
United States of America
Serrano, 75
% 915 872 200 ) 915 872 303
CARAVACA 82 km
M
Toscana Nueva
Embalse
de Puentes
PARQUE NATURAL
DE SIERRA DE MARÍALOS VÉLEZ
María
Castillejar
Orce
da
Cortes
de Baza
Los Cerricos
Embalse
de Negratín
A
A
S EST
SIERRA DE LA
N
A
D
NCI
Puerto
Lumbreras
Abejuela
Oria
Taberno
Río
Alcóntar
E
Olula
de Castro
A-92
Abla
Senés
Velefique
Castro
de Filabres
Nacimiento
340a
MÁLAGA 179 km
N-340
La Alcazaba
a
La Rábita
RR
SIE
Piorno
1443
Félix
Santa María A-7
del Águila
Reserva Natural
Albufera de Adra
El Ejido
Balanegra
Adra
Balerma
Guardias Viejas
Punta de los Baños
A
Gádor
Alhama
Rioja
Las Cuevas de
de Almería
los Úbedas
Benahadux
Pechina
Huércal
Enix
Viator
de Almería
Níjar
Aguadulce
Roquetas
La Mojonera
Playa Serena
Matagorda
Las Salinas
Playa de Cerrillos
Almerimar
Reserva Natural
de Punta Entinas y Punta Sabinar
Punta
del Sabinar
ALMERÍA
C O S T A
El Llano de
Alias Don Antonio
41
Fernán Pérez
Reserva de
San Miguel las Salinas
de Cabo de Gata
La Almadrava
de Mar
de Monteleva
Golfo de Almería La Fabriquilla
M A R
Punta de
los Muertos
Agua Amarga
PARQUE NATURAL
CABO DE GATA-NIJAR
Cala de San Pedro
Las Negras
E
A
AT
Rodalquilar
La Isleta del Moro
Los Escullos
El Pozo de los Frailes
San José
G
Playa de los
Genoveses
Playa de Mónsul
Cabo de Gata
D E
Carboneras
La Mesa de Roldán
N-3
Los Albaricoques
Retamar
Playa de
la Garrofa
Playa de Roquetas
Playa de Aguadulce
Turre
r
ua
Ag
Campo Hermoso
A-7
Garrucha
Mojácar
Paraje Natural Karts
en Yesos de Sorbas
El Alquián
Vícar
Dalías
DE
A
Río
ILLA
LHAM
D
Dos Hermanas
1996
Beninar
Berja
La Parra
Canjáyar
Fondón
Castala
Adr
Albuñol
Chirán
Turrillas
Desierto de Tabernas
Alsodux
o
Rí
La Rambla
Honda
Venta
del Pobre
SIE
Río
Turón
Ohanes
SIERRA DE GÁDOR
Darrícal
ALPUJARRAS
Alboloduy
Laujar de
Andarax
Alcolea
Lucainena
de la s Torres
Tabernas
PARQUE NATURAL
DE SIERRA NEVADA
Puerto Rey
La Perulaca
Los Gallardos
Uleila
del Campo
Gérgal
Bayárcal
Ugíjar
Villaricos
Vera Playa Club
Sorbas
PARQUE NACIONAL
DE SIERRA NEVADA
SIERRA NEVADA
Lubrín
Tahal
O
FILABRES
LOS
Las Herrerías
Palomares
Vera
E
DE
RA
La Rambla
Aljibe Antas
Códbar
N
Bacares
Lacalahorra
2606
San Juan de
los Terreros
El Pozo
del Esparto
Á
SIER
Abrucena
Águilas
HuércalAlmajalejo
Overa
Zurgena
Cuevas de
Embalse de
Almanzora
Almanzora
Albánchez
ZA
Dos Picos
2096
Fiñana
Pulpí
D
M E
A
A L M E R Í
I
0
R
BA
Santa María
de Nieva
Albox
Almanzora
Macael
Serón
RR
A
IE
GRANADA 50 km
S
Tíjo
A
Somontín Partaloa
Olula
Purchena del Río Cantoria
Los Olmos
El Raposo
A-7
Las Pocicas
A-92N
Huéneja
Lorca
AS
A
Lúcar
D
tìn
A-92N
Chirivel
Cúllar
R
len
Benamaurel
Caniles
Lanteira
Gu
a
Vélez Rubio
Baza
Cogollos
de Guadix
Fuensanta
Vélez Blanco
ÍA
SIERRA DE MAR
R
A
La Paca
La Cañada
de Cañepla
Campocámara
Gorafe
I
o
Rì
Huéscar
Castril
R
Guadix
C
Embalse de
Valdeinfierno
Zújar
Benalúa
de Guadix
R
Toperas
Embalse de
San Clemente
Puenta Duda
U
MURCIA 32 km
Toll Highway
Freeway and dual carriageway
National Road
Primary Regional Road
Secondary Regional Road
Local Road
Railway
Parador
Golf Course
Camp-site
Marina
Spa
Airport
National Park
Nature Park
Lighthouse
G
CARAVACA 59 km
N
R
E
T
15
30 Km.
CARTOGRAFÍA: GCAR, S.L. Cardenal Silíceo, 35
Tel. 914 167 341 - 28002 MADRID - AÑO 2005
[email protected]