Costa de Almeria: the most beautiful coast of Andalusia

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The Costa de Almeria is the coastal strip bathed by the Mediterranean Sea in the province of Almeria in Andalusia. This coast stretches for about 200 km between the town of Pulpì in the east and that of Adra in the west, with the city of Almeria at its center.

A SEMI-DESERTIC REGION

The region of the Costa de Almeria is an almost desert area with a dry climate. This area has several interesting tourist destinations such as the towns of Vera, Mojácar, Roquetas de Mar and Almerimar. There are also areas of great naturalistic interest such as the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park, an oasis of wild and isolated coast, one of the few remaining along the coast of Andalusia, or the Punta Entinas-Sabinar Nature Reserve, or the San Andrés Island, declared a natural monument.

In the interior a few tens of kilometers north of Almeria is the Tabernas Desert with a desert landscape similar to that of the United States and where several western films directed by Sergio Leone were shot in the 1960s.

The city of Almeria is located along the banks of the homonymous gulf and was founded by the Arabs during their domination. The city is located in one of Spain’s richest agricultural areas. To the west of Almeria is the seaside resort of Roquetas de Mar, the best equipped tourist resort on the entire coast, and the town of Adra. Between the two cities is the Punta Entinas-Sabinar Nature Reserve, an area of low and sandy coast formed by a series of dunes near the coast and where there are small wetland marshes (called “Charcas” or “Charcones”).

A WILD COAST OF GREAT LANDSCAPE BEAUTY

However, the most beautiful part of the Costa de Almeria is to the east of the city, where the coast rises and becomes high and rocky in correspondence with the Cabo de Gata area. This stretch of coast of great beauty is fortunately protected in the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park. The park extends over 63 km of coast, mostly wild and desert, with rocks overlooking the sea, coves and beaches. This is probably the most beautiful stretch of coast in Andalusia.

The park area is the only region in Europe to have a hot desert climate and has interesting geological features. The mountains that form the Cape de Gata are the largest volcanic rock formation in mainland Spain.

Today the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Along its coasts there are ancient towers, fortifications, lighthouses and some of the most beautiful beaches in Andalusia. The best known are the beaches of San José, Monsul, Playa de los Genoveses and Playa de los Muertos. To the west at the end of the park are the seaside resorts of Carboneras and Mojácar.