Area Information

Almería Province is situated in the eastern most province of Andalucía and is bordered by the provinces of Granada, Malaga and Murcia., click here for a map of the Province.

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This is mainland Europe's warmest and sunniest region claiming 320 days, over 3000 hours, of sunshine a year. The average yearly temperature is 18º and during the summer the average is 24.6º Warm winters are taken for granted and heating is seldom required.

Although a favourite destination for residents from Central and Northern Spain until recently the province has been less accessible than some other Spanish destinations, a fact which has undoubtedly helped to shield it from the excess of tourism allowing it to remain the unspoilt, peaceful place it is today. The province is steeped in history which can be dated back to Phoenician times and before, a past reflected in its picturesque towns and villages. The whole area, with its natural coastline, beautiful beaches, national parks, mountains and valleys provides an overwhelming sense of space, offering an exiting new world to be explored by the more adventurous.

Its unique landscape, which guidebooks invariably refer to as ‘lunar’, has an almost surreal quality and the Taberna desert region has been the location of many spaghetti style westerns. A Fistful of Dollars and parts of the classic Lawrence of Arabia were filmed here.

Imposing mountain ranges punctuate the wide open plains that are crisscrossed with rugged barrancos (dry river beds) which may only experience rushing torrents of water as little as once a year. This seemingly arid territory supports many different life forms, as there is an astonishing variety of wildflowers, grasses, shrubs and desert plants, many of which are protected by the natural park status of much of this coastline.

As remarkable as the landscape is, there is a lack of commercialisation along the coast. The Costa Tropical, to the west of the city of Almería, has its fair share of tourist resorts, but to the east, the Costa de Almería fully deserves its reputation as ‘Spain’s forgotten coast’. The only resort of any size is Mojácar and even that has a decidedly low-key feel to it, with mostly small hotels and low-rise apartments sporadically dotted along its long beach.

Almost the entire coast between Almería and Mojácar is covered by the Cabo de Gata National Park, an extensive area of sand dunes, wetlands and salt marshes that serve as a habitat for some eighty species of breeding birds and migrants, including pink flamingos, avocets and storks. Strict building restrictions apply within the park, but there are several small, coastal villages where visitors can enjoy the excellent scenery and near empty beaches.

As strange as it may appear for this warm and sunny area it is possible to enjoy the beach in the morning, and ski or snowboard in the afternoon and evening as there is a ski resort located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range approximately 2 hours drive away.

Golf courses are scattered throughout the region and you will be ideally situated for access to these, including the Indiana Course designed by Peter McEvoy, the successful Walker Cup captain, on the Desert Springs Golf Resort, and Marina Golf Mojácar, a new 18 hole, par 72 golf course of 5,464 meters, both offering a demanding challenge to any keen golfer.

Overall Almeria offers a diverse landscape with some excellent beaches, beautiful countryside, some of the best golf courses in Europe and a wealth of history. Once you have visited this area you will almost certainly wish to return.