Into the hills and beyond

This part of Spain is still remarkably unspoilt; delve deeper and you'll be amazed and delighted at what you will discover.

Towns and Villages:

CUEVAS DEL ALMANZORA - Cultural heartland of the valley with its castle, narrow streets and old buildings.

• Click here to view Cuevas del Almanzora (748k PDF)

MOJACAR - Enchanted Moorish hilltop village with lots of shops and nightlife.

BEDAR - Tranquil and serene mountain village with stunning views over the valley.

ALMERIA CITY - Smart and sophisticated with pavement cafes, university, intriguing shops and atmospheric bars.

VERA - Shopping and commercial centre with a huge bustling Saturday farmers market.

Restaurants

The food is outstanding. The big fishing fleet ensures that the fish is plentiful, varied and fresh. Local wine, cheese, ham and olive oil are exceptional. Bars, restaurants, cafes and pizzerias abound. Enjoy tapas, rich country cooking or fine dining in all sorts of ambiences from "feet in the sand" beach bars, through lost country farmhouses, to restaurants by pools, by harbours and atop dizzying heights. Among the best are The Esperanza, Las Brisas, Don Tadeo and Playa Azul in Villaricos; Ricky's, Orsoca and Adelinas in Turre; Casablanca, 900 and Agora in Mojacar; Los Pepes and Terraza Carmona in Vera; Almejero, Rincon del Puerto, La Birra and Meson del Mar in Garrucha; Buena Vista in Bedar; El Molino in Velez Blanco. Los Pastores and Jardines del Agua in Cortijo Grande, etc.

Castles

The Alcazaba above Almeria City is the largest Moorish Castle in Spain; In Velez Blanco, a renaissance Castle, both beautiful and dramatic, its interior now graces the Metropolitan Museum of New York. There are other castles at Cuevas, Lorca, Aguilas and, at Tabernas, the remains of a castle blown up to make a movie.

Mini Hollywood

The real wild west film sets of a Fistful of Dollars and Once Upon a Time in the West and the locations for Lawrence of Arabia and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Visit the stage sets and gunfighting shows; hire a horse and be a cowboy for a day. Not forgetting the Arid Lands Zoological park - a great day for the kids.

Geology

This is where the African plate collides with Europe: Huge volcanic outcrops in Cabo de Gata, the largest karstic limestone formation in Europe at Nijar, with underground caverns and waterways along the Rio de Aguas. There is still gold and silver in the hills behind Villaricos and the world's largest crystal geode was discovered nearby in 2000.

And more....

Visit the gypsy quarter and the fortified cathedral in Almeria. See the gold mine at Rodalquilar in Cabo de Gata. Cave dwellings are everywhere, take a guided tour at Cuevas. For something hotter, try the thermal baths at Alhama or Archena. Marvel at marble mountains in Cantoria, explore the deserted villages of Cabrera, Theresa and Sirena.