Almeria

Winter, spring and autumn are the best seasons, with mild, sunny weather. July and August are hot and humid, though the sea is warm for swimming from June to October.

Holy Week and the August fair are the main festivals.

• Conjunto Monumental la Alcazaba de Almería is a large Moorish fortress from the 10th century, with gardens, walls and views of the city and the sea. It is free for EU citizens, and it is a short walk from the center.
• Catedral de la Encarnación is a 16th-century fortress-like cathedral, built to defend against pirate raids.
• Refugios de la Guerra Civil Española de Almería are underground shelters from the Civil War, built for the city's people in 1937. Guided visits are offered.
• Cable Inglés is a metal loading pier from 1904, built for iron ore trains. It stands over the waterfront.
• Museo de Almería shows prehistoric finds from the region, including the Bronze Age Argar culture.
• Paseo de la Fama de Almería is a walk with plaques for films shot in the region.
• The Paseo Marítimo is a long seafront promenade with beaches.

• Order drinks in a bar in the center and receive a free tapa with each one. This is a local tradition.
• Walk up to the Alcazaba at sunset for views over the bay.

• Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park (about 30 km, 40 minutes by car): a coast of volcanic cliffs, coves and beaches.
• Tabernas Desert (about 30 km, 30 minutes by car): Europe's only desert, with film sets used for Westerns.
• Granada (about 170 km, 2 hours by car): the Alhambra and the Albaicín.
• Mojácar (about 90 km, 1 hour by car): a white hill village above the sea.

Other places in Andalusia:

• City: Granada is the main inland destination.
• Murcia: Murcia is the nearest large city to the northeast.

• By air: Almería airport (LEI) is about 10 km east of the center and has flights from Madrid, Barcelona and some European cities. Buses link it with the city.
• By train: Trains run to Granada, Seville and Madrid, but journeys are slow. Book on Renfe.
• By bus: Coaches run to Granada, Murcia, Málaga and the coast.

• On foot: The center is compact and flat, but the Alcazaba is uphill.
• Cycling: The seafront has a cycle path, and the city is flat.

• Is a car worth it?: Not for the city. A car is the best way to see Cabo de Gata and the desert.
• Parking: Use an underground car park in the center.
• Restrictions: The old town has streets with limited access.

Almería is known for free tapas with a drink, a local custom in many bars. Try fresh fish and shellfish from the bay, gurullos (a stew with small pasta shapes), migas (fried breadcrumbs) and the very sweet tomatoes and vegetables grown in the greenhouses of the province.

Almería is a safe city. Sun is strong most of the year, so use sun protection and carry water, especially at the Alcazaba and in the desert.

Almería was founded in the 10th century by Abd al-Rahman III of Córdoba as a naval base, and it became a rich trade port. The Alcazaba dates from that time.

Christian forces took the city in 1489. In the 20th century it suffered bombing in the Civil War, and later it grew with the intensive greenhouse farming of the surrounding plain.

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