Our List Of Top 10 Things To Do In Almeria

There are so many places and things to see and do when on vacation in our area. Here we made a list of 10 of our favourite things to see and do for both adults and children, while enjoying your vacation.

The list is in no particular order.

1.Cabo de Gata 

The Cabo de Gata Natural Park in Almería is indeed a spectacular destination that stands out on the Spanish Mediterranean coast. Unlike many other coastal areas, it remains largely untouched by large-scale development and mass tourism, offering a more authentic and serene experience.

Highlights of Cabo de Gata Natural Park:

1. **Natural Beauty and Secluded Beaches**: The park is known for its stunning, unspoiled beaches and secluded coves, many of which can only be accessed by foot, adding to their charm and tranquility. The dramatic landscapes, volcanic cliffs, and clear waters make it a perfect getaway for nature lovers.

2. **Diving and Snorkeling**: The park’s marine reserve boasts 40 designated dive sites, making it a haven for divers. The underwater landscape is rich in marine life, with rocky reefs, seagrass meadows, and shipwrecks to explore. Local dive companies offer guided dives, ensuring you can safely enjoy the beauty beneath the waves.

3. **Kayaking and Boat Tours**: For those looking to explore above the water, kayaking is a popular activity. The crystal-clear waters allow you to see the marine life below, and guided tours take you into hidden caves and around rock formations like the iconic Arrecife de las Sirenas, where jagged pinnacles rise dramatically from the sea.

4. **Walking Trails and Secluded Coves**: If you prefer a more leisurely pace, the park offers plenty of opportunities to explore on foot. Walking trails lead to secluded coves, perfect for a quiet swim or sunbathing away from the crowds.

5. **Mojácar and Carboneras**: The journey to the park can be just as rewarding. Starting from Mojácar, known for its whitewashed buildings and lively atmosphere, you can enjoy a scenic drive along mountain roads to Carboneras, where the park officially begins.

6. **Popular Beaches**: While there are many hidden gems, some of the more accessible beaches like Agua Amarga offer a great spot for a relaxing break, with beachside restaurants perfect for enjoying fresh seafood after a morning of sun and sea.

Cabo de Gata’s combination of stunning natural beauty, diverse activities, and unspoiled landscapes make it a unique and must-visit destination on the Spanish coast.

2. Local Markets

Every day there is a market somewhere in the area, everyone loves a market. The picture above is a painting done by a guest who stayed at Finca Arboleda about 10 years ago. Vera’s market is one of the biggest and is on a Saturday from around 8am till 1.30pm the Chickens freshly cooked on the rotisserie are always a big hit. Villaricos, about 10 minutes away has a popular Sunday morning market and it’s nice to have a drink by the harbour afterwards. Garrucha another seaside/harbour town, again about 10 minutes away has it’s market on Fridays. In summer Garrucha also has a night market by the seafront.

3. The Pulpí Geode

The Pulpí Geode, the largest in Europe and second in the world,  opened this summer to visitors 20 years after being discovered in southern Spain.

The crystal cave is a major attraction in the Pilar de Jaravía area due to its size and the transparency of the rocks.

It is located 50 meters beneath Mina Rica, a silver mine that closed in the 1960s.

“The mine has an incredibly large variety of minerals. “One of them is a needle-shaped celestine covered with plaster crystals.”

Pulpí is the biggest accessible crystal geode in the world. The world’s largest, with crystals 10 feet long, is located in the Mexican state of Chihuahua.

Visitors to the cave in Spain have to walk down a mineshaft before descending a staircase that leads to the vast caverns of the mine and arrive at the geode, an opening in the rock covered with white crystals that measure two meters in length.

The rock at Mina Rica is dolomite, a type of limestone, which in the past was fractured and filled with a hot mineral-rich fluid.

Over the years, the dolomite dissolved and the fluid created an egg-shaped cavity.

The cooling of the liquid and the tectonic calm caused the formation of plaster crystals.

Pulpí’s geode was discovered in 1999 by members of the Mineralogist Group of Madrid, who found a fracture with “impressive plaster crystals”.

ADMISSION

€ 22 Adults.

€ 10 Children from 8 to 16 years old (accompanied by an adult).

€ 15 Special rate for retirees, large families, people with a disability (more than 33% recognised).

Book tickets here

LOCATION

The Geode is located in the “Mina Rica”, in “El Pilar de Jaravia” neighbourhood, Pulpi (Almería). Address: Poligono S-AG2A 33, 14640 Pulpí

4. Lubrin and Bedar

Olives At Lubrin

Finca Arboleda has 55 mature Olive trees. We pick our olives in early November and take them to Lubrin to be pressed into Extra Virgin Olive Oil. If you here at that time you are welcome to join in for a few hours or days if you prefer. At other times of the year you may try and buy the oil if you wish. The picking can take up to 3 days and we generally have between 500Kgs and a tonne. It takes between 4 and 5 Kg to produce a litre of oil, the yield depends on how ripe the fruit is and also the water content which will be higher if we have had rain before picking. We take the olives to Lubrin which is about 40 minutes away in the hills. Lubrin is a pretty little town and there is plenty of time to explore and take a coffee while the fruit is being pressed although it is also very interesting to take a few minutes to have a look around the press and sample the warm fresh oil. We then head back to the press to bottle our gorgeous oil and head home, taking in a long lunch on the way. Happy days!

Bedar is situated in the foothills of the Sierra de los Filabres about 25 minutes from Finca Arboleda and offers fantastic views to the Mediterranean. The village was a centre for iron mining and a railway and overhead cable connected it to the port of Garrucha.  The railway has long since gone but the old route with tunnels makes for interesting rambling for which there are guided tours. The village itself is now thriving again after being deserted when the mines closed and is an interesting network of tiny roads, park up in the car park as you reach the village. Once you’ve finished exploring the reason we continue to revisit must be tried, slow cooked Lamb in the restaurant Miramar, it really is fantastic, try it with Patatas a lo Pobre (poor man’s potatoes, sliced potatoes cooked in olive oil with onions and red and green peppers) a shoulder of Lamb and the potatoes costs around 30€ for 2 people.

5. Local Restaurants

There is a wide range of cuisine to choose from in the area. Garrucha being a working fishing harbour is the place to visit for fish dishes including the local speciality “Garrucha Red Prawns” Mojacar has literally hundreds of places to eat, everything except McDonalds is on offer. If you are looking for a good value meal ask for “Menu del Dia”  you will be served a salad, bread, starter, main and dessert for between 10€ and 15 €, some even include a drink in the price, great value! Terraza Carmona in Vera is very popular with the local Spanish for business lunches and family celebrations, it’s the place to be seen. We love to pop in for a drink and a spot of people watching and the excellent range of tapas. Juan Moreno is another high quality restaurant in Vera but it is more expensive. Other favourites are  Los Conteros  in Villaricos and Bellavista in Mojacar. Our local guide page includes more concise reviews.

6. Wild West Theme Park In The Tabernas Desert

Fort Bravo and Oasys date back to the 1960’s when the Western style towns were built as film sets. It is now a very popular tourist spot where you can explore the original settings of some classic movies. Apart from re-enactments of classic cowboy scenes of horse riding, bar room brawls and Can Can dancing girls there are bars, restaurants and a swimming pool. Horse and cart rides are available and you can also rent horses for guided tours so plenty to keep you entertained.

Sergio Leone’s Spaghetti Western genre films were created in and around here as was Indiana Jones and the lost crusade, Lawrence of Arabia and more recently an episode of Doctor Who, some of Game of Thrones and Exodus were all filmed here.

Visit their web sites for more information Fort Bravo and Oasys

7. Mojacar Pueblo

Perched on the hills above Mojacar beach the old village is a labyrinth of discovery. Whether you want to relax with a coffee and enjoy the fantastic views from the Grand Plaza or explore the long, multi-faceted history which stretches over 4000 years the village is a must visit when you are here. Populated by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Greeks, and Moors. At it’s peak the population touched 10,000 in the mid 18th century but for a number of reasons including many droughts and the lure of employment in neighbouring areas the population dwindled to less than a 1000 in the 1960’s which prompted the Mayor to give away land to those who promised to build or renovate properties. This attracted many artists and musicians and this Bohemian atmosphere can still be felt today.

8. Vera Water Park and Lunar Cable Park

Normally open from May to September Vera water park is a great day out for children of all ages. With 6 slides, 3 pools, mini karting, minigolf, a children’s play area, picnic places, bar and restaurant there is plenty to keep all the family busy all day. Check out their web site for their latest news and to see what is new this season.

Luna cable park at Cuevas de Almanzora is another great fun for all the family activity. Why not learn wakeboarding and take home a new skill. They also offer Aqua glide a floating obstacle course for ages 5+. Kayaks. Sup boards for aqua yoga. “Ninja Park” which is an outdoor workout zone that offers an exciting range of activities to test your endurance, strength and ingenuity in planning an efficient exercise circuit.
There is loads to see with all sorts of activities using the facilities, there is even a Chiringuito kitchen and bar.

9. Bird Watching

Bird watching is a favourite reason for visiting this region. Regular visitors to our garden are Hoopoes, the spectacular Bee Eaters and Stone Curlews. We have also seen many birds of prey including a Golden Eagle, a flock of Booted Eagles hovering overhead and once while picking Olives a group of at least 40 Vultures passed over us very low and no one thought to take a picture we were so mesmerised. You can usually see Flamingos on the wetland near the water park but a trip down to Salinas in the Cabo de Gata will certainly reward you with Flamingo and other wetland bird sightings including Heron, Grebes, Plovers and Avocets.

10. Local Arts and Crafts

The area is very well known for amongst other things pottery and rug making. Macael is now the main provider of marble in Spain and has provided material for numerous buildings including famously the Alhambra. Pottery was first made when the Moors reigned and is still an important product in Nijar and Sorbas. Light carpets called Jarapas are made in Nijar. Our friends run a craft shop in Vera called El Zoco, pop in and say hello, Isabelle’s family have lived in Vera for generations.