Warm, brilliantly clear water and a strong, almost luminous light make the Costa Almería one of southern Spain's most stunning stretches of coastline. Wide beaches backed by restaurants, shops and beach bars line the coast road through Mojácar Playa. Further north, Vera Playa is renowned as the centre of naturism in Andalucia. Some beaches (such as Manaca, see right) are a short drive from the house, but if you feel like getting away from it all, there's no better place than the sparkling shores of the Cabo de Gata.

Cabo de Gata2

The Cabo de Gata-Nijar natural park – to give it its full title – is an area of rugged desert next to the sea a 45-minute drive from the house. It's a sunbleached landscape, with volcanic outcrops and rocky inlets linked by wide sandy bays. The views are of arid headlands and the deep blue Mediterranean.

Development is controlled so the few resorts that there are inside the park are low-rise and low-key. You can head for whitewashed seaside villages like Agua Amarga or Las Negras, or find an isolated cove of your own. This is one of the few locations left in the Mediterranean where you can still enjoy beach life in a pristine landscape.

Once you've had your fill of sunbathing and swimming, you could head inland to the village of Rodalquilar where gold was once mined. The visitor centre here has information on activities like diving, kayaking and hiking, and details on the flora, fauna and history of the area.

While you're in the park, don't miss a trip to Salinas, where sea salt has been produced for thousands of years. A church paid for by the salt workers shows how important this industry was – although the building is now crumbling and closed to visitors. At a hide by the coast road, you can watch hundreds of flamingo come in to feed just before dusk in summer.
Salinas_churchIsleta

The church at Salinas, far left,
and fishing boats at the
tiny port of Isleta del Moro
on the Cabo de Gata






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