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Costa de Almeria Holidays

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Experience a new part of Spain with a holiday to the Costa de Almeria. Desert landscapes and villages untouched by time are the norm here.

Spain’s secret Costa

Tucked into Spain’s south-east corner, between the Sierra Nevada mountains and the Mediterranean Sea, is the Costa de Almeria. This place missed out on the 1960s visitor boom that hit the other Costas because of poor road connections. As a result, it’s now far less touristy than its neighbours. You’ll find laidback resorts, traditional whitewashed villages and beaches untouched by the holidaymaking masses.

Roquetas de Mar

The big resort here is Roquetas de Mar. It’s a seaside town with a wide belt of golden sand running alongside it. Although it used to be a quiet fishing village, it’s all grown up now – you’ll find everything from swish shopping malls and seafront restaurants to tiny tapas bars and Brit-style pubs.

Further afield

When it comes to days out, the Costa de Almeria has no end of attractions. Just up the coast from Roquetas de Mar is the port city of Almeria, where you’ll find tree-lined boulevards and chic boutiques, all watched over by a huge Arab fortress. Wildlife fans should head for one of the area’s natural parks – Cabo de Gata is one of the best. Granada, home to the impressive Alhambra palace, is just a couple of hours away, too.

Uncrowded sands

The Costa de Almeria’s rugged coastline is laced with huge sweeps of sand and hidden coves. And, because this is one of the least developed Costas, the beaches here all come with plenty of elbow room. In Roquetas de Mar, the sands have beachside cafés and watersports on tap, but venture a little further afield and you’ll find empty stretches with just the seagulls for company.
The big beach

The most popular place for people to lay their beach towel is Roquetas de Mar’s Urban Beach. It’s a 3-kilometre belt of course, gold sand that runs right in front of the town. Active types can get their kicks with things like sailing, jet-skiing and water-skiing, while those who prefer things a little more sedate can sip a cold drink at one of the sand-side cafés.
The secret beach

The Punta Entinas-Sabinar Natural Park might be famed for its birdlife, but beyond the wetlands and sand dunes, you’ll find a fantastic sandy stretch – Cerrillos Beach. It’s usually pretty empty, even in the height of summer, although you’ll sometimes find a handful of wind and kite-surfers taking advantage of the sea breezes.

Bargain Buys

Roquetas de Mar’s markets are a great place to grab a bargain or two. You’ll find one on the first 3 Thursdays of the month at Avenida de la Union Europea, with stallholders hawking shoes, clothing and handbags, as well as locally grown fruit and veg. And if you stop by the Plaza de Toros on the first Sunday of the month, you’ll find an antique and second-hand craft fair just outside.
Mid-Range Buys

Roquetas de Mar’s number one shopping spot is the Gran Plaza. It’s a huge shopping mall on the outskirts of town that’s chock-full of stores, including loads of Spanish and British fashion chains. There are plenty of restaurants and snack bars to refuel in, and there’s even a bowling alley and cinema for when you’re all shopped out. In Almeria, head to the Al Campo centre, on Avenida Mediterraneo.
Designer Buys

If you’re looking to splash some serious cash, head for Almeria. Along La Rambla and Paseo de Almeria you’ll find loads of high-end fashion boutiques, while the old quarter is packed with little artisan shops selling brightly-coloured ceramics and textiles made in nearby hillside villages. You can also buy the beautifully crafted goods direct, in villages like Nijar, Alhabia, Sorbas and Vicar.

Laid-back evenings

For a quiet meal out, the marina in Roquetas de Mar is a good bet. You’ll find a selection of fish restaurants and tapas bars, as well as a couple of low-key bars. In Almeria, the old quarter, especially the area around Plaza Vieja, has some great restaurants. And for a bit of culture, try Roquetas de Mar’s Teatro Auditorio, which holds regular music and dance performances.
Lively evenings

While you won’t find much in the way of discos in Roquetas de Mar, there are plenty of lively bars and British-run pubs down by the seafront where you can get involved in karaoke, quizzes and dancing. You’ll find some along the seafront in Aguadulce, too. Over in Almeria, there is a decent helping of clubs around the city centre, near Paseo de Almeria.

Seafood

Being a coastal spot, the Costa de Almeria is big on seafood. You’ll find it on most menus here, whether it’s crispy fried fish, steaming bowls of spicy fish chowder, or tapas dishes like crunchy calamari and garlicky shrimp.
Churros

These crunchy, tasty little doughnuts are a breakfast favourite with the Spanish, who like to dunk them in thick hot chocolate or café con leche. They’re piped into long, thin shapes, and fried at a really high temperature until they’re golden and crispy on the outside, and fluffy on the inside.
Gazpacho

This cold soup is one of the easiest dishes to make. Tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, onion, garlic and bread are blended together, mixed with a little olive oil, and then chilled. If you’re a fan, you can also try Ajo Blanco – another refreshing cold soup that’s made with almonds, bread, garlic, olive oil and a little vinegar.
Paella

It wouldn’t be a trip to Spain if you didn’t sample a plate of paella. In the Costa de Almeria, you’re most likely to find the seafood version – fragrant rice mixed together with things like succulent prawns, salty mussels and crispy squid. In some places, chicken and chorizo are added to the mix.
Sangria

Sangria is a bit of a Spanish staple, and the perfect drink for cooling off after a day on the beach. The recipe is pretty simple – red wine is sweetened with sugar and topped with lemonade or soda water, chopped fruit, and sometimes a splash of brandy. It’s usually served up at parties in a big punch bowl so everyone can help themselves.

Places To Stay In Costa De Almeria View all places to stay

Almerimar

Almerimar is the sunniest town in Andalucia, putting away 3,000 hours of sunshine a year. And as a purpose-built resort, it makes the most of its suntrap spot in the deep south of Spain. A marina settles between two beaches, which between them rack up 13 kilometres of sand. Sports are king here, so you also get watersports shacks, plus green plots that tick off a 27-hole golf course, canoeing lake and horse stables. Lively Roquetas de Mar is a half-hour drive away, too.

Roquetas de Mar

Roquetas de Mar, on the Costa Tropical in Andalusia, has always been popular with Spanish holidaymakers – and now Brits are discovering it, too. The fishing town comes with huge beaches, a palm-fringed promenade lined with restaurants plus fantastic tapas bars. You’ve also got a lovely old town here, with narrow Moorish streets and rustic houses.

Mojacar

Tucked into Spain’s south east corner, Mojacar has two very different sides to it. Inland, there’s the hilltop village of Mojacar. From a distance, the whitewashed buildings look like sugar cubes sprinkled over the countryside. You’ll find its younger sister, Mojacar Playa, spread out along the sandy shoreline.

ALEGRIA Palacio Mojacar SPA

AT A GLANCE

Wander around the film sets of old spaghetti westerns
Find a deserted stretch of sand at Punta Entinas-Sabinar Natural Park
Gaze in awe at the spectacular Alhambra Palace

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Weather

Average monthly temperature and rainfall for Costa De Almeria.

TEMPERATURE (°C)RAINFALL (mm)

Month	Temperature	Rainfall
JAN	17.0	26.0
FEB	18.0	26.0
MAR	19.0	17.0
APR	21.0	11.0
MAY	24.0	13.0
JUN	28.0	7.0
JUL	30.0	1.0
AUG	31.0	1.0
SEP	28.0	14.0
OCT	24.0	23.0
NOV	20.0	25.0
DEC	18.0	34.0

WHEN TO GO

With around 320 days of sunshine a year, the Costa de Almeria has been labelled Spain’s sunniest spot. Things start warming up around Easter time, with temperatures nudging up to 20°C. July and August see the mercury regularly hitting 30°C. Cooling sea breezes stop things getting too hot, though.

Things To Do View all

Dia de la Virgen del Carmen

Villages up and down the Andalucian coast – including Roquetas de Mar – celebrate the patron saint of fishermen on 16th July…
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Our Lady of the Sea Festival

Head to Almeria in the last two weeks of August for this proper Spanish knees-up. The whole city takes on a carnival vibe,…
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Try your hand at watersports at Urban Beach

This stretch of caramel sand sits right in front of Roquetas de Mar’s town centre and unravels for 3 kilometres. There are…
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Delve into Roquetas De Mar's past

Although Roquetas is quite a modern resort, you’ll find a handful of historical sights dotted around the town. First up is…
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Windsurf at Cerrillos Beach

Drive 15 minutes southwest of Roquetas de Mar and you’ll hit the dunes of the Punta Entinas-Sabinar Natural Park. It’s here…
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Explore the sights of Almeria

Half an hour’s drive from Roquetas you’ll find the port city of Almeria. There’s a lot to keep you busy here, from smartmuseums…
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Peek inside the Alhambra

Perched on a hilltop with the Sierra Nevada mountains as a backdrop, Granada’s Alhambra complex is one of Spain’s must-see…
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Get active on Urban Beach

This super-wide stretch of course, golden sand stretches out for 3 kilometres in front of Roquetas de Mar. It’s a great place…
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Top 5 resorts in Costa De Almeria

Top 5 hotels in Costa De Almeria

1

Protur Roquetas Hotel and Spa

From £517
2

Playadulce Hotel

From £252
3

ALEGRIA Palacio Mojacar SPA

From £339
4

Neptuno Hotel

From £267
5

Hotel Mediterraneo Park

From £305

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Costa de Almeria Holidays

Spain’s secret Costa

Roquetas de Mar

Further afield

Things to See and Do in Costa de Almeria

Uncrowded sands

The big beach

The secret beach

Bargain Buys

Mid-Range Buys

Designer Buys

Laid-back evenings

Lively evenings

Seafood

Churros

Gazpacho

Paella

Sangria

Places To Stay In Costa De Almeria View all places to stay »

Almerimar

Roquetas de Mar

Mojacar

AT A GLANCE

Weather

WHEN TO GO

Things To Do View all »

Top 5 resorts in Costa De Almeria

Top 5 hotels in Costa De Almeria

Where we go in Costa De Almeria Show on a map »

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