Almería, Spain

Photos: CĂTĂLIN KISLINGER

Almería, city and municipality of Spain, located in Andalusia, is the capital of the province of the same name. It lies on southeastern Iberia on the Mediterranean Sea. Caliph Abd al-Rahman III founded the city in 955.

General view, Almería, Spain. Photo: Kallerna/Wikipedia

The province Almería is famous for its gorgeous beaches, most of which are completely unspoilt. Spectacular stretches of sand are to be found in the Cabo de Gata Natural Park, where the virginal playas back on to terrain studded with cacti, dunes and mountains.

Due to its arid landscape, numerous Spaghetti Westerns were filmed in Almería and some of the sets are still remain as a tourist attraction. These sets are located in the desert of Tabernas.

The town and region were also used by David Lean in Lawrence of Arabia (1962), John Milius in The Wind and the Lion (1975) and others. Many classics were shot here, most famously the Sergio Leone westerns starring Clint Eastwood.

One of Almería's most famous natural spots is the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park. This park is of volcanic origin, and is the largest and most ecologically significant marine-terrestrial space in the European Western Mediterranean Sea.

The Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park runs through the municipal areas of Níjar, Almerimar and Carboneras. The beaches of Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park are also an attraction.

Main sights

•The Alcazaba, a medieval fortress that was begun in the 10th century but destroyed by an earthquake in 1522. It includes a triple line of walls, a majestic keep and large gardens. It commands a city quarter with buildings dressed in pastel colors, of Muslim-age aspect. It is the second largest among the Muslim fortresses of Andalusia, after the Alhambra.

Entry Fees: EU members free entry, Other countries: 1,50€

• Almería air raid shelters, underground galleries for civilian protection during the Spanish Civil War, currently the longest in Europe open for tourists.

Entry Fees: Entrance: 2,00 €. Please call and make appointment!

• The Cathedral has a fortress-like appearance due to its towers, merlons and protected paths, created to defend it from Mediterranean pirates. Originally designated as a mosque, it was later converted into a Christian church, before being destroyed in the 1522 earthquake. In the 16th century it was rebuilt in the Renaissance style, whilst keeping some of its defensive features.

Entry Fees: 5,00€

• Renaissance church of Santiago, built in 1533, with tower and portal decorated with reliefs.

• Chanca, a group of houses carved into rocks.

• Castle of San Cristobal, now in ruins. It is connected to the Alcazaba by a line of walls.

• Museum of Almería. Includes findings from Prehistoric, Iberic, Roman, Greek ages and Muslim objects, mostly from the Alcazaba.

• Paseo de Coches, a modern seaside promenade with gardens and palms.

• Cable Inglés (English Pier), 1904 iron railway pier built to transfer iron ore, copper, and silver produced by British- and French-run mines in Granada from trains to waiting cargo ships.

• Cinema Museum and John Lennon Monument. The house where John Lennon stayed in, Casa Santa Isabel is now a film museum, Casa del Cine. The 19th century mansion pays homage to Almeria’s golden movie making past as the nearby areas of Tabernas and Cabo de Gata were the backdrops to numerous films shot in the area such as The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, A Fistful of Dollars, and Lawrence of Arabia. There are exhibits from more than 200 movies.

• Almeria City's School of Arts. It is where Federico García Lorca studied and Steven Spielberg shot a footage for Indiana Jones.

Get in

• By air, Almería is served by Almería Airport, the fourth largest in Andalusia. The winter timetable includes flights to Madrid, Barcelona, Melilla, London, and Seville, with international connections to Manchester, Birmingham, Brussels, Dublin and Swiss, German and other EU airports being added during the summer.

Bus line 30 runs direct from the airport to the city centre. A single ticket is €1.05, but there are restrictions on large items of luggage being carried on board. If you can't take the luggage into an aeroplane cabin, you won't be able to take it on the bus.

• By land, Almería can be reached by the A-7 Mediterranean Highway, which connects the Mediterranean area with the Spanish A-92 that unites it with the rest of Andalusia.

Almeria's train station is located on the Plaza de la Estación in the centre of the city and has services to destinations across Spain. Bus and train station are next to each other.

The bus and train station are combined. Buses arrive from Jaén, Málaga, Granada and a variety of other cities all day. More options are available if routing through Granada, which is quick and simple. The station is located southeast of the center, and is a 15-25 minute walk from the center of town. The station is close on the night.

• By sea, the port of Almería has connections to Melilla, Algeria, Morocco, and tourist cruises in the Mediterranean. It also has a marina with moorings for pleasure boats.

Climate

Almeria has a Hot Arid climate. Almeria's winters are very mild, around 18°C (65°F). Summers are long and hot and often reach and exceed 40°C (104°F) in the shade during July and August.

During the warmest months - July and August, the sky is clear and sunny and no rainfall occurs. The typical daily temperatures are around 30 °C (86 °F) during the day while the minimum temperatures stay around 22 °C (72 °F) during July and August.

Some 30km northwest of Almeria is Europe’s only desert, the Desierto Tabernas. The Tabernas is largely responsible for making Almeria the driest city in continental Europe, with annual rainfall of just 200mm.

Almería in Pictures

The beach of the city Almería (Playa de Almería). Almería, Spain

Right Paseo Marítimo Carmen de Burgos. Almería, Spain

Almería City, nestling at the foothills of the Sierra de Gador mountain range. Almería, Spain

Avenida (boulevard) Alhambra. Almería, Spain

Calle (street) la Noria, next to University of Almería. Almería, Spain

Av. del Mediterráneo. Almería, Spain

Almería, Spain

The Coast of Almería. Almería, Spain

Text Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almer%C3%ADa
• https://wikitravel.org/en/Almeria
• https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/almeria/things-to-do/
• https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/10-things-know-visiting-almeria-spain/
• http://www.unique-almeria.com/almeria-city.html
• https://hotelsolalmeria.es/what-to-do-in-almeria/?lang=en

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