Costa de Almería Travel Guide: Spain's Wildest, Sunniest Mediterranean Coast

Aug 1
2 min read

Updated: 6 days ago

The Costa de Almería is the last stretch toward the north of Andalucía's Mediterranean coast, tucked into the arid southeastern corner of Spain. It is the driest, sunniest, and least developed of all the mainland Mediterranean coasts, and for anyone who likes their beaches wild and empty rather than lined with resorts, it is a revelation. This is desert-meets-sea country, and it looks like nowhere else in Spain.

Cabo de Gata, the star

The heart of it is the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park, a volcanic coastline of black cliffs, hidden coves, and some of the most beautiful undeveloped beaches in the country. San José makes a good base, with the famous Playa de los Genoveses and Playa de Mónsul nearby, and you have probably seen Mónsul in the movies whether you know it or not. Villages like Las Negras and Agua Amarga stay small and low-key, and the salt flats near San Miguel de Cabo de Gata are a genuine flamingo spot.

Mojácar and the resort coast

North of the park, Mojácar is the postcard: a white village stacked on a hilltop above its own long beach. In the other direction, closer to Almería city, Roquetas de Mar and Aguadulce are the built-up family-resort end of the coast, with big sandy beaches and everything on tap. Almería city itself is underrated, watched over by a huge Moorish Alcazaba.

The honest part

Two things to know. First, this coast is hot and dry. The only true desert in Europe sits just inland, around Tabernas, where they filmed the spaghetti westerns. Second, stretches of the inland approach are covered in the plastic greenhouses that grow much of Europe's winter vegetables, which is not pretty. Look past them, because the coast beyond is some of the wildest and most beautiful in Spain.

Who it's for

Come to the Costa de Almería if you want nature over nightlife, empty coves over crowded promenades, and a landscape that feels closer to North Africa than the Mediterranean postcard. It takes a little more effort to reach than the Costa Blanca or the Costa del Sol, and that is exactly why it stays so unspoiled.

For the full picture of the south, see our guide to Andalucía, plus the honest Truth About Almería for a frank take on the province. And all our Spain coverage is indexed in The Complete Guide to Spain.