The Costa de Almería and the Costa Tropical stretch out from San Juan de Los Terreros till La Herradura. The capital of the Costa de Almería is Almería and the capital of the Costa Tropical is Granada. Both Costas know almost no winter season, it feels more like an everlasting spring, and the average annual temperature stays at around 20 °C. Here you can enjoy magnificent nature reserves such as the natural park Cabo de Gata-Nijar in the Costa de Almería. You can also enjoy the cold climate at the ski resort in Sierra Nevada, just inland of the Costa Tropical. In both Costas you will find many villages with interesting history, monumental heritage and a very friendly population. Far away from mass tourism these Costas stay a true treasure where you can enjoy the silence and the nature. However, you won’t lack any facilities or amenities and will find interesting locations.
The COSTA DE ALMERÍA has a very varied landscape with surprising contrasts and goes from San Juan de los Terreros to Adra. Between San Juan de los Terreros and the town of Garrucha there are many clean and wide beaches, including Vera Natura (Vera Playa Club) the nudist area. After Garrucha we find Mojácar, known as the white village. This is a tourist spot due to the unique bendy shopping alleys, which are built against a mountain slope and are situated in different levels. Following the coastline we reach Carboneras, a town with over 16 kilometres of beaches, like the very impressive Punta de los Muertos (beach of the death).
Going inland we find Níjar, this characteristic Andalusian village is specially famous for its handmade ceramics. From this town you can hike into the mountains of Sierra de Alhamilla and into the dessert of Tabernas. In one of the most southern parts of Spain we find the beautiful Cabo de Gata and the Parque Natural Cabo de Gata. This area has a few spectacular views and on one of the beaches, where some famous movies have been shot (like Indiana Jones and the last Crusade), lies Playa Mónsul; with an impressive huge rock in the middle shaped as a wave. Further down the coast from this point you reach the reserve of Las Salinas; a breeding place for Flamingos.
Almeria es la capital de la Costa de Almería y es una mezcla de diferentes culturas. En la ciudad hay un bonito paseo marítimo. Uno de los monumentos más bellos de la ciudad es La Alcazaba, un castillo árabe situado en una colina desde donde se puede observar la ciudad. Desde Almería se puede ir por la carretera de la costa hasta Roquetas de Mar; un paraíso de vacaciones. Esta ciudad es un centro deportivo al aire libre. La playa de Roquetas de Mar está rodeada por un ancho paseo, muy animado y cerca del puerto pesquero se puede visitar la lonja de pescado. Después de Roquetas de Mar se encuentra la reserva natural de Punta Entinas y Punta Sabinar, un lugar donde habitan más de 150 especies de aves marinas. En esta reserva se encuentran la playa nudista de Cerillos y un precioso faro. Justo antes de llegar a la frontera de esta costa nos encontramos con la reserva natural de Albufera de Adra, un santuario para diversas aves, que se alimentan en sus tres lagunas. Adra, la última ciudad de la Costa de Almería, es un pueblo dedicado a la agricultura y a la pesca, en la frontera de la Costa Tropical y con todos los servicios que los turistas puedan necesitar.
La COSTA TROPICAL se extiende desde La Rábita hasta La Herradura y tiene numerosas playas resguardadas y bahías de aguas cristalinas. Aquí el sol brilla, como en la Costa de Almería, 320 días al año y hay una temperatura media de 20 °C. La Rábita pertenece al ayuntamiento de Albuñol. Desde aquí se pueden realizar bonitas excursions siguiendo los senderos marcados hacia el interior. Por ejemplo, hacia los alrededores de Albuñol y a Las Alpujarras. En esta zona se respira una atmósfera pintoresca, con sus pueblos originales con calles pequeñas y bonitas plazas.
The Costa de Almería and the Costa Tropical stretch out from San Juan de Los Terreros till La Herradura. The capital of the Costa de Almería is Almería and the capital of the Costa Tropical is Granada. Both Costas know almost no winter season, it feels more like an everlasting spring, and the average annual temperature stays at around 20 °C. Here you can enjoy magnificent nature reserves such as the natural park Cabo de Gata-Nijar in the Costa de Almería. You can also enjoy the cold climate at the ski resort in Sierra Nevada, just inland of the Costa Tropical. In both Costas you will find many villages with interesting history, monumental heritage and a very friendly population. Far away from mass tourism these Costas stay a true treasure where you can enjoy the silence and the nature. However, you won’t lack any facilities or amenities and will find interesting locations.
The COSTA DE ALMERÍA has a very varied landscape with surprising contrasts and goes from San Juan de los Terreros to Adra. Between San Juan de los Terreros and the town of Garrucha there are many clean and wide beaches, including Vera Natura (Vera Playa Club) the nudist area. After Garrucha we find Mojácar, known as the white village. This is a tourist spot due to the unique bendy shopping alleys, which are built against a mountain slope and are situated in different levels. Following the coastline we reach Carboneras, a town with over 16 kilometres of beaches, like the very impressive Punta de los Muertos (beach of the death).
Going inland we find Níjar, this characteristic Andalusian village is specially famous for its handmade ceramics. From this town you can hike into the mountains of Sierra de Alhamilla and into the dessert of Tabernas. In one of the most southern parts of Spain we find the beautiful Cabo de Gata and the Parque Natural Cabo de Gata. This area has a few spectacular views and on one of the beaches, where some famous movies have been shot (like Indiana Jones and the last Crusade), lies Playa Mónsul; with an impressive huge rock in the middle shaped as a wave. Further down the coast from this point you reach the reserve of Las Salinas; a breeding place for Flamingos.
Almeria is the capital of the Costa de Almería and is a melting-pot of different cultures. This city has a nice sea promenade. One of the most beautiful monuments in Almería is ‘La Alcazaba’, an Arabic Castle situated on a hill overlooking the city. From Almería you can take the coastal road to Roquetas de Mar, a true holiday paradise. This town is an open air sportscentre. The beach of Roquetas de Mar is bordered by a lively wide promenade and near the fishing harbour you can visit the fish market. After Roquetas de Mar you will find the nature reserve of Punta Entinas y Punta Sabinar, the living space of over 150 different seabirds. Within this reserve you will find the nudist beach Cerillos and a beautiful lighthouse. Just before the last town of this Costa is situated the nature reserve Albufera de Adra, a sanctuary for numerous birds, which breed in three different lagoons. Adra, the last town of the Costa de Almería, is a village dedicated to agriculture and fishing on the border to the Costa Tropical and has all tourist amenities.
The COSTA TROPICAL goes from La Rábita to La Herradura and has a coast with numerous sheltered beaches, interspersed with bays with crystal clear water. Here the sun shines, just like in the Costa de Almería, 320 days per year and has an average temperature of 20 °C. This Costa starts at La Rábita, which belongs to the town of Albuñol. From here you can make beautiful hikes on the mapped out hiking tracks that lead you inland, like for example, to the area above Albuñol and Las Alpujarras. This area, with its original villages with small streets and nice squares, radiates a
picturesque atmosphere. Back on the route along the coast after La Rábita we arrive in Motril. This town has a 20 kilometre long coast where you can find seven different beaches. Also the well known beach Playa de Poniente, which is very crowded on the warm summer nights with its beautiful sea promenade and a golf course of 200.000 m².Motril is, together with cities like Calahonda and Torrenueva, situated in the Cape of Sacratif, one of the biggest tourist centres of this area. The capital of the Costa Tropical is Granada. This city once was a symbol of the Arabic and Christian cultures with a rich history and historical treasures. The district of Sacromonte has famous cave houses and in the quarter of Albaicín you can find a tangle of shopfilled streets with the most beautiful views of the Alhambra and the Sierra Nevada. Alhambra is the most impressive monument of Granada. This complex of palaces can be partially visited.
The Sierra Nevada starts in Granada at the highest situated mountain road of Europe. This is a very popular skiing resort with excellent hotels and other facilities. Here one can practise 6 different winter sports from the late autumn to the middle of the spring. This skiing resort has 62 km skiing slopes of which a small number is situated in the Costa de Almería. The road back to the coast leads us to the village of Salobreña, a small village with white houses against a rocky background that runs into an Arabic fortress. At the foot of Salobreña you can find beautiful beaches separated by a large rock rising from the sea. After Salobreña we arrive in the town of Almuñécar. Here the Romans and Arabs left a part of their inheritance and this is the oldest town of the whole Costa Tropical. In Almuñécar one can learn more about the rich history in the castle of San Miguel and the archeological museum, situated in the largest of the Seven Palaces or one can take a walk on the sea promenade with views to the beautiful sea landscape. The last town in this Costa is La Herradura, an old fishermen’s town situated at a lovely bay that has become one of the most remarkable tourist centres of the Costa Tropical. La Herradura offers the possibility to practice all kinds of water sports. There is a harbour where one can practice underwater sports and there also are 2 nudist beaches in the surroundings (Cantarriján and El Muerto).
SPORTS
Both Costas are ideal regions to practice water sports. In the coastal towns you can find all kinds of facilities. Scuba diving and snorkeling are very popular because of the clear waters and the beautiful underwater world with its nature. More inland and in the various nature reserves you can find tracks for hiking, mountain bike and horse riding. In the Costa de Almería you can find special tracks for 4x4 vehicles in the park of Cabo de Gata. In the Costa Tropical you can enjoy skiing or practice any other winter sports.
FLORA AND FAUNA
Costa de Almería: at the town of Sorbas is situated the natural reserve Paraje Natural Karst and Yesos de Sorbas, a wonderful underwater world of over 6 million years of age, shaped by dripping stones in a gypsum platform with over 1000 holes. The natural park Cabo de Gata-Nijar at the coast south from Carboneras is a paradise under sea level with nice rocky beaches and wide white sandy beaches where some famous movies have been shot in the past twenty years.
Costa Tropical: the biggest nature reserve here is the National Park of Sierra Nevada. This mountain chain has the most southern situated skiing resorts of which a small part is situated in the Costa de Almería. From the highest mountain top (Mulhacén) you can see the North African coast on clear days as well as the Spanish ibexes.
PLACES TO GO OUT
In the Costa de Almería you can visit many open air markets where you can find folk art and craft work, or visit the places in the Costa Tropical where people work with handicraft or one of the workshops specialized in art. In the nice coastal places you will find a good night life and sea promenades with shops, restaurants and bars and discotheques for nightlife lovers.
FOLKLORE AND CELEBRATIONS
In both Costas fiestas are held the whole year round, some of them have a tradition of many centuries. To honour the virgin of the sea a big annual market with different activities is held in Almería in the second fortnight of August. They celebrate Carnival in March, the ‘battle’ between the Mores and the Christians in June and the sea procession of theVirgen del Carmen in July. During the Easter Week the villages within the nature reserve Cabo de Gata-Nijar celebrate this fiesta in a traditional way.
GASTRONOMY
In the Costa de Almería, especially in the summer, people normally eat in the famous tapa bars. Besides tapas these bars serve a wide offer of seafood and shellfish and fresh starters like fish soup, gazpacho or white garlic soup. For desert they serve fresh fruit and sweet Arabic delicacy all year round. In the Costa Tropical the main ingredients come from the sea and the vegetable garden. Every village in this region has its own gastronomic specialty. Motríl for example is famous for its stove pot with goat meat in a sauce with spices and shrimps.
The Sierra Nevada starts in Granada at the highest situated mountain road of Europe. This is a very popular skiing resort with excellent hotels and other facilities. Here one can practise 6 different winter sports from the late autumn to the middle of the spring. This skiing resort has 62 km skiing slopes of which a small number is situated in the Costa de Almería. The road back to the coast leads us to the village of Salobreña, a small village with white houses against a rocky background that runs into an Arabic fortress. At the foot of Salobreña you can find beautiful beaches separated by a large rock rising from the sea. After Salobreña we arrive in the town of Almuñécar. Here the Romans and Arabs left a part of their inheritance and this is the oldest town of the whole Costa Tropical. In Almuñécar one can learn more about the rich history in the castle of San Miguel and the archeological museum, situated in the largest of the Seven Palaces or one can take a walk on the sea promenade with views to the beautiful sea landscape. The last town in this Costa is La Herradura, an old fishermen’s town situated at a lovely bay that has become one of the most remarkable tourist centres of the Costa Tropical. La Herradura offers the possibility to practice all kinds of water sports. There is a harbour where one can practice underwater sports and there also are 2 nudist beaches in the surroundings (Cantarriján and El Muerto).
SPORTS
Both Costas are ideal regions to practice water sports. In the coastal towns you can find all kinds of facilities. Scuba diving and snorkeling are very popular because of the clear waters and the beautiful underwater world with its nature. More inland and in the various nature reserves you can find tracks for hiking, mountain bike and horse riding. In the Costa de Almería you can find special tracks for 4x4 vehicles in the park of Cabo de Gata. In the Costa Tropical you can enjoy skiing or practice any other winter sports.
FLORA AND FAUNA
Costa de Almería: at the town of Sorbas is situated the natural reserve Paraje Natural Karst and Yesos de Sorbas, a wonderful underwater world of over 6 million years of age, shaped by dripping stones in a gypsum platform with over 1000 holes. The natural park Cabo de Gata-Nijar at the coast south from Carboneras is a paradise under sea level with nice rocky beaches and wide white sandy beaches where some famous movies have been shot in the past twenty years.
Costa Tropical: the biggest nature reserve here is the National Park of Sierra Nevada. This mountain chain has the most southern situated skiing resorts of which a small part is situated in the Costa de Almería. From the highest mountain top (Mulhacén) you can see the North African coast on clear days as well as the Spanish ibexes.
PLACES TO GO OUT
In the Costa de Almería you can visit many open air markets where you can find folk art and craft work, or visit the places in the Costa Tropical where people work with handicraft or one of the workshops specialized in art. In the nice coastal places you will find a good night life and sea promenades with shops, restaurants and bars and discotheques for nightlife lovers.
FOLKLORE AND CELEBRATIONS
In both Costas fiestas are held the whole year round, some of them have a tradition of many centuries. To honour the virgin of the sea a big annual market with different activities is held in Almería in the second fortnight of August. They celebrate Carnival in March, the ‘battle’ between the Mores and the Christians in June and the sea procession of theVirgen del Carmen in July. During the Easter Week the villages within the nature reserve Cabo de Gata-Nijar celebrate this fiesta in a traditional way.
GASTRONOMY
In the Costa de Almería, especially in the summer, people normally eat in the famous tapa bars. Besides tapas these bars serve a wide offer of seafood and shellfish and fresh starters like fish soup, gazpacho or white garlic soup. For desert they serve fresh fruit and sweet Arabic delicacy all year round. In the Costa Tropical the main ingredients come from the sea and the vegetable garden. Every village in this region has its own gastronomic specialty. Motríl for example is famous for its stove pot with goat meat in a sauce with spices and shrimps.
The Costa Cálida stretches over about 250 kilometres of long white sandy beaches alternated with rocks that rise very steep out of the sea and sheltered bays. Inland we find small mountains with forested valleys. The Costa Cálida goes from El Mojón till Águilas, with its Capital Murcia. This Costa knows 2 different seas; The Mar Menor, the biggest nature bath in the world and a true paradise for all kinds of water sports, and the Mediterranean Sea. This Costa is nominated as one of the healthiest areas in the world by the World Health Organisation
The Costa Cálida begins in the Northern situated place of El Mojón, a former fishermen village with a beautiful sandy beach and fields of reeds. The cities San Pedro del Pinatar and Lo Pagán are located within a stone’s throw and form, together with El Mojón, the nature park Parque Regional de las Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar. One can find the best therapeutically outdoor mud baths, which are recommended for all sorts of skin diseases and forms of rheumatism in Lo Pagán. It’s recommended to combine these mud baths with salt baths, which one can take in the Mar Menor. The Mar Menor is a shallow nearly enclosed sea, with crystal clear water with an important therapeutically value and kilometres long white sandy beaches. This sea is separated from the Mediterranean Sea by a narrow tongue of land of 22 kilometres named La Manga (an exclusive piece of paradise between 2 seas). One can see the Mar Menor as an outdoor spa due to the high concentration of salt + iodine and the influence of the sunshine, which creates a very healthy climate. This area is also known by the water sport fanatics due to the little waves that flow into the Mar Menor. It’s also very save for children because the Mar Menor is very quiet and shallow (max. 7 meters deep). We find Los Alcázares right at the coast of the Mar Menor. This idyllic place is known for its bath houses with long footbridges that go into the sea and because it is usually chosen by Arabic kings for their holidays. From Los Alcázares one can make trips to the different islands in the Mar Menor.
South of the Mar Menor and at the end of La Manga we find Cabo de Palos, a fishermen village with a pleasant harbour. From the hill, where the lighthouse is situated, you can enjoy a spectacular view over the whole of La Manga. Also, from the watchtower Cabezo de la Fuente in Los Correlanos you have a magnificent view over the Mar Menor. Southwards, along the Regional Park of Calblanque (this park is one of the few nature reserves where the original natural beauty is still almost untouched), we arrive into the city of Cartagena. The harbour of this city was labelled as the most secured of the Mediterranean Sea due to the sea wall that runs along the harbour and protects the cosy old city centre. The remains of a rich history and the leftover architecture can be seen throughout the city. Then we come, along the coast, to Mazarrón, a touristic centre with excellent facilities and animated nightlife. Here you can admire the Ciudad Encantada (enchanted city), Ciudad Encantada is a remarkable landscape of sandstone sculptured throug time by the wind. Right before the boundary of Costa de Almería, we find Águilas. A former Roman fishermen harbour and an important mining place in the past, still visible in the wharf of El Hornillo. This fishermen village has kilometres of deserted beaches with crystal clear water, which makes it one of the best underwater sport areas. Finally we come to the Capital Murcia. This Capital has all the facilities and a rich history that still reflects in the cultural and artistic charisma. One can feel the beating heart of the city life around the main street where shops, restaurants, banks etc. are situated.
SPORT
This Costa is, thanks to the Mar Menor, the several water sport centres and the unique offer of water sport tourism, an excellent region to practise water sports. The variation in sea ground, transparent and clear waters make this coast one of the best places for its practice. Hiking- and nature lovers can also enjoy the routes through the magnificent nature in the several Nature Parks. One can also ride a horse, play golf and ride a mountain bike while enjoying the surroundings.
FLORA AND FAUNA
The whole area around the Mar Menor can be considered a nature park. Especially the Parque Regional de las Salinas de San Pedro, consisting of a complex network of pools and basins where a lot of birds hide out, is the nature area of the northern half of the Costa Cálida. In this park as well as in the southern situated Parque Regional de Calblanque, one can walk for hours over plank bridges paths while enjoying the several species of birds, among them flamingos, which look for food in the Salinas (Salt lakes)
PLACES TO GO OUT
In the Costa Cálida one can enjoy a health- and rest cure in the magnificently situated health resort of Balneario de Archena or take a nice bath in a hot water well in, for example, Balneario de Fortuna. One can go to the centre of the cities for night entertainment where it is possible to find numerous bars, discotheques, theatres and restaurants.
FOLKLORE AND CELEBRATIONS
They celebrate Carnival a lot in this Costa, with spectacular parades and parties in Águilas, Lorca and Cartagena. Easter week is also extensively celebrated with represantations of scenes out the old Testament and parades in Murcia, Lorca and in the whole area of the Mar Menor. There are also celebrations to the virgin Mary in July, where tied together ships go along the Mar Menor with the holy virgin of the Sea. The most important celebration takes place in Cartagena, where they reenact the battle between the Romans and the local inhabitants in the form of battles and parades. This celebrations last for 15 days.
GASTRONOMY
The calderos (rice courses with different kinds of fish and paprika), mojama (salted tuna), pastel cierva (pie filled with pigeon, rabbit or chicken and eggs) are typical courses in the Costa Cálida. They usually take melon, figs, grapes from Cartagena or goat cheese as dessert. They drink asiático (coffee with cinnamon, milk, liqueur and coffee beans) after their meals.
The landscape in Costa Blanca varies from sandy beaches, low dunes or wetlands to rocks, steep coasts and arid zones. High mountain chains run from the impressive northern and central areas to the edge of the sea where the capes of La Nao and San Antonio are located. The southern part of the Costa Blanca is, on the other hand, an area of plains and hills crossed by the river Segura that flows into the sea between dunes and low cliffs. This Costa runs from Denia to Pilar de la Horadada. Alicante is its capital and is one of the most important tourist destinations of Europe. Thanks to the landscape, the infrastructure, the beautiful cities and the friendly people who inhabit this land the Costa Blanca is a favourite destination for tourists.
The Costa Blanca has a coast of ca.160 kilometres long that begins at the city Denia. This city is situated at the base of the mountain “Montgó”, surrounded by a nature reserve. A characteristic feature of Denia is the castle on the top of a mountain in the centre of the city, from where you have an unforgettable view over the city, the port and the sea. Further south from Denia, on the other side of the mountain “Montgo” and between the Cape of San Antonio and the Cape of de La Noa, is Javea (Xàbia). Here you can find beautiful and well maintained houses in the old part of the city. Along the coast you can find a varied selection of beaches, from fine sandy ones to rock ones. The route along the coast leads us further to Benidorm, one of the biggest touristic sites of the Costa Blanca. In the historical centre with its narrow streets filled with shops and restaurants, you can find the famous Balcón del Mediteráneo, decorated with its blue ceramic. Further south, in Villajoyosa, one can visit the beautiful old city center. The houses are painted in different colours, so that the sailors could recognise their home from their boats. Nowadays, they provide a colourful sight. Villajoyosa has a beach of 3,5 kilometres and a beautiful promenade where you can stroll while enjoying the sea view.
The Capital Alicante has a beautiful sea promenade, from where you can enjoy the sea views, where there is always a holiday atmosphere.The skyline of this city is dominated by the impressive church Santa Barbara, which is situated on the top of the mountain in the center of Alicante. As we go south from Alicante, the landscape changes and we find ourselves in the middle of a plain with several salt lakes. The salt industry forms, along with the tourism, the economical basis of this area. The most important Salt Lake is situated by Santa Pola, in the nature reserve Salinas de Santa Pola. The life in Santa Pola mainly concentrates around the boulevard and the harbour, from where one can make a boat trip to the island Tabarca. This island is a sea reserve with a rich history. The biggest Salt Lake in the Costa Blanca is situated nearby Torrevieja and this city is mostly visited due to the fact that the salt lakes in the neighbourhood have therapeutically effects. Due to the affluence of foreign visitors, there are several health centres and spa’s with international doctors. Torrevieja also has an enjoyable sea promenade with sea pools, restaurants and an outdoor theatre. The city Pilar de la Horadada is the last city in the Costa Blanca and has a 4 kilometres long beach and a characteristic watchtower. The vegetables and fruit cultivated in Pilar de la Horadada are being exported to several European countries.
SPORTS
The mild climate and the numerous sport facilities make the Costa Blanca a privileged holiday destination for the active tourist, especially for the lovers of water sports. One can practice sport outdoors almost all year round in the Costa Blanca. Twelve golf courses make it possible to practice golf and hiking lovers can find several routes in the mountains and valleys in a magnificent ecologic environment. And it’s also a true paradise with beautiful coral reefs around the island Tabarca for divers and snorkels enthusiastics.
FLORA AND FAUNA
In the Costa Blanca there are 6 nature reserves; La Font Roja (Alcoy and Ibi), Peñon de Ifach (Calpe), Montgó (Denia and Javea), Salinas (Salt Lakes) de Santa Pola, Lagunas de la Mata y Torrevieja and El Hondo de Elche (palm tree park) and the Capes of La Nao and San Antonio. The lovers of mountain routes can go on excursions on the mountains of Sierra Helada, Bernia or Aitana.
PLACES TO GO OUT
The Capital Alicante, Elche, Benidorm and Torrevieja have busy nightlife zones and music bars, mostly situated in the heart of the historic centre. The promenades are a very enjoyable spot at night and there is a night train (Trensnochador) along the coast with 33 stops between Alicante and Altea. For those who like to gamble there is a Casino (Casino Costa Blanca) near Villajoyosa.
FOLKLORE AND CELEBRATIONS
The day of the Moors and Christians, when the historic past revives over and over again, is the most important holiday for the residents of the Costa Blanca. Thousands of people are involved, at different times of the year, in the places where this tradition is kept alive and participate, dressed in luxurious costumes, in parades, dances, staged fights etc. In each place they will represent a part of their history. The biggest festival is being held in Elche in the form of a play reviving the drama of the Ascension Day of the Holy Virgin Maria (Mystery). This cultural relic is a true World inheritance.
GASTRONOMY
The gastronomy of the Costa Blanca is mostly based on rice, prepared in different ways. Rice dishes at the coast are prepared with bouillon and fish, while rice dishes in the mountains are prepared with pumpkin, beans and pork in a characteristic cooking bowl. The tipical desserts are nougat, ice cream, almond pie or cake soaked in sugar syrup.
Bewaren