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An
incredible sunset over Vera Playa and a panoramic view of La Envia
Golf Club and Course,
taken by John Carpenter.
If you would like more information about John’s pictures please
contact us.
The rugged Almeria province covers a vast area of coastline on Spain’s
south east corner, some 200 km in length, and stretching far inland
to meet the provinces of Murcia and Granada. The area is steeped
in history from the time of the Moors, and Almeria’s old town
has an Alcazaba, or Fortress, dating from AD 995 which is probably
the largest ever built in Spain by the Moors. The name Al-Mariya
was given by the Arabs who ruled this area for eightcenturies, it
means “Mirror of the Sea”.
Because much of the province is desert like and resembles a wild
west landscape, the Almeria region became the home of Spaghetti
Westerns during the 1960’s and 1970’s, two of the wild
west town sets are now visitor attractions close to Tabernas and
are still used today for film and television.
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The
beauty of this mostly unspoilt area is surpassed only by its
tranquillity, with many quiet coves just waiting to be discovered.
There are spectacular views of distant mountains as far away
as the Sierra Nevada. The area also offers many amenities;
quiet beaches, water and other sports, including superb golf
courses, as well as a spectacular national park and a number
of caves to explore. In the winter time the ski slopes of
the Sierra Nevada are just a two hour drive.
Most of the construction of new homes is found in places such
as Vera and Mojacar. There are also developments in a wide
range of rural locations, inland villages and towns, places
like Arboleas and Zurgena have village houses or fincas for
those wishing to renovate or live more authentically. |
Villaricos
is a charming coastal village at the eastern end of Vera Playa
where you find unspoilt beaches stretching for miles, the
Marina de la Torre golf course and an aqua-park for children
of all ages. A short way along the coast is Garrucha, a lovely
old town with parks, beaches and over 4 km of tree lined esplanade.
From Garrucha harbour you can take a boat trip or just enjoy
its rich gastronomic tradition in one of the many restaurants.
There is something for everyone in Garrucha including a lively
night-life with clubs and discos.
The
resort of Mojacar is also quite lively and has many excellent
restaurants and good beaches. There is a golf course for the
serious enthusiast plus a pitch and put course just for fun.
The old Moorish town sits high on a hill affording breathtaking
coastal and mountain views.
Mojacar
old town, by John Carpenter |
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The
position of the Cabo de Gata National Park and its dark volcanic
rock coastline to the east of Almeria has protected the area
from any mass construction; all you will find here are a few
small fishing villages and secluded coves or sandy bays. The
area is rich in marine flora and fauna which attract scuba
divers.
Further
around the coast and closer to the town of Almeria are the
resorts of Retamar, Roquetas, Aguadulce and the village of
Almerimar which is purpose built around a marina and golf
course.
Almeria
has its own airport just to the east of the town and the airports
of Alicante and Murcia are accessible via the new motorway. |
 Click
here for property search to find homes in Almeria
Please
click here to view a map of the Costa Tropical
The
Costa Tropical lies on the southern coast of Spain between the Costa
del Sol and the Costa Almeria, so named because due to its position,
and proximity to Africa, the area has a unique sub-tropical climate
with diverse flora and an average temperature of 20 degrees centigrade.
Along the coastline is a backdrop of very high mountains, in places
rising to more than 6,560 ft.
The
famous city of Granada lies 56 km north and inland from the coast,
the winter ski resorts of the Sierra Nevada are less than an hour
drive from the Costa Tropical, so it is possible to be sitting on
the beach sunbathing in the morning and on the ski slopes in the
afternoon. The road from Granada to the ski station of Solynieve,
which means sun and snow, is the highest road in Europe.
The
most well known resort on this coast is probably Nerja, lying
at the foot of the Sierra de Almijara and just 51 km from
Malaga. Nerja is a hilly resort built upon a cliff overlooking
sandy coves and from here there are wonderful views all along
the coastline, especially from the famous vantage point of
the Balcon de Europa a rocky promontory. To the east of Nerja
are the Cuevas, a series of caves with wall paintings over
20,000 years old which were only discovered in the late 1950’s.
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Further
along the coast is the holiday resort of Almunecar, our Costa
Tropical office is based here. Almunecar was first a Phoenician,
and then a Roman settlement. It has a Moorish castle and the
remains of a Roman aqueduct. The botanic gardens have over
400 species of plants from Brazil and Cuba and the town has
lovely residential areas, beaches, restaurants and lots of
facilities including nautical sports.
The
next place of interest is the town of Salobrena which is surrounded
by sugar cane plantations; it is here we find the only sugar
cane factory in Europe. Salobrena is an ancient white walled
town with narrow streets leading up to an Arab castle, from
where you can see the Sierra Nevada. |
Another
important beach resort and residential area is Castell de Ferro.
Close by and just a short way inland is the lovely old village of
Gualchos; with narrow snaking streets and alleys full of flowers
and flowerpots. The mountains around here are unsurpassable for
nature and are particularly popular for hiking and mountain bike
riding; other activities in the area include scuba diving and other
water sports.
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Probably
the most popular tourist day trip is a visit to the amazing
city of Granada. The magical palace of the Alhambra towering
over the main city is a must to see, built by the Arab caliphs
of the Nasrid dynasty who ruled Granada during the Moorish control
of Andalucia. Along side are the beautiful terraced gardens
of the Generalife, also built by the Nasrids. There are many
interesting sights in the main city below the Alhambra, the
Moorish 11th century baths and the Albaicin, the old town which
is built upon a hillside. This was the Moorish sector of town
with narrow streets and cobbled alleys and has been listed by
UNESCO as a world heritage site. |
The
Costa Tropical area has good modern road access and is served by
the airports of Malaga and Almeria; there is also a small airport
just 17 km outside of at Granada which is served by connecting flights
to all major Spanish airports.
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here for property search to find homes in Costa Tropical
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