Skip to Content

An A to Z guide to Almeria Spain

An A to Z guide to Almeria Spain

Quick guide to Almeria city

Almeria from A-Z

This overview guide to Almeria city comes after living in Andalucia for several years. Almeria is overlooked when considering a trip to Seville, Cordoba or Granada. It certainly has alot to offer.

Alcazaba Fortress Almeria Spain

Here are a few ideas:

  • Alcazaba, the fortress with spectacular views of the sea and the city. Worth the hike up the hill. Built in 955, it is the largest fortress constructed by Moors in Spain.
  • Butterfly House at Puerta de Purchena. A grand house right in the centre of the city. It was built for the Rapallo Campos family. Once the tallest building in Almeria. The butterflies on the balcony railings give it its name.
  • Capri, a great cake shop, stop by for a coffee and ask for a Glaseado to go with it. at C/Navarro Rodrigo 21.

Capri Almeria Glaseado

David Bisbal

  • David Bisbal a recent Grammy award winner from Almeria. Very famous particularly in South American countries for his pop music with a latin feel.
  • El Ejido. Known as the greenhouse of Europe. El Ejido produces fruit and vegetables. 70% is exported therefore it is known as the Pantry of Europe.
  • Forever,  Buy a heart padlock here and declaring your undying love at Plaza Campoamor, fix your padlock to the metal railing next to the image of St Valentine, it´s just a short walk from the shop. Almeria has a special connection with St Valentine, his remains are in buried in the gardens of the cathedral. In the square you can see the writing  “Es propio del amor, si es verdadero, compendiar en un ser el mundo entero”.   An approximate traslation is: Love is of the nature that if it is true, the whole world is made up of just person, which is you.

Plaza Campoamor Almeria

Cable Inglés

  • Gustave Eiffel designed the Iron Structure for The Alquife Mines and Railway Company Limited. Find it at the end of the Rambla. It is particularly striking when lit at night. Completed in 1904 locals call it El Cable Inglés. The design of Almeria´s Train station is also by Eiffel.
  • Hotel Cathedral, a great place to stay in the very centre of Almeria. Non residents can visit the modern bar for tapas in the evening or coffee and toast with views of the Cathedral square in the morning. Almeria Cathedral is the only one of it´s kind, built as a military stronghold with hardly any windows to protect the citizens from attack.
  • Indalo is the symbol of the entire province. (Looks like a stick man with a curve above him) Originally found on the wall of famous cave ‘Los Letreros’ in Velez Blanco. There are 25 cave paintings sites in the area. Declared ‘World Heritage’ by the UNESCO, some paintings are more than 18.000 years old.

Jabega

  • Jabega a refreshing drink for summer served at the Kiosco Amalia, a lemon ice drink with a touch of alcohol, this bar is outside, just opposite Puerta Purchena in the city centre. Another typical drink is the Americano, which is a short milky drink with cinnamon, lemon rind and a dash of cola cream liquer.
  • King Jairán built the Arab cisterns that bear his name in 1038 (Aljibes árabes de Jairan) and they supplied water for the whole city. Nowdays it´s the home of Peña El Taranto, the oldest flamenco club in Almeria.

Cable Ingles Gustave Eiffel Almeria Spain

  • Lighthouse and the Mirador las Sirenas at Cabo de Gata, if you drive these it´s not for the faint hearted, some very narrow roads, in summer can be particularly difficult to pass other cars. Well worth the trip, see beautiful seascapes, great for photographers.

Mirador de las Sirenas Cabo de Gata Almeria

  • Mojito One of my best memories of visiting Almeria was drinking a perfectly blended Mojito at night at the Chiringuito de Diego, this is a beach hut on the sands at Playadulce. Colonial style wood and the sea breeze on your face. No need to go to Cuba!Chiringuito Diego Aguadulce Almeria
  • Navojoa, Mexico, Cochabamba, Bolivia and Meililla, Spain are all twin cities with Almeria.
  • Olive oil 4% of Spain´s Olive oil is produced in Almeria. There is an Olive oil museum in the city, at C/Real and you can buy Organic Olive oil in many places in the city too.

Cherigan

  • Parrilla Pasaje this bar designed the well loved Cherigan, a tapa served in many bars around the city, it´s similar to a toasted sandwich. The name Cherigan seems to come from “Sheriff”. Perhaps due to the Western films made nearby in Tabernas desert. Another theory comes from the nickname of a waiter at Bar Parilla Pasaje. Nicknamed the Sheriff as he was very bossy. Find the original Cherigan at C/Rueda Lopez, 1

  • Qibla in the Church of St John (Iglesia de San Juan) once was part of the Main Mosque in Almeria, you can see on entering this church the Qibla and Mihrab have been preserved, they are in a side wall of the building. This particular qibla has was very precisely located to the East and dates back to XI century the time of King Jairán
  • Retamar one of ten golf courses in the area. A great place for golfing due to the mild climate. Almerimar and Roquetas also have golf courses. Lots of information available online.
  • Strawberry Fields Forever was composed in 1966 in Almeria. So this explains why there is a statue of John Lennon in the centre of town. He was on location at the time to film How I won the war, which brings me neatly to ´T´

John Lennon Almeria Statue

  • Tabernas Natural Park, a breathtaking desert landscape, on which many Westerns have been filmed, especially in th 60s – 70´s A fist full of dollars was filmed here as well as Lawrence of Arabia and Indiana Jones The last crusade. You can visit the Mini hollywood which is 20 miles from Almeria itself.

Civil War Shelters

  • Underground refuges from the Spanish Civil War. These tunnels were designed by Guillermo Langle Rubio. Built in just 3 years by civilians. Well worth visiting due to the historical importance of the site. Over 4 kms in length, it is one of the best examples of wartime shelters in Europe.  The entrance is at Plaza Manuel Pérez García. Open everyday except Monday.

Refugios Almeria Bunkers Spain

  • Virgen del Mar.  (Virgen of the Sea) This floral offering is on the last Saturday in August. The Patron of Almeria, and the whole week is a festival. Different activities take place around the city. The choir of the Rocio take part in this traditional ceremony each year.
  • Wine. Local wine is made in different areas of the province. Visit Bodega de Alboloduy for a tour of their cellars. This producer won several awards. Seron also has some good wine too.
  • X Crosses in May, during the first days of  May the crosses that adorn the city in the are typical in Almeria as well as in some other areas of Andalucía. Worth visiting at this time to see the atmosphere and visit the different displays dotted around the city centre.

Crosses Almeria

  • Yacimiento Arqueológico de Los Millares, situated to the North of Almeria, in Santa Fe de Mondújar, this complex was in use from the end of the 4th millennium to the end of 2nd millennium BC, discovered in 1891, first excavated by Luis Siret. Excavation work continues today.
  • Zapillo This neighbourhood of Almeria was previously a fishing village. It is the only beach in the city itself with views of the Mediterranean sea.

Palm Trees In Almeria Spain

  1. […] food, drinks, music, and fireworks. Travel blogger Molly at Piccavey has a fantastic guide to the city on her […]

  2. […] In Almeria, the historic arab baths can be found in the second part of the Alcazaba, here you can see a typical muslim house and next to it the ruins of the baths of the troops. Another example of historic Arab baths is Sierra Alhamilla these baths have been working since Phoenician and Roman times as there are Thermal springs waters at the site of 58ºC. A blend of historic features and modern facilties, they are in use today in this Hotel complex. Spanish Website Sierra Alhamilla   […]

  3. […] great holiday destination but also off peak there is plenty going on. See my detailed post the A-Z of Almeria to find interesting local information about the city […]

  4. My Spanish Lovers: Molly's Life in Spain - My Spanish Adventure says:

    […] of the place across to the reader rather than hard facts that may be found in any guide. On a recent post about Almeria, some locals reading were surprised with some of the suggestions I posted as they weren´t familiar […]

  5. Paddy Waller says:

    Really nice blog Molly and loads I knew nothing about even though I have been visiting el Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Nijar for over 20 years.I think I need to go back and revisit the capital…there’s alot there.Thanks for so much interesting info.
    BTW I have put you on my blogroll(I finally sussed out how to use it) and am following you on twitter as @SpainThymTravel.

  6. Reblogged this on bovingtoninspain and commented:
    I enjoyed this little article about Almería…

  7. An enjoyable post about Almería. I live (and blog) about this area of Andalucía – yet I discovered a number of previously unknown facts by reading your A2Z. Gracias.

  8. Patricia says:

    I have really enjoyed reading your post about my city. Congrats!!

  9. A.Marin says:

    Delicioso, sencillamente Delicioso. Molly creando, en estado puro.

  10. Molly says:

    Thanks for reading and for the great feedback!

    • Antonio Navarro Jr says:

      Molly I have fallen in love with you, you really are fantastic and you truly appreciate the greatness of Almeria, and on top of that you are a fantastic writer

  11. Victoria Twead says:

    A really impressive blog post, thank you! I live in this area, but a surprising amount of these attractions are news to me. (I’m ashamed…)

    Victoria 🙂

  12. victorhdiaz says:

    Beautiful places to go..thanks for share your outstanding work.

  13. asalme says:

    Molly… Eres la pera.
    Enhorabuena por por tu trabajo. Vaya si te lo divulgo…
    Un abrazo, felicidades y gracias de parte de Almería

Comments are closed.