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Almeras big draw is sun, sand and ehm, sun again over 3000 hours of it a year. Stretches

of green golf courses in this dry part of Europe bring in sun-seekers and settlers on low-costflights from Europe. The region is a bit of a contradiction: on the one hand, its overdeveloped

in places and vastly populated by postretirement Brits, Germans and Scandinavians looking

for a cheap place to live and enjoy the sun; on the other hand, it is one of the least explored

coastal areas in Andaluca, with excellent beaches hiding in the Parque Natural Cabo de

Gata-Njar. Up-and-coming coastal pueblos along Cabo de Gata, such as the village of Agua

Amarga, are something like the Hamptons for Madrids trendy, young professionals.

Inland, the wooded Alpujarras give way to a succession of mountain ranges. Vast parts of

the province are mountainous semidesert, with beautiful landscapes and Spaghetti Western

film sets. Paradoxically, this arid region is the garden of Europe, ie a top a rea for greenhouse

fruit and vegetables, which are then sold all over the EU.

Things change still in Almera city, the coastal capital, a place that many say is an ex-

tension of Morocco, with signposting in Spanish and Arabic and ferry-loads of immigrant

labourers filling the streets down by the seafront and along Calle Real. Despite its lack of

major sights, save for the Alcazaba, the city has an unpolished, promising vibe, a couple of

good restaurants and tapas bars, and is refreshingly untouristy.

Almera Province

HIGHLIGHTS

Experience silence and solitude on the rugged, sandy beaches along the Parque NaturalCabo de Gata-Njar (p410)

Get into shabby chic with the trendymadrileos at Agua Amarga (p415)

See the sea of mountainous desert and WildWest film sets amid the arid mountains ofthe Tabernas (p407)

Explore Almeras biggest Islamic monument,the Alcazaba (p401)

Go underground at the Cuevas de Sorbas(p408) for one of the best caving excursionsin Andaluca

Check out the magnificent views fromMojcar Pueblo (p416)

de Gata-NijrParque Natural Cabo

Cuevas de Sorbas

Almera

Mojcar

Tabernas

Agua Amarga

POPULATION: 546,000 ALMERA AV DAILY HIGH:JAN/AUG 13C/25C

ALTITUDE RANGE:0M2609M

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ALMERApop 177,000This is Andaluca in its up-and-comingguise. Almera, a town known mainly forthe sunny province that surrounds it, hasmuch too tough a competition to deal with:with Granada and Seville lording over the

region, poor Almera is not given the timeof day by many. But if you want to get offthe beaten track, this is the place to visit.Almera is something like the Marseilles ofSpain, or how Valencia was a decade ago.It has been described as a rough diamondand rough around the edges, but with theefforts of Almeras proud citizens, and the

agri-dollars that come in from the plasticagriculture, Almera is now experiencingsomething of a cultural and architecturalresurrection.

Theres already plenty in Almera fora couple of days stay: the enormous Al-cazaba (citadel) is a major historical site;the old quarter is dotted with charmingmarble squares, churches and a cathedral,

shaded by tall palms; the wide boulevardis forever full of people, and there are old-style tapas bars and innovative, modern-cuisine restaurants. Chic bars and clubsare packed and stay rocking till dawn. Thiscity is definitely a great place to get a touchof Andaluca with an edge that is gettingsmoother by the year.

HISTORYAlmeras watchtower, the grand Alcazaba,is the only remaining Islamic monumentin town and a reminder of the citys formerhistorical importance. The name Almeracomes from the Arabic al-mariyya (thewatchtower), in reference to the Alcazaba,but it has also been suggested that it maycome from al-miraya (the mirror) reflect-

ing North Africa back to itself.This monument harks back to the time

when merchants from Egypt, Syria, Franceand Italy thronged the citys streets. Initiallya port for the Cordoban caliphate, it soonbecame the most important outlet of Al-Andalus, being both the headquarters ofthe Omayyad fleet and its admiral. Almeraonce raked in revenues that far surpassedany other Andalucian seaport. Followingthe Reconquista (Christian reconquest), thecity began a long, slow decline, exacerbatedby the shifting of naval interests to the At-lantic ports and the Americas. Following a

devastating earthquake, a census revealedthat in 1658 the city had only 500 inhabit-ants. Things never really picked up for Alm-era, but it seems that finally the fortunes areturning and the flush of agri-dollars comingin from the controversial, yet booming,plas-ticultura industry is being streamed towardsa concerted drive to market the region as analternative to the Costa del Sol.

ORIENTATIONOld and new Almera lie either side of theRambla de Beln, a paseo (walk) that runsdown the centre of Avenida de Federico

Garca Lorca. A broad, airy boulevard,Rambla de Beln descends gently towardsthe sea. East of the Rambla lies Almerasarchitecturally bland commercial district; toits west is the city centre, the cathedral, theAlcazaba and the oldest and most interestingstreets and plazas. The old citys main artery,Paseo de Almera, leads diagonally northfrom Rambla de Beln to a busy intersec-tion called Puerta de Purchena. The bus andtrain stations sit side by side on the Carreterade Ronda, a few hundred metres east of theseaward end of Rambla de Beln.

INFORMATIONBookshopsEl Libro Picasso (%950 23 56 00; Calle de los ReyesCatlicos 17 & 18) An excellent bookshop with two

branches across the street from each other. General interestbooks and maps of all kinds.

EmergencyPolica Local (Local Police;%950 21 00 19; CalleSantos Zrate 11) Just off Rambla de Beln.Polica Nacional (National Police;%950 22 37 04;Avenida Mediterrneo 201) At the northern end of AvenidaFrederico Garca Lorca.

Red Cross (Cruz Roja;%950 22 22 22) Call this numberto request an ambulance.

Internet AccessInternet (Avenida de Pablo Iglesiash8am-2am; perhr 2) A small shop-cum-internet caf, with plenty ofterminals and good connections. Very central.Voz y Datos (bus terminal, Carretera de Ronda; per hr 2h9am-2pm & 4.30-8.30pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-2pm Sat)Two handy computers in the main bus terminal.

Internet ResourcesAndalucia.com (www.andalucia.com) A generic regionalsite with several pages dedicated to information about

Almera.

Medical ServicesHospital Torrecrdenas (%950 01 61 00; PasajeTorrecrdenas) The the main public hospital, located 4kmnortheast of the city centre.

MoneyThere are numerous banks on Paseo deAlmera. There is also a Banco de Anda-luca with an ATM in the bus terminal.

PostPost office (Plaza de Juan Cassinello 1;h9am-8pm

Mon-Fri & 9am-1.30pm Sat) Just off Paseo de Almera.

Tourist InformationMunicipal tourist office (%950 28 07 48; Ramblade Beln, Avenida de Federico Garca Lorca s/n;h10am-1pm & 5.30-7.30pm Mon-Fri, 10am-noon Sat) Foundbelow ground level, but not very well signedposted. It hasa very useful range of information and helpful staff.Regional tourist office (%950 27 43 55; Parque deNicols Salmern s/n;h9am-7pm Mon-Fri, 10am-2pmSat & Sun) Provides more free leaflets and brochures.

SIGHTSAlmeras enormous Alcazaba is the citys

main sight and can be explored thoroughlyin a good halfday. Almera is not a monu-mental city, but there are plenty of interest-ing distractions in its meandering streets.

(148km)To Melilla

(160km)To Nador

(Algeria)To Ghazaouet

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Aguadulce

de AlmeraAlhama

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Umbra de MaraVisitantes Mirador

Centro de

Fort Bravo

MillaresLos

LeoneWestern

HollywoodTexas

Karst en YesosParaje Natural de

Sierra de CazorlaParque Natural

Sierra de CastrilParque Natural

Mara-Los VlezSierra de

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Sabinar

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The old town tumbles down its easternslope and is the location of most of the cityscafs and bars. Other notable sights are thecathedral to the south, and the archaeologi-cal collections in the Biblioteca Pblica andArchivo Histrico Provincial to the east.

Almeras beach is a good kilometre out ofthe centre of town but can be crowded in thesummer. A better alternative is a day or two

in the Parque Natural Cabo de Gata-Njar(p410), an easy day trip from Almera.

AlcazabaThe Alcazaba (%950 27 16 17; Calle Almanzor s/n;EU/non-EU citizen free/1.50;h10am-2pm & 5-8pm May-Sep, 9.30am-1.30pm & 3.30-7pm Oct-Apr, closed 25 Dec & 1Jan) is Almeras premier attraction: a mon-strous fortress that rises austerely from im-pregnable cliffs to dominate the city. Builtin the 10th century by Abd ar-Rahman III,the greatest caliph of Al-Andalus, the simplewatchtower transformed the seaport into amajor metropolis and a flourishing locus

for trade. Even though its interior doesntmeasure up to the Alhambra (p359), hav-ing been shaken by a dramatic earthquakeand ravaged by time, it is nonetheless aninteresting place.

The huge interior is divided into threeseparate compounds and originally con-tained the civic centre in the lowest area,the Primer Recinto. Houses, baths, water stor-age chambers and all the necessities for citylife have now been replaced by windsweptrose gardens. From the battlements you cansee the Muralla de la Hoya (also known as theMuralla de Jairn) a fortified wall built in

the 11th century by Jairn, Almeras firsttaifa (small kingdom) ruler which de-scends the valley on the northern side of theAlcazaba and climbs the slopes of Cerro deSan Cristbal opposite, a parched and bar-ren hill crowned with a ruined church anda giant statue of Christ.

Deeper within the fortified walls is theSegundo Recinto. On the northern side ofthe enclosure you will find the ruins of theMuslim rulers palace, Palacio de Almotacn.Its named after Almotacn (r 105191),under whom medieval Almera reached itspeak. Inside, the Ventana de la Odalisca (Con-

cubines Window) is romantically namedafter a slave girl who, legend says, leapt toher death after her Christian lover had beenthrown from the same window.

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To Camping LaGarrofa (4km);Aguadulce (11km);Roquetas de Mar (17km);Almerimar (35km);

Mlaga (219km)

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INFORMATION

Voz y Datos.............................(see 52)Unterground Car Park................ E3Underground Car Park............... D4Renfe......................................... D1Municipal Car Park.................... D3

Algeria................................... C4Ferries to Melilla, Nador &

Almera................................... E2Buses to Instalacin JuvenilBus Station................................. F4Bus for Airport............................ E2Auriga......................................(see 52)

Mercado Central........................ D2

Pea El Taranto.......................... C2Georgia Caf Bar........................ C2

Taberna El Postigo..................... D3Molly Malone............................ D3La Charka................................(see 36 )

Irish Tavern................................ C3Guarapo.................................... C3El Cafetn................................... C3Desatino.................................... C3Capri Cafetera y Confitera........ D3Almedina Tetera........................ B2

Restaurante Valentn.................. C2Mesa Espaa............................. D3La Encina Restaurante................ C2La Charka.................................. C3El Quinto Toro........................... D2Comidas Sol de Almera............. D2Casa Sevilla................................ D3Casa Puga.................................. C2

NH Ciudad de Almera................ F3Hotel Torreluz (Two Star)........... C2Hotel Torreluz (Three Star)......... C2Hotel La Perla............................. C1Hotel Costasol........................... D3Hotel AM Torreluz..................... C2

Hotel AM Congress.................... C2Hostal Sevilla.............................. D1Hostal Nixar............................... C1Gran Hotel Almera.................... D4

Ventana de la Odalisca............(see 20)Statue of Christ........................... B1Palacio de Almotacin Ruins........ A2

Jairn)..................................... B1Muralla de la Hoya (Muralla deIglesia San Juan.......................... A3Iglesia de Santiag o..................... C2Ermita de San Juan..................... A2

Almera................................... F3Centro de Arte - Museo deCentro Andaluz de la Fotografa.. C3Cathedral................................... C3Biblioteca Pblica........................ E4Ayuntamiento............................ C2Archivo Histrico Provincial........ C2Aljibes rabes.............................. C2Aljibes Califales............................ A2Alcazaba (Entrance)...................... B2

Voz y Datos.............................(see 52)Regional Tourist Office................ C4Post Office................................... D2Polica Local.................................. E1Municipal Tourist Office............... E3Internet Caf................................ D1El Libro Picasso............................ D2

ALMERA 0 400 m0 0.3 miles

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TrainStation

PlazaBarcelona

Plazade la

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To HospitalTorrecrdenas (4km);Los Millares (20km);

Mini Hollywood (25km);Guadix (109km);

Granada (166km)

To HotelEmbajador

To Polica

Nacional (700m)

To Airport(8km); Cabo de

Gata (28km);Nijar

(34km);Mojcar(85km);Parque

AcuticoVera (90km)

To Beach (400m); Eolo (600m);Caf La India (900m); Instalacin

Juvenil Almeria (1.1km)

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Also within the compound are the pre-served Aljibes Califales (Caliphal Water Cis-terns) and a chapel, the Ermita de San Juan,converted from a mosque by the ReyesCatlicos (Catholic Monarchs).

At the highest point of the Alcazaba,within the Tercer Recinto, is a fortress thatwas added by the Catholic Monarchs. Ithas been well restored and from its walls

there are breathtaking views across the cityand the sea.

The Cathedral & AroundAlmeras fortresslike cathedral (Plaza de laCatedral; admission 2;h10am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-1pm Sat) is shaded by tall palms and frontedby a peaceful square. With its embattledwalls and six formidable towers, the struc-ture was designed to withstand constantpiratical raids. Its one notable decorativefeature is the exuberant Sol de Portocarrero,a splendid 16th-century relief of the suncarved on the eastern (Calle del Cubo) end

of the building. The vast, spacious inte-rior dominated by three huge naves istrimmed with jasper and local marble. Thechapel behind the main altar contains thetomb of the cathedrals founder, BishopDiego Villaln. The bishops broken-nosedimage is a work of 16th-century architectand sculptor Juan de Orea, as are the choir,with its walnut stalls, and the SacristaMayor. A door in the south wall opens ontoa small Renaissance courtyard crammedwith shrubs and flowers. The cathedralsarchitect built another fascinating build-ing: the Iglesia de Santiago(St James Church; Calle

de las Tiendas;hhours of service). Erected in the1550s, this is now the centre of a hip area,full of bars and restaurants.

Remains of Almeras Islamic past areevident in several monuments. The IglesiaSan Juan (Calle San Juan;hhours of service), thecitys old mosque, still has its 11th-centurymihrab. The old Arab souq (market) wherelivestock, fruits and vegetables were soldand no doubt lots of tea was drunk, is nowPlaza Constitucin (also known as Plaza Vieja),a charming 17th-century arcaded squarehung with vivid bougainvillea. The centreof the plaza is filled with tall palm trees

that encircle the bone-white Monumento alos Colorgos (Monument to the Redcoats),which commemorates the execution in1824 of 24 liberals who took part in a rebel-

lion against the despotic rule of FernandoVII. The citys theatrical-looking ayunta-miento (city hall) is on its northwest side.The extremely well preserved Aljibes rabes(%950 27 30 39; Calle Tenor Iribarne 20; admission free;h10am-2pm Mon-Fri), were built by Jairn inthe 11th century to supply the citys water.The old city gate of Puerta de Purchena, theplace where Al-Zagal, the citys last Muslim

ruler, surrendered here to the Christians in1490, is now a busy road junction at theheart of the modern city.

Other places of interest are the spectacu-lar covered mercado central(market;h8am-2pm),surrounded by some of the towns best tapasbars.

MuseumsThe Museo Arqueolgico has been closedto the public since 1993 and the saga of itsnotable collection of Los Millares archaeo-logical finds continues. The tourist officewill have up-to-date news but it is most

likely that the entire collection will be re-located to a new site. In the meantime youwill have to scatter yourself between theBiblioteca Pblica(Calle Hermanos Machado; admissionfree;h9am-2pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-1.30pm Sat), hous-ing some prehistoric finds, and the ArchivoHistrico Provincial (Calle Infanta 12; admission free;h9am-2.30pm Mon-Fri), where the Iberian andRoman artefacts are located.

To see the citys permanent art collec-tion, take a visit to the Centro de Arte Museode Almera (%950 26 64 80; Plaza Barcelona; admis-sion free;h11am-2pm & 6-9pm Mon-Fri, 6-9pm Sat,11am-2pm Sun), which also stages temporary

exhibitions.The contemporaryCentro Andaluz de la Fo-tografa(%950 00 27 00; Calle Conde Ofalia 30; admis-sion free;h11am-2pm & 6-9pm Mon-Fri, 7-10pm Sat) isAndalucas first photography museum andis housed in a lovely 18th-century convent.The exhibitions are interesting rather thanground-breaking, but still worth going to.

ACTIVITIESAlmeras long, grey-sand beach southeastof the city, fronting the Paseo Martimo,is not particularly exciting. But what isexciting is the well-organised Eolo (%950

26 17 35, 670-391480; www.eolo-wind.com; Avenida delCabo de Gata 187),which organises out-of-towntrips to explore some of the dramatic cliffsand beaches of the Parque Natural Cabo

de Gata-Njar by windsurfing, kayaking,catamaran and other water-related activi-ties. Eolo has English-speaking staff andits trips range from 39 to 90. You canlearn or perfect your windsurfing with a10-hour course for 72. Or you can sim-ply rent equipment (one hour/one day for9/30) and Eolo will even deliver it to thepark for you.

WALKING TOURThe main arterial road leading from thesouth to the Alcazaba, called Calle de laReina, once divided the old Muslim me-dina and the quarter of La Musalla, whichwas originally a large orchard. Turn rightinto Calle Bailn and walk about 150m toreach Almeras impressive cathedral (1).Head back to Calle de la Reina and take aturn west along Calle Almedina, which willtake you deep into a narrow labyrinth oforiginal Muslim-era streets to the Iglesia SanJuan (2). From here it is just a five-minute

walk to the entrance of the Alcazaba (3) onCalle Almanzor.Calle Almanzor heads east to the beauti-

ful Plaza Constitucin (4) and the citys ayun-tamiento (5). At the centre of the plaza isthe Monumento a los Colorgos (6). From the

plaza, walk about 300m northeast up Callede las Tiendas. Here, youll pass the lovelyIglesia de Santiago (7), before arriving at theAljibes rabes(8). A stones throw from here,further along Calle de las Tiendas, is the oldcity gate ofPuerta de Purchena(9).

To take a break for lunch, walk about200m from the gate down Rambla delObispo Orbera, turning right at Calle de los

Reyes Catlicos to get to the coveredmercadocentral(10;h8am-2pm). There are some goodeateries nearby, including Comidas Sol deAlmera (p405) and El Quinto Toro (p405).After lunch wander down the Paseo de Al-mera, and after about 500m turn right intoCalle General Tamayo, walking one block toreach the contemporary Centro Andaluz de laFotografa(11)for a cultural pick-me-up.

FESTIVALS & EVENTSFeria de Almera (late August) runs for 10days and nights with live music, bullfights,fairground rides, exhibitions and full-on

partying.

SLEEPINGAlmeras bunking choices are pretty un-inspiring, especially on the budget end.Things improve as prices rise, and in mid-range rooms you can count on satellite TV,air-con in summer and heating in winter.

BudgetCamping La Garrofa (%950 23 57 70; www.lagarrofa.com; camping per person/tent/car 4/4/4, bungalow 75;

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WALKING TOUR

Distance 2.6kmDuration 34 hours

Book accommodation online at www.lonelyplanet.com402 403

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hyear-round) An attractive camping groundon the coast, 4km west of town on theAguadulce road. In addition to the camp-ing ground there are some two-bedroomself-catering bungalows (sleeping up to fivepeople) and you can arrange a host of ac-tivities at the site.

Albergue Juvenil Almera(%950 26 97 88; fax 95027 17 44; Calle Isla de Fuerteventura s/n; under/over 26yr

14/19) Clean and well-kept, the Alberguecan accommodate 170 people, nearly all indouble rooms. Its 1.5km east of the citycentre, beside the stadium and three blocksnorth of Avenida del Cabo de Gata. TakeBus 1 Universidad from the eastern endof Rambla del Obispo Orbera and ask thedriver for the albergue (hostel) or for thestadium.

Hostal Nixar (%/fax 950 23 72 55; Calle AntonioVico 24; s/d 27/45) Time stands still at thisgloomy hotel where a grim man welcomesyou without a smile. The rooms are ad-equate, however, for a nights stay and

the place is central enough. You have toring for entrance, even in the middle ofthe day.

Hostal Sevilla (%950 23 00 09; Calle de Granada23; s/d 34/54;a) This small, friendly place isAlmeras best hostal (budget hotel), withold-fashioned grey telephones as the peakof its design features. Its clean and efficientand the rooms have TVs with flickeringdomestic channels.

Hotel La Perla (%950 23 88 77; fax 950 27 58 16;Plaza del Carmen 7; s/d 45/65;ai) La Perlastall, thin block building is on a leafy square,right in the centre. The rooms are unevent-

ful but good value and comfortable. Inter-net access is free for guests.

Midrange & Top EndHotel Costasol (%/fax 950 23 40 11; www.hotelcostasol.com; Paseo de Almera 58; s/d 52/71; a) Thisfairly ordinary midrange hotel has comfort-able rooms (were not sure about the browncarpets) and friendly service. It is also in avery central location. Parking is available ina nearby municipal car park (7 per day).

Hotel AM Congress (%950 23 49 99; www.amtorreluz.com; Plaza de las Flores 5; s/d 56/60;pa)An offshoot of the AM Torreluz, the Con-

gress is a brand-new three-star hotel lo-cated in a bustling part of the old town.It provides a good level of service with arather corporate flavour.

Hotel AM Torreluz (%950 23 49 99; www.amtorreluz.com; Plaza de las Flores 5; s/d 69/92;pas)A grand four-star place with lots of brassand marble and a huge sweeping staircase.Its definitely a favourite with businessclientele and has all the trimmings. Note

that its under different management to itsnamesake neighbours (the two- and three-star hotels of Hotel Torreluz). Prices are re-duced by up to 40% on weekends.

NH Ciudad de Almera (%950 18 25 00; nhciudad-dealmeria@nh-hotels.com; Calle Jardn de Medina s/n;d 80-131;pa) Bordering on the quietlystylish modern look and characterless ano-nymity, the NH is a well-appointed chainhotel, even if it doesnt quite pull off thestyle-statement of the year. As its oppositethe bus and train stations it also makes fora good stopover.

Gran Hotel Almera (%950 23 80 11; www.gran

hotelalmeria.com; Avenida Reina Regente 8; s/d 108/135;pas) You cant beat the seafront loca-tion and the wide views from the comfort-able, modern rooms, but, despite its fourstars and a website that declares you willreceive awesome service during your timethere, youll probably find the AM Torreluzhotel is better value.

EATINGTapasHere, as in Granada and Jan, the pleas-urable practice of free tapas with drinkspersists.

Casa Puga (Calle Jovellanos 7; drink & tapa 1) Theundisputed winner of the best tapas title,in the heavy category. The marble bar isfull of barmens pencil price scribbles, while

fat jamnes (hams) hang suspended fromwrought-iron hooks in bunches, like meatychandeliers. Shelves of ancient wine bottlesand traditional azulejo wall tiles set the tonefor a roaring lunch.

El Quinto Toro (%950 26 15 21; Calle de los ReyesCatlicos; drink & tapa 1.50) Close to the market,this dark, bullfight-loving, atmospheric baris always full of faithful tapas devotees.

La Charka (%950 25 60 45; Calle Trajano 8; drink& tapa 1.50) A very popular tapas bar inAlmeras busiest evening spot. A big bar,wooden chairs and tables and real saucersof tapas (rather than plates) provide just theright amount of nibbles to keep the clienteleguzzling. A great spot to graze before mov-ing on to some late-night bars.

Mesa Espaa(%950 27 49 28; Calle Mendez Nuez19; drink & tapa 1.80, fondue 20) This busy bar andrestaurant has seating up-front for tapaseaters and red comedor(dining room) ban-quettes at the back for serious dining. Agreat stop in the evening, especially for a

fondue melting session.

RestaurantsComidas Sol de Almera (Calle Circunvalacin, MercadoCentral; men 9;hclosed Sun & Mon evenings;n)A fun little restaurant opposite the busycovered market. At lunch, hungry shoppersstream in here to tuck into the extensiveand hearty dailymen (set menu). There isalso a large patio out the back, dotted withflowering oleanders.

Restaurante Valentn(%950 26 44 75; Calle TenorIribarne 19; mains 10-15;hTue-Sun Oct-Aug) A se-cluded little restaurant with stylish service.

Dark wood and exposed brickwork createan intimate atmosphere and the food isgood. If you really want to splash out and

eat in style, the langosta (lobster) will setyou back 52.

Casa Sevilla (%950 27 29 12; Calle Rueda Lpez;men 24;hclosed Sun & 1st-15th Aug) A tour deforce of Andalucian cuisine and wine (thesame people own La Vinoteca next door).Specialities include bacalao a la almeriense(cod in a spicy tomato sauce) and Argentin-ian beef, and there are over 8000 bottles of

wine from which to choose. The restaurantis inside the Galera Almericentro shop-ping centre.

DRINKINGCapri Cafetera y Confitera (%950 23 76 85; CalleMndez Nez 14) If you need to put up yourfeet late in the afternoon, prop up thechrome bar at the Capri where you can tuckinto a range of delicious pastries or enjoy acool granita.

Almedina Tetera (Calle Paz 2, off Calle Almedina;h11am-11pm Wed-Sun) Inside the Islamic cen-tre and in a tiny street, the lovely Alme-

dina serves mint teas and good couscous; ifyoure feeling wild, get a henna tattoo.Guarapo (%950 268 188; Calle Antonio Gonzlez

Egea;h4.30pm-late) Shiny, modern and trendy,the youngsters devour the endless cocktailcombinations and stay up very, very late.

Desatino(Calle Trajano 14;h8pm-late) A trendybar with mirrored windows, playing Cubanrumbas. It doesnt fill up until late.

Molly Malone (Paseo de Almera 56;h8am-11pm)A massive tree shades the front terrace ofthis fun bar. Inside its all spit-and-sawdustdcor lots of dark wood and old Lon-don theatre posters bathing in the fog of

cigarette smoke. It is also a great spot forbreakfast (2.50).La Charka(%950 25 60 45; Calle Trajano 8;h8pm-

2am) This tiny but packed tapas bar is op-posite Desatino.

Other popular bars on Calle AntonioGonzlez Egea include El Bicho, the IrishTavern and Taberna El Postigo.

ENTERTAINMENTA dozen or so music bars are clustered inthe streets between the post office and thecathedral. Some of them open from lateafternoon.

Pea El Taranto(%

950 23 50 57; Calle Tenor Iribarne20) Almeras top flamenco club hides in therenovated Aljibes rabes (Arab Water Cis-terns). Live performances (20), open to the

THE AUTHORS CHOICE

Hotel Torreluz(%950 23 43 99; www.torreluz.com; Plaza de las Flores 2 & 3; s/d in 2-star 39/57, in3-star 56/74;pa) Burnt-plum walls, spa-cious comfortable beds, low prices and allthe conveniences of a modern hotel makethis one of Almeras best-value places tostay. This is especially the case with the

two-star accommodation, where you getpretty much all the three-star commodi-ties, at lower prices. An additional bonus isthe hotels location the bright and prettyPlaza de las Flores. Reception is located inthe three-star hotel.

THE AUTHORS CHOICE

La Encina Restaurante (%950 27 34 29;Calle Marn 3; mains 11-21;hclosed Sun & Monevening) Almeras most exciting restaurantfor inventive cuisine. Get yourself somedeer cutlets with caramel treacle (21),see-through thin carpaccio (12) or porkmedallions with mushrooms, pine nuts andsweet moscatelwine. If theres space, finish

with a fondue of fresh fruit and chocolate.Alternatively, have some tapas and relax alfresco on the terrace.

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public, often happen on weekends. Ring fordetails or check at the tourist office.

Georgia Caf Bar (%950 25 25 70; Calle PadreLuque 17;h8pm-late) The Georgia Caf Barhas a terrific ambience. It has been openfor more than 20 years and stages the occa-sional live-jazz gig, although even the pipedmusic is great.

GETTING THERE & AWAYAirAlmeras airport (%950 21 37 00; www.aena.es)receives charter flights from several Euro-pean countries. You can get cheap flightsfrom several British and European cities(see p441). Scheduled services go to/fromDsseldorf with LTU (%950 21 37 80; www.ltu.de),to London Gatwick with GB Airways (%950 2138 98; www.gbairways.com) and to Barcelona, Ma-drid and Melilla with Iberia (%950 21 37 90;www.iberia.com). You can pick up inexpensiveoutbound international fares from agenciessuch as Viajes Cemo(airport%950 21 38 47; Roquetas

de Mar%950 33 35 02) or Tarleton Direct (airport%950 21 37 70; Mojcar%950 47 22 48; Roquetas de Mar%950 33 37 34).

BoatFrom Almeras Estacin Martima (passen-ger port), Trasmediterrnea (%950 23 61 55, 90245 46 45; www.trasmediterranea.es)sails to/from Me-lilla three times daily Tuesday to Friday andtwice daily Saturday to Monday, from Juneto September, with daily sailings from Octo-ber to May. The trip takes up to eight hours.The cheapest passenger accommodation, abutaca (seat), costs 29 one way; the fare for

a car starts at 123 for a small vehicle.The Moroccan lines Ferrimaroc (%950 2748 00; www.ferrimaroc.com), Comarit(%950 23 61 55;www.comarit.com in Spanish) and Limadet (%95027 07 71) sail to/from Nador, the Moroccantown neighbouring Melilla, with similarfrequency to Trasmediterrnea. Prices varybetween 28 to 33 for a one-way adult fareand 128 to 139 for a car.

You can buy tickets for all sailings at theEstacin Martima. See the Transport chap-ter for more information regarding servicesto Morocco (p448).

BusDaily departures from the bus station(%95026 20 98) include buses to the following des-tinations:

Crdoba (22, 5 hours) One daily.Guadix (7.50, 1 hours) Nine daily.Granada (10-12.20, 2 hours) Up to 10 daily.Jan (19, 5 hours) One or two daily.Madrid (23, 7 hours) Five daily.Mlaga (15, 3 hours) Up to 10 daily.Murcia (5, 2 hours) Ten or more daily.Seville (28-29, 5 hours) Two daily.Valencia (31-38, 8 hours) Five daily.

For buses to places within Almera prov-ince, see left for information on individualdestinations.

The bus station is extremely efficientand clean. There are clean toilets, an ATM,internet access (p399) and automatic left-luggage lockers (per day 5). Renfe has atravel centre in the terminal, where you canbook onward tickets, and there is a helpfulinformation desk (h6.45am-10.45pm) that willdirect you to the right ticket booth for yourdestination.

TrainYou can buy tickets at the town centre Renfe(%950 23 18 22; www.renfe.es; Calle Alcalde Muoz 7;h9.30am-1.30pm Mon-Fri & 9.30am-1pm Sat) office,as well as at the train station (%902 24 02 02).Direct trains run to/from Granada (14 2hours, four daily), Seville (32, 5 hours,four daily) and Madrid (33 to 38, 6 to10 hours, twice daily).

GETTING AROUNDTo/From the AirportThe airport is 8km east of the city, off theAL12; bus 20 (the Alquin bus; 1) runs

between the city (from the western end ofCalle del Doctor Gregorio Maran) andthe airport every 30 to 45 minutes from7am to 10.30pm, but less frequently on Sat-urday and Sunday. It runs from the airportto the city every 30 to 45 minutes from 7amto 10.08pm Monday to Friday, and from7am to 11.03pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Car & MotorcycleThere are several car-rental agencies in thecity. Avis, Europcar and Hertz have desksat the airport. A good-value local company,Auriga(%902 20 64 00; www.aurigacar.com), has an

office in the bus terminal.Almera has the same difficult streetsideparking as most Andalucian cities. Parkingfor 30 minutes will cost you 0.20 and an

hour is 1.05. There are, however, largeunderground car parks beneath the Ram-bla de Beln and on the eastern side of theRambla at its seaward end. Fees at thesecar parks are 1 for one hour and 10 for24 hours.

TaxisThere are taxi stands (%950 22 61 61; night taxis

%950 42 5757) on Puerta de Purchena andPaseo de Almera and at the bus and trainstations.

NORTH OF ALMERALOS MILLARESYou need to be an archaeology enthusi-ast to consider a visit to Los Millares (%608903404; admission free;h9.30am-4pm Tue-Sat Apr-Sep,10am-2pm Wed-Sat Oct-Mar), 20km northwest ofAlmera between the villages of Gdor andSanta F de Mondjar. Your own trans-

port is necessary as there is no viable publictransport and the site is a 1.5km trek fromthe main road.

The site covers 190,000 sq metres andstands on a 1km-long spur between theRo Andarax and Rambla de Huchar. It

was a town that was possibly occupiedfrom around 2700 BC to 1800 BC, dur-ing a period when the Ro Andarax wasnavigable from the sea. The towns metal-working people may have numbered up to2000 during optimum periods of occupa-tion. They hunted, bred domestic animalsand grew crops; their skills included potteryand jewellery-making, and certain finds in-

dicate trading links with other parts of theMediterranean.

The site is enclosed within four lines ofdefensive walls reflecting successive en-largements of the settlement. Inside lie theruins of the stone houses typical of the pe-riod. Outside the living area are the ruins and some reconstructions of typical pas-sage graves (domed chambers entered by alow passageway) of the Neolithic and pre-Bronze Age period.

Do not be discouraged by a notice onthe roadside wall of the gatehouse statingthat you should contact the Delegacin de

Cultura de Almera for permission to enterthe site. It is essential, however, that beforeyou leave for the site you check that some-one will be on duty at Los Millares gatehouse(%608 95 70 65) to let you in. To get here, takethe A92 north from Almera to Benahadux,

THE WILD WEST

When you go north of Benahadux, into Almeras savage semidesert landscape, youd never thinkyou were on ground that was once walked on by Clint Eastwood, Raquel Welch and CharlesBronson the squinting, the pouting and the moustachioed stars of Spaghetti Westerns. But whatthe area may lack in water, it certainly doesnt lack in a history of film stars. In the 1960s and 70s,makers of Western movies spotted the resemblance between this area and the badlands of the

American West, and shot dozens of films here, including A Fistful of Dollars,The Magnificent Sevenand The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Locals played Indians, outlaws and cavalry, while Eastwood,Welch and Bronson took centre stage. Movie-makers come here less often now, but the survivingshells of three Wild West sets remain as bizarre and excellent tourist attractions.

Mini Hollywood (%950 36 52 36; adult/child 17/9, ticket includes Reserva Zoolgica;h10am-9pmApr-Oct, 10am-7pm Tue-Sun Nov-Mar; shows at 5pm year-round, & 8pm from mid-Jun to mid-September) , thebest-known and most expensive of these sets, is 25km from Almera on the Tabernas road andhas bank hold-ups, shoot-outs and hangings, plus men saying: This town aint big enough forboth of us, hombre (in Spanish, of course). Rather bizarrely, adjoining the Wild West town is awildlife town, the Reserva Zoolgica, with lions, elephants, buffalo and other species.

Three kilometres further towards Tabernas, then a few minutes along a track to the north, TexasHollywood Fort Bravo (%950 16 54 58; www.texashollywood.com; adult/child 10.50/6.50;h10am-10pm)is another Western town, with a stockaded fort, a Mexican village and Indian tepees. Theresalso Western Leone (%950 16 54 05; admission 9;h9.30am-sunset Apr-Sep, 9.30am-sunset Sat & Sunyear-round) on the A92, about 1km north of the A370 turning. Both of these sights played a partin some of the same films as Mini Hollywood and have a more authentic if slightly worn-out air(which extends itself to their approach tracks, so its best to drive slowly).

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then head northwest on the A348. Signsindicate the Los Millares turning, shortlybefore Alhama de Almera.

NJARThe small mountain town whose real-lifestory of forbidden love and revenge gaveFederico Garca Lorca (p48) the inspira-tion for his poetic drama, Blood Wedding,is a beautiful though touristy town withnarrow, uphill streets, and gleaming whitehouses whose flat roofs stand unforgivinglyagainst the blue sky. Njars other claim tofame is the production of some of Anda-lucas most attractive and original glazedpottery, and colourful striped rag rugsknown asjarapas.

From the top end of Calle Garca Lorca,the narrow Calle Carretera leads into theheart of old Njar and to Plaza la Glorieta andthe church of Santa Mara de la Anunciacin.Beyond Plaza la Glorieta, up Calle Coln, isthe delightful Plaza del Mercado, with a hugecentral plane tree and a superb blue-tiledfountain with large fish-head taps.

Accommodation is limited, but HostalAsensio (%950 36 10 56; Calle Parque 2; s/d 20/38) has bright, pleasant rooms. Cheap eats canbe had in the popular Caf Bar La Curva (CalleParque; platos combinados 6), which is diagonallyopposite Hostal Asensio. For a more pictur-

esque spot, though not great food, head forCaf Bar Glorieta (Plaza la Glorieta; platos combinados5) or across the plaza to Bar Restaurante ElPipa(Plaza la Glorieta; bocadillos 2.50).

Shops and workshops selling pottery andrugs line the main street, Calle Garca Lorca,and are dotted along the adjoining Barrio

Alfarero (Potters Quarter) along Calle LasEras, off Calle Garca Lorca. Most notably, LaTienda de los Milagros(Calle Lavadero 2) is the work-shop of British ceramicist Matthew Weir andhis wife, who produces qualityjarapa rugs.

Njar is served by two buses a day (oneonly on Saturday), but the scheduled timesmake a return day trip from Almera impos-sible. By car, Njar is 4km north of the A7,31km northeast of Almera. There are park-ing bays all the way up Calle Garca Lorca,but check for parking restriction signs.

SORBAS

Another pottery town, Sorbas lies about34km by road from Njar and can bereached from here by a pleasant drivethrough the compact mountains of the Si-erra de Alhamilla. More excitingly, Sorbasstands along the edge of a dramatic lime-stone gorge in the Paraje Natural de Karsten Yesos, where water erosion over millionsof years has resulted in the stunning Cuevasde Sorbas (%950 36 47 04; www.cuevasdesorbas.com;adult/child 10.50/6.50;hguided tours 10am-8pm Apr-Oct). The excellent guided tours, completewith pit helmets and lights, can be organ-ised through the towns tourist office (%95036 44 76; Calle Terrapln 9;h10.30am-2.30pm Wed-Sun)

or through the Centro de Visitantes Los Yesares(%950 36 44 81; Calle Terrapln s/n;h11am-2pm &5-8pm). Both of these are located on the road

into town. Tours are only run on requestand at least a days notice is required.

The only accommodation option is thebland, motel-style Hostal Sorbas (%950 36 4160; s/d 25/40;p) on the main road right atthe entrance to the village. For food, thebest options are Cafetera Caymar (Plaza de laConstitucin; tapas 1.80) or the good-qualityRestaurante el Rincn (%950 36 41 52; Plaza de la

Constitucin; mains 8-14) next door. Both are onthe charming central plaza.

There are buses from Almera to Sorbasand back (4, 1 hours, four daily Mondayto Friday).

LAS ALPUJARRASWest of the small spa town of Alhama deAlmera, the A348 winds up the AndaraxValley into the Almera section of Las Alpu-jarras (for more deta ils on the Alpujarras,see p386).

The landscape is at first relentlessly bar-ren, with arid, serrated ridges stretching

to infinity. However, it gradually becomesmore vegetated as you approach Fondn,where the small Camping Puente Colgante(%950 51 42 90; camping per person/tent/car 2/2/2;hyear-round) is located.

For information on walking routes andrefuges in the Sierra Nevada mountains,which rise from the north side of Las Al-pujarras, visit the Centro de Visitantes Laujar deAndarax (%950 51 35 48;h10.30am-2.30pm Thu &Fri, 10.30am-2.30pm & 6-8pm Sat & Sun), on the A348,just west of Laujar de Andarax.

Laujar de Andarax

pop 1800 / elevation 920mThis pleasant capital of the Almera Al-pujarras is where Boabdil, the last emir ofGranada, settled briefly after losing Gra-nada. It was also the headquarters of AbenHumeya, the first leader of the 156870Morisco uprising, until he was assassinatedby his cousin Aben Aboo. Today the townproduces Almeras best wine.

SIGHTS & ACTIVITIESTo sample some of the local vino (wine),pop into the shop at Cooperativo Valle de Lau-jar (h8.30am-noon & 3.30-7.30pm Mon-Sat) where

you can sample the cooperatives ownwines and digestifs and buy good local pro-duce. Youll find it 2km west of town onthe A348.

Laujar de Andarax itself is not remark-able but there is a handsome Casa Consisto-rial (town hall) on the central Plaza Mayorde la Alpujarra, with three tiers of archescrowned by a distinctive belfry. Otherwise,the large 17th-century brickIglesia de la En-carnacin is the only other building of note,with its minaretlike tower and a lavishgolden retable.

A signposted road leads 1km north to ElNacimiento, a series of waterfalls in a deepvalley, with a couple of restaurants nearby.On weekends the falls are full of weekendingSpaniards who rock up to use the purpose-built barbecues under the trees. Its possibleto buy meat and wood at the falls althoughmost people usually bring their own.

The falls are the starting point for somewalking trails that the Centro de Visitantescan tell you about.

SLEEPING & EATINGHostal Fernndez(%950 51 31 28; Calle General Mola

2; s/d 16/31) Just off the main square, PlazaMayor de la Alpujarra, this is a friendlyplace overlooking the square and the valley.It also has an excellent restaurant (mains9) that serves local wines.

Hotel Almirez (%950 51 35 14; almihost@larural.es; s/d 32/42) About 1km west of town onthe A348, the Almirez is a nicely situatedmodern hotel with comfortable rooms. Ithas a bar and a large restaurant that offersa reasonable men for 9.

A popular bar-restaurant is the FondaNuevo Andarax (%950 51 31 28; Calle General Mola4; d 33; raciones 3.50), which also has rooms

above the restaurant.GETTING THERE & AWAYA bus to Laujar (5, 1 hours, one daily)leaves Almera bus station at 9am Sundayto Friday, starting back from Laujar at3.45pm. To get from Laujar to the Gra-nada Alpujarras, take a bus to Berja, thenanother to Ugjar or beyond.

COSTA DE ALMERAAROUND ALMERA

Here is where Almeras coast becomesdivided between noisy package-touristresorts, such as Aguadulce, 11km fromAlmera, and, 6km further down the road,

SOMETIMES ITS HARD TO BE A COWBOY

We just want to entertain, we want the audience to have a good time, you know? A cowboycalled Domingo speaks to me in a hoarse voice, while a dreamy film score plays in the back-ground and shy kids ask for autographs. Were in Texas Hollywood Fort Bravo. Hed just done anarray of somersaults, acrobatics, free falls and displayed a mastery of weapons, all on horseback.You have to be brave to do this job says he. You certainly do especially if your job involvesmounting a horse at breakneck speed, and sometimes even jumping off balconies, straight intoyour saddle. I was once filming with a top star here on the set, and I was riding a horse so fast

I fell off seven stitches above one eye, five on the cheek. But his injuries are not a hardship.In fact Domingo has worked hard to earn his right to be a cowboy: I came to see the showback in 86, and I loved it so much I asked to take part. They told me I could, but that Id haveto pay and bring my own horse. So I turned up with my horse and took part in the shows overthe years, until I learned the trade and they started to pay me. And the rest is history, so tospeak. Ive done loads of films and TV series, from WWII films to action films, doing stunts. ButI love working here the most. Im with the horses, the people like it, and we have fun. The WildWest is where I love to be. He gets on his horse, shouts Yeeehaaa! and rides off into a dustySpanish sunset.

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Roquetas de Mar, and the quiet, isolatedbeaches to be sought out within the ParqueNatural Cabo de Gata-Njar, where there is arefreshing lack of big hotels and mass tour-ism. Then there are old seaside towns with

stylish small hotels and gourmet restau-rants by the beach, where trendymadrileos(residents of Madrid) come to spend theirholidays, such as Agua Amarga. For thoseof you seeking some water sports fun, tryAlmerimar, a town popular with Spanishholidaymakers. It has the best windsurfingconditions on Andalucas Mediterraneancoast.

The extensive wetlands of the Paraje Na-tural Punta Entinas-Sabinar, located betweenRoquetas and Almerimar, are a good placefor bird-watchers to spot greater flamingosand other water birds around 150 spe-

cies have been recorded there. A vast areato the west of Almera and a lesser oneto its east are covered in plastic-sheetedgreenhouses.

PARQUE NATURAL CABO DE GATA-NJARThe wild rugged landscape of volcanichills tumbling down into a sparkling tur-quoise sea around the Cabo de Gata pe-

ninsula is a delight to lovers of nature,silence and solitude. Some of Spains mostpreserved and least crowded beaches arestrung beautifully between the stark cliffsand capes of the dramatic Parque NaturalCabo de Gata-Njar. With just 100mm ofrain in an average year, Cabo de Gata isthe driest place in Europe, yet the areasupports over 1000 varieties of animal andplant wildlife that thrive in the arid, saltyenvironment. The scattered settlementsof whitewashed, flat-roofed houses add toits haunting character. This is one of thehighlights of not only Andaluca, but the

whole of Spain.You can walk along the coast for 61kmall the way from Retamar (east of Almeracity) around the southern tip of Cabo de

Gata and then northeast to Agua Amarga,but in summer theres very little shade. Thisplace gives you the feeling of being in realwilderness nature here is still largely un-touched and you are likely to be walking insplendid isolation amid some extraordinaryscenery.

Its recommended to call ahead for ac-commodation anywhere on Cabo de Gata

during Easter and July and August. Camp-ing is only allowed in official campinggrounds.

The Editorial Alpina 1:50,000 map Cabode Gata-Njar Parque Naturalis the best forthe area. See right for information on gettingto the various villages on the peninsula.

InformationAbout 2.5km before Ruescas on the roadfrom Almera is Centro de Interpretacin LasAmoladeras (%950 16 04 35; Carretera Cabo de Gata-Almera, Km 7;h10am-2pm & 5.30-9pm mid-Julmid-Sep, 10am-3pm Tue-Sun mid-Sepmid-Jul), the main

information centre for the Parque NaturalCabo de Gata-Njar, which covers Cabode Gatas 60km coast plus a thick strip of

hinterland. The centre has displays on theareas fauna, flora and human activities, aswell as tourist information and maps.

Getting There & AwayBuses run from Almera to El Cabo de Gata(2, 30 minutes, 10 daily), San Jos (2.50,1 hours, four daily Monday to Saturday),Las Negras (3.50, 1 hours, one daily Mon-

day to Saturday) and Agua Amarga (4, 1hours, one daily Monday to Friday). Busschedules can be obtained from Almera citytourist offices or from Almera bus station.

To reach Faro de Gata you will needyour own car. Alternatively you can hirebicycles in El Cabo de Gata at the Oficinade Informacin(%950 38 00 04; Avenida Miramar 88;h10am-2.30pm & 5.30-9pm) for an easy ride. Ifyou are touring the park by car, the onlypetrol station is halfway along the RuescasSan Jos road. San Jos has a couple of car-rental agencies.

El Cabo de GataWhen people dreamily talk of Cabo de Gata,they are usually referring to the natural park,

THE PLASTIC SEA

The sea of plastic-fantastic greenhouses along Spains most arid soil shows that with a bit ofimagination, effort and no scruples, anything is possible. What was once a land where evenolives struggled to grow has now become Europes fruit n veg garden. Beneath the steam-ing polythene swell tomatoes, lettuce and peppers, all irrigated by underground aquifers. Theirproduction and sale has brought untold wealth to parts of Almera province since the 1970s.The prime example of this growth is the town of El Ejido, west of Almera: it has Spains highestratio of bank branches to population.

But these riches are starkly contrasted by terrible racism, particularly in El Ejido where in 2000,race-riots broke out against the African workers who labour at the greenhouses. Many of themare illegal immigrants who arrive on the infamous pateras (small, wooden boats) and hope tofind work in Almeras greenhouses. Despite the fact that the industry wouldnt be what it iswithout their work, they get less than 20 a day and live and work in appalling conditions. Since2004, many Eastern European workers have been brought to Almeras greenhouses to replacethe African labour force, which has worsened both living and working conditions and decreasedwages. The opening chapter of the travelogue Andalus: Unlock ing the Secrets of Moorish Spain, byJason Webster, describes the situation vividly.

The environmental price is also high: there are 20,000 tons of nonbiodegradable rubbishproduced annually here, and the aquifers are diminishing. The real state of Almeras preciouswater resources became evident when the Partido Popular (PP) national government (19962004)planned to divert water from the Ro Ebro in northern Spain to keep the show on the road. Thiswas strongly opposed by Ebro area inhabitants and by ecologists concerned about the large

Ebro delta. The plan has since been shelved under the Partido Socialista Obrero Espaol (PSOE)government. Instead, the worlds second-largest desalination plant is being built at Carbonerason Almeras east coast, to ensure that Europes driest desert continues to produce.

To see for yourself you can take the bizarre Plastic-fantastic tour offered by Hola-Almeria (%627 46 03 01; sergitocv@yahoo.es; tours in English & Spanish 15), which takes you to a good old vegauction in El Ejido before commencing a tour of greenhouses in the locality and ending withtapas on the beach at Balerma.

(28km)

To Sorbas (22km) To Mojcar (23km)To Murcia (100km)

To Almera

Mlaga (242km)To Granada (195km);

A

E

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NA

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ET

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AlmeraGolfo de

San Jos

Retamar El Barranquete

de NjarSan Isidro

AmargaAgua

Carboneras

Hortichuelas

La Isleta del Moro

Los Escullos

de MontelevaLa Almadraba

Los Albaricoques

Ruescas

Pujaire

El Cabo de Gata

los FrailesEl Pozo de

Rodalquilar

Las Negras

Fernn Prez

Campohermoso

Venta del Pobre

Njar

Cabo de GataCamping

Las AmoladerasInterpretacin

Centro de

Torre Viga Vela Blanca

Mesa RoldnFaro de la

Mirador de la Amatista

Cabo de GataFaro de

Gata-NjarCabo de

Parque Natural

Gata-NjarCabo de

Parque Natural

Gata-NjarCabo deParque Natural

Gata-NjarCabo de

Parque Natural

(432m)Santa CruzCerro de

(343m)la TestaCerro de

(493m)El Fraile

los MuertosPlaya de

San Pedro

Playa

NegraPunta

Cala de Enmedio

Cala Higuera

Playa del Pen Blanco

de GataSalinas de Cabo

Loma PeladaPunta de

Playa de Mnsul

Playa de los Genoveses

Playa del Playazo

Cala del Plomo

Punta de la Polacra

Punta del Cerro Negro

Punta Javana

Media NaranjaPunta de la

Playa de San Jos

Rambla

deM

orales

(265m)Lobos

AL12

N341A7

A7

to Agua AmargaDetour: Las Negras

CABO DE GATA 0 10 km0 6 miles

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rather than the village itself. A summer holi-day resort for Almeras day-trippers whoprostrate themselves on the coarse, sandybeach, out of season, the place is wind-swept, shuttered and deserted.

South of the town are the Salinas de Cabode Gata, an area of soupy salt-extraction la-goons. In spring, many greater flamingosand other water birds call in at the salt pans

while migrating from Africa to breedinggrounds further north. With more arrivalsin August there can be as many as 1000flamingos on the pans. Autumn brings thelargest numbers of birds as they pause ontheir return south. A good place to watchthe birds is in the hide thats found in awood-fenced area just off the road 3kmsouth of the village.

Another flamingo-viewing spot, whereyoull probably get closer to the birds, isthe small lagoon where the stream Ramblade Morales reaches the beach, 2km northwestof El Cabo de Gata village.

A good way to explore the wide, flat areais on a bike, which can be hired in El Cabode Gata at the Oficina de Informacin (%95038 00 04; Avenida Miramar 88; 2hr/1 day 4/13;h10am-2.30pm & 5.30-9pm).

An extremely well run camp site, Camp-ing Cabo de Gata (%/fax 950 16 04 43; camping perperson/site 4/8, bungalow 6;hyear-round;ps)is close to the beach, and probably the bestplace to stay in El Cabo de Gata. It has allthe necessary amenities, including a res-taurant and 250 sites. You will find it 2kmdown a signposted side road southwest ofRuescas.

Hostal Las Dunas (%

950 37 00 72; www.lasdunas.net; Calle Barrio Nuevo 58; s/d 36/51;p) is a friendlyfamily house with well-kept, modern roomsand crazy balustraded balconies in carvedmarble.

Right at the entrance to the village, BlancaBrisa (%/fax 950 37 00 01; www.blancabrisa.com; LasJoricas 49; s/d 39/65;p), a big peach-colouredhotel, has clean and comfortable roomswith no dcor to speak of. It has a large, de-cent restaurant (one of the few restaurantsin town) with platos combinados (mixedplates) for about 5.

At the southern end of town, La Goleta

(%950 37 02 15; mains 5-20;hclosed Mon Oct-Jun& Nov) has good seafood and great sunsetviews from the beach tables.

El Naranjero(%950 37 01 11; Calle Iglesia 1; mains10-25;hclosed Sun) is one of the closest thingsyoull find to a proper restaurant in El Cabode Gata, right at the entrance to the village.The Naranjero specialises in fish and sea-food and gets busy at lunch time.

Faro de Cabo de Gata & AroundSalt collected from the salinas (salt lagoons)is piled up in great heaps at La Almadrabade Monteleva. This desolate-looking village

has an equally desolate-looking church,the Iglesia de las Salinas, whose extremelytall tower dominates the area for milesaround.

South of La Almadraba the coast be-comes abruptly more rugged and the peri-lously narrow road winds airily aroundthe sharp cliffs. It soon reaches the lonelylighthouse of the Faro de Cabo de Gata on thesouthern tip of the peninsula. From here amirador(lookout) has a view over the jag-ged reefs of the Arrecife de las Sirenas (Reef ofthe Mermaids).

There is an information cabin (h10am-2pm

& 4.30-8.30pm May-Sep, 10am-3pm Oct-Apr) that hassome information on the park, but it is ran-domly closed in the off-season. You canpick up information here about the boattrips around the peninsula that are run by

El Cabo a Fondo (reservations%637 44 91 70). Thetrips are a wonderful way to view the dra-matic coastline.San JosAlmeras attempts at creating a new Costadel Sol along its own coastline have resultedin places like San Jos or Mojcar Playa(p416), where, as in other resort towns, life

happens mostly in the summer. San Josdoes have a more tastefully executed ap-pearance, with low-rise developments, aneat little marina, and a couple of goodplaces to stay. Situated on the edge ofthe Parque Natural Cabo de Gata-Njar,there are a host of healthy outdoor activi-ties available, which is one of the reasonsSpaniards flock here for the holidays andlong weekends. The resort centres around asmall sandy bay with a harbour at its east-ern end, representing the villages originsas a fishing cove.

Drivers from El Cabo de Gata will have

to head inland and turn off in an easterly di-rection towards Ruescas. After about 61kmyou will hit the San JosNjar road. Turnright and after a further 7km you will reachSan Jos.

ORIENTATION & INFORMATIONThe road that enters the town eventuallybecomes San Joss main street, Avenidade San Jos, with the beach, Playa de SanJos, a couple of blocks down to the left.On Avenida de San Jos, in the main blockof shops and cafs, just before the centralPlaza Gnova, youll find a natural park infor-

mation office and visitors centre (%

950 38 02 99;h10am-2pm & 5-9.30pm Mon-Sat, 10am-2pm Sun). Itsells maps and a range of books, souvenirsand craft work.

Also on Avenida de San Jos, in the vil-lage centre, are a Caja Rural bank, an ATMand a Spar supermarket.

ACTIVITIESThe information office can tell you aboutbicycle rental, boat trips, 4WD tours anddiving. For horse riding, book a 45-minutelesson (21.05) at the Hotel Cortijo el Sotillo(right), or take a cross-country ride to Playade los Genoveses (45, 2 hours) or furtherinto the parque natural (64, 3 hours).Almeras Eolo (%950 26 17 35, 670-391480; www.eolo-wind.com; Avenida del Cabo de Gata 185, Almera)

also organises activity trips to the parquenatural.

SLEEPINGCamping Tau (%/fax 950 38 01 66; e@parquenatural.com; camping per adult/child/tent/caravan 4/3.50/5/5.50;hApr-Sep) A cool, wooded camping ground,set 250m back from the beach, Tau hasroom for 185 people and is very popular

with families. Follow the Tau sign pointingleft along Camino de Cala Higuera as youapproach central San Jos from the north.

InstalacinJuvenil de San Jos(%950 38 03 53; fax950 38 02 13; Calle Montemar s/n; bunks 8;hApr-Sep) Afriendly, non-Inturjoven youth hostel run bythe local municipality, which stays open overthe Christmas and New Year period and longweekends. To find it, head towards CampingTau but turn right after crossing a dry riverbed, then take the first left up the hill.

Hostal Sol Baha (%950 38 03 07; fax 950 38 03 06;Avenida de San Jos; d 70;a) and its sister estab-lishment Hostal Baha Plaza (Avenida de San Jos)

across the street, are bright, modern build-ings in the centre of San Jos with 34 simplebut decent and clean rooms with TV.

Hotel Cortijo el Sotillo (%950 61 11 00; CarreteraEntrada a San Jos s/n; s/d 120/141;pas) De-pending on the season, this ranch-style com-plex can be a romantic getaway for couples,or a family spot to release shouting children.The house is an authentic 19th-centurycortijo (country property) with rural-stylerooms and on-site riding. It has an excellentrestaurant serving regional cuisine.

Hotel Doa Pakyta (%950 61 11 75; fax 950 6110 62; Calle del Correo; d with sea view 151; pa)

This place has an unparalleled sense ofspace, with huge picture windows fram-ing magnificent sea views that greet you asyou enter the cool, white lobby. Rooms arelarge and spacious, in sea blues and whitesand theres a beach right below the hotel.A room with a terrace is a must (thosewithout are only 10 cheaper) to enjoy thewonderful views.

Plenty of apartments are available for rent(ask at the tourist office or look for signs);two people can pay as little as 18 a day fora few days stay in the off-season, though itcosts more like 60 during July and August.

EATINGRestaurante El Emigrante (%950 38 03 07; Avenidade San Jos; fish & meat mains 6-12) Under the same

TOP BEACHES ALONG EL CABO DE GATA

Cala Carbn Fine sand, gorgeous sea

Cala de la Media Luna More fabulous swimming and sunbathing

Playa Mnsul As featured in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Playa del Barronal Get in your birthday suit

Calas del Barronal The four seductive Calas are a dream

Playa de los Genoveses 1km of fine sand

Playa San Pedro A ruined hamlet beach now housing New Age hippies

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ownership as the Baha hostales (p413), Emi-grante is a somewhat ordinary but dependa-ble option in the centre of town. A breakfastof orange juice, toast and coffee costs 3.

Hotel Cortijo el Sotillo(%950 61 11 00; CarreteraEntrada a San Jos s/n; mains 8-14) Almost alwaysfull thanks to its honest and hearty regionalfood, the huge, echoing dining room of thecortijo has satisfied diners eating lunch up

to 5pm in the afternoon. Reservations arerecommended.La Gallineta (%950 38 05 01; Pozo de los Frailes;

mains 8-18;h8pm-late Tue-Sun, closed mid-Janend-Feb) A small, elegant restaurant 4km northof San Jos where urbanites on weekendescapes come for the inventive food withan international twist. Try the prawns inmango pure (7.50) or the fillet of beef ina thick Pedro Ximnez gravy (18).

Mesn El Tempranillo (%950 38 00 59; Puertode San Jos 6-7; mains 9-15) One of a numberof good fish restaurants found beneath astring of colourful awnings near the har-

bour. Eat out on the shaded veranda thatoverlooks the beach.Also tryLa Cueva(%950 38 01 54; Puerto Depor-

tivo 3, 4 & 5; mains 8-14), another good fish eat-ery, next door to Mson El Tempranillo.

GETTING AROUNDThere is a reasonable amount of parking onAvenida de San Jos, on the north side ofthe main beach, and at the harbour. Taxiscan be contacted on %950 38 97 37 or608 056255.

San Jos to Las Negras

The rugged coast northeast of San Jos hasonly two small settlements, the odd fortand a few beaches before the village of LasNegras (17km northeast from San Jos, asthe crow flies). The road can be confus-ing as it spends most of its time divertinginland.

The hamlet of Los Escullos has a short,mainly sandy beach and a restored oldfort, the Castillo de San Felipe. You canwalk here from San Jos along a track fromCala Higuera. La Isleta del Moro, 1km furthernortheast, is a gorgeous, tiny fishing villageon the western arm of a wide bay, with thePlaya del Pen Blanco stretching to its east.The beach is small but relatively quiet.

From here, the road climbs to a goodviewpoint, the Mirador de la Amatista, beforeheading inland past the former gold-min-ing village of Rodalquilar. About 1km pastRodalquilar is the turning for Playa delPlayazo, 2km away along a level track. Thisattractive, sandy beach stretches betweentwo headlands, one topped by the Baterade San Ramn fortification (now a privatehome). From here you can walk along thecoast to Camping La Caleta and the villageof Las Negras.

The tiny village ofLas Negras stands above apebbly beach that runs north towards Punta

del Cerro Negro, an imposing headland ofvolcanic rock, and has a small population ofyoung hippies giving it some oomph.

SLEEPING & EATINGLos EscullosCamping Los Escullos(%950 38 98 11; camping per 2people, tent, car & electrical hook-up 19;hyear-round;ps) This large, moderately shaded placeis 900m back from the Los Escullos beach.It has a pool, restaurant, grocery store andATM, and bikes for hire.

Hotel Los Escullos(%950 38 97 33; d incl breakfast85;a) A small hotel near the beach with

reasonable rooms (all with TV). It also has arestaurant serving limited fare for between8 and 15.

La Isleta del MoroHostal Isleta del Moro (%950 38 97 13; fax 950 3897 64; s/d 21/43) This hostal is in a superb

location overlooking La Isleta del Morosharbour. It also has a good restaurant thatserves fresh seafood.

Las NegrasThe largest settlement along this stretch ofcoast is the hamlet of Las Negras, whichhas good hostal accommodation, campingfacilities and one or two eateries.

Camping La Caleta (%950 52 52 37; camping peradult/child/tent/car 5/5/4.50/5;hyear-round;ps)This place lies in a valley 1km south of LasNegras, in a separate cove. It can be fiercelyhot in summer, but there is a good pool.

Hostal Arrecife (%950 38 81 40; Calle Baha 6; s/d26/38) A very well maintained small hos-tal on the main street in Las Negras. The

rooms are cool and quiet and some of themhave sea views from their balconies.Other accommodation in Las Negras

consists of holiday apartments and housesto let, but you may find a few signs of-fering rooms by the night. For food, tryRestaurante La Palma(%950 38 80 42; mains 5-10) ,a relaxed shack overlooking the beach, forgood music and excellent fish at mediumprices.

Another option is Pizza y Pasta (%95038 80 97; Calle San Pedro; mains 5-6;hMar-Nov), afriendly Italian restaurant with checkedtablecloths and a small patio. Pop across theroad to the perpetually busyCerro Negro(CalleSan Pedro), whose outside tables are invariablyoccupied by hippies or bright young thingschilling out with a cold beer.

Agua AmargaAgua Amarga is to trendy Madrid profes-sionals what the Hamptons is to New Yorksdarlings. Well, almost. The style is suitablyunderstated here. The unassuming village hasa low-key, relaxed feeling, with the emphasison quality, chic and expensive accommoda-tion and inventive-cuisine restaurants. Houseprices have soared in the past few years with

everyone wanting their own authentic villagehouse. Sandy streets, surfer shops and boho-chic make this just about the most fashion-able fishing village on the coast.

There are boats for hire on the longsandy beach and 3km east (up the Carbo-neras road) is a turning to a cliff-top light-house, the Faro de la Mesa Roldn (1.25kmaway), from where there are spectacularviews. From the car park by the turningyou can walk down to the naturist Playa delos Muertos.

Drivers from Las Negras to Agua Amargamust head inland through Hortichuelas.

From the bus shelter on the eastern side ofthe road in Fernn Prez, you head north-east for 10km on a new tarmac road untilyou meet the N341. Turn right here forAgua Amarga.

SLEEPING & EATINGHostal Restaurante La Palmera(%950 13 82 08; CalleAguada s/n; d 90;a) With a breezy, beachfrontlocation in the middle of the action, La Palm-era has 10 bright rooms with rocking chairsand half-moon balconies. The restaurant(mains 7 to 15) has a nice beach terraceand is the locals favourite for lunch.

Hostal Familia (%

950 13 80 14; fax 950 13 80 70;Calle La Lomilla; d with breakfast with/without sea views120/80;a) A relaxed place, set amid trees,with prices that dont quite match the ef-fort: the rooms are big and comfortable,but their dcor is patchy at times and thebaths are quite run-down. The hostalis re-nowned for its excellent three-course NorthAfricaninfluenced men (18).

Hotel El Tio Kiko (%950 13 80 80; www.eltiokiko.com; Calle Embarque; d 150;pas) El Tio Kikois a top-of-the-range large hotel where allrooms enjoy lovely views over the bay. Thestyle is something akin to Mexican adobewith lots of wood and white.

MiKasa (%950 13 80 73; www.mikasasuites.com; Car-retera Carboneras s/n; s 85, d incl breakfast 105-190, ste219-235pas) The slick and chic MiKasa

THE AUTHORS CHOICE

Casa Caf de la Loma(%950 38 98 31; www.degata.com/laloma; La Isleta del Moro; s/d 30/45 Sep-Jul, s/d35/52 Aug) This is true Mediterranean heaven in an old cortijo (farm house) that has been keptsimple and beautiful, with a large, wild garden, terrific views of the sea and the village beach,and friendly owners. The 6 airy rooms have rustic and North African mementos and mosquitonets hang over each bed. In the summer months, a restaurant opens with vegetarian and meatydishes, and there are jazz and flamenco concerts once a week in the garden, under candle light.The Casa is not far from La Isleta del Moro along the road to Las Negras.

DETOUR: LAS NEGRAS TO AGUAAMARGA

Theres no road along this cliff-lined and se-cluded stretch of the Cabo de Gata coast,but walkers can take an up-and-down pathof 11km (four to five hours). Playa SanPedro, one hours walk from Las Negras, isthe site of a ruined hamlet whose buildings

(including a castle) once housed an inter-national colony of two or three dozen hip-pies and the occasional wandering naturist.Its 1 hours walk on from San Pedro toCala del Plomo, a beach with another tinysettlement. You could stop at the little Calade Enmedio beach, half an hour after Caladel Plomo, before heading on for about onehour to reach Agua Amarga.

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has understated, elegant dcor with super-comfortable rooms, some with fresh floralpatterns and others in Oriental-style opu-lence, coir matting, colonial recliners anddiscreet balconies. A savvy crowd of profes-sionals rush down here from Madrid for longweekends. Cold and heated swimming pools,Jacuzzi baths and a small health spa makethis Almeras most romantic hideaway.

Caf Bar La Plaza (%950 13 82 14; Calle Ferro-carril Minero; platos combinados 6) Located in thevillage square, this is a cheerful, down-to-earth favourite of the locals. Try the deli-cious fish soup.

La Villa (%950 13 80 90; Carretera Carboneras s/n;mains 18-20;h8.30am-late, closed Wed) Right nextdoor to MiKasa and run by the same family,La Villa offers the same stylish environmentand a quality international men influencedby the familys extensive travels. Meals can betaken outside around the atmospheric pool.

MOJCAR

pop 6000There are two Mojcars: old Mojcar Pueblo,a village that looks like a multilevel wedding

cake melting down the cliff, with its jumbleof white, cube houses on top of a steep hill2km inland. Then there is Mojcar Playa,a soulless modern coastal resort 7km longbut only a few blocks wide. Mojcar Pueblois dominated by tourism, but retains its pic-turesque charms and can still captivate withits mazelike streets, and balconies swathedin bougainvilleas. Mojcar Playa is a relent-

less strip of hotels, apartments, shops, barsand restaurants, and is home to northernEuropean retirees and year-round caravan-dwellers seeking sunshine. There is a good,long beach and a lively summer scene, but lifeslows down from October to Easter.

From the 13th to the 15th century, Moj-car Pueblo stood on the Granada emirateseastern frontier and suffered several Chris-tian attacks, including a notorious massacrein 1435, before finally succumbing to theCatholic Monarchs in 1488. Tucked awayin an isolated corner of one of Spains mostbackward regions, it was decaying and al-

most abandoned by the mid-20th centurybefore its mayor lured artists and otherswith giveaway property offers.

OrientationMojcar is divided into two distinct areas:the playa, the developed beachfront, run-ning for several kilometres, and the pueblo,the old village located on a hilltop 2km in-land. To reach the pueblo from the playaturn inland at the roundabout by the hugeshopping centre, Parque Comercial. Regu-lar buses run from the pueblo to the playa

and vice versa.

InformationIn Mojcar Pueblo, both Banesto and Uni-caja (across the square) have ATMs, as doesBanco de Andaluca, which is located in theParque Comercial.Centro Medco (medical centre;%950 47 51 05;Parque Comercial, Mojcar Playa;h10am-1pm &5.30-8pm) General medical help. English and French arespoken.Information booth (%950 47 87 26; Paseo delMediterrneo, Mojcar Playa;h10am-2pm & 5-7.30pmMon-Fri, 10.30am-1.30pm Sat Apr-Sep) Opposite the

Parque Comercial.Polica Local (%950 47 20 00; Calle Glorieta, MojcarPueblo) In the same building as the tourist office.

Post office (Calle Glorieta, Mojcar Pueblo;h12.30-2.30pm Mon-Fri & 10am-noon Sat) In the same building asthe tourist office.Tinta y Papel (%950 47 27 92; Centro Comercial, PlazaNueva, Mojcar Pueblo) Located on the 1st floor of theshopping centre; there are maps of the region and sometourist books.Titos (%950 61 50 30; Playa de las Ventnicas, MojcarPlaya; per hr 3;h10am-8.30pm, closed when raining)

Internet access; a lively outdoor bar overlooking one of thebeaches along Mojcar Playa.Tourist office (%950 47 51 62; info@mojacar.es; CalleGlorieta, Mojcar Pueblo;h10am-2pm & 5-7.30pmMon-Fri, 10.30am-1.30pm Sat) Just north of Plaza Nueva;a very helpful office.

Sights & ActivitiesThe best way to see the pueblo is to wanderaround the quaint streets with their flower-decked balconies, and browse through theboutiques. There are great views from thepublic terraces ofMirador del Castillo, locatedat the top of the village. The fortress-style

Iglesia de Santa Mara(Calle Iglesia) is just south ofPlaza Nueva and dates from 1560. On CalleLa Fuente is the remodelled, though stillexpressive Fuente Mora (Moorish Fountain),a fine example of the Spanish-Islamic tradi-tion of enhancing function with artistry. Aninscription records the last Muslim gover-nors noble plea for Mojcar Muslims to beallowed to remain in their home. The pleawas made to the Catholic Monarchs, whousurped the governor in 1488.

Apart from Mojcar Playas long, sandymain beach, a number of more secludedbeaches are strung out to the south of the

town. Some of those beyond the Torre deMacenas, an 18th-century fortification, arenaturist beaches. For good windsurfingequipment (per hour 12), canoeing, sailingand water-skiing (per session 20), checkout Samoa Club(%666 442263, 950 47 84 90; Playa delas Ventnicas, Mojcar Playa), on one of the beacheson Mojcar Playa. For some exciting quadbiking (one hour 35) in the Cabrera moun-tains contact Mojcar Quad Treks(%600 258385,637 925505; Paseo del Mediterrneo).

Festivals & EventsOn the weekend nearest 10 June, see Mama-bels (p418) costumes in action for the re-enactment of the Christian conquest ofMojcar, Moros y Cristianos. Theres dancing,processions and other festivities.

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Mirador del Castillo............................ C1

Iglesia de Santa Mara......................... B2Fuente Mora....................................... E2

Unicaja (ATM).................................... B2Tourist Office..................................... C1Tinta y Papel...................................... B2Post Office........................................(see 2)Polica Local......................................(see 2)Banesto (ATM)..................................(see 2)

MOJCAR PUEBLO 0 200 m0 0.1 miles

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Sinaloa Fanny's................................ C2

Restaurante El Viento del Desierto.... 2Pizzeria Pulcinella.............................. C1La Taberna....................................... C2El Horno............................................(see 8)

Pensin El Torren............................. C2La Fonda del Castillo.........................(see 6)Hostal Mamabel's.............................. D2Hostal Arco Plaza................................ B2

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Main Car Park.................................. A2Local Buses for Mojcar Playa........... B1Fuente Bus Stop................................ F2

Wednesday Market.......................... A3

Caf Bar Mirador del Castillo.............(see 6)

Time & Place.................................... C3Reggae Azul Marino......................... C2La Muralla........................................ B2Caipirinha Caipirosa......................... C2Bud Pub.......................................... B2Bar La Startn................................... B2

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SleepingMOJCAR PUEBLOHostal Arco Plaza (%950 47 27 77; fax 950 47 27 17;Calle Aire Bajo 1; s/d 36/52;a) Bang in the centreof the village, this hostalhas spacious bath-rooms, sky-blue rooms with wrought-ironbeds, crisp white linen, and great views ofthe Plaza Nueva and the valley below. Bed-rooms also have TVs, and the managementis incredibly friendly and efficient.

La Fonda del Castillo (%950 47 30 22; www.elcastillomojacar.com; Mirador del Castillo; d 48-54;s)This laid-back hostal manages to stay just

the right side of characterful. Peeling paintand a bit of damp do nothing to eclipsethe bohemian atmosphere. Bedrooms andbathrooms are neat and all have fantasticviews. There is a bar, Caf Bar Mirador delCastillo (opposite), in front of the house,with some rooms above it. More rooms arearound a courtyard (with a pool in the mid-dle) at the back.

Pensin El Torren (%950 47 52 59; Calle Jazmn4; d with shared bathroom 60) A breathtakinglybeautiful little hostalwith a bougainvillea-clad terrace overlooking the village. Thefive rooms are almost English-countrysidequaint, with lace-work linen and antiquebits and bobs. The new, English owners arepromising en-suite rooms. The house is al-legedly the birthplace of Walt Disney, who

was, according to the locals, the love-childof a village girl and a wealthy landowner.

Hostal Mamabels (%/fax 950 47 24 48; www.mamabels.com; Calle Embajadores 5; d/ste 65/87) Mamabelis quite a character and her hostal almostserves like a showcase for her handmadedolls and exquisitely decorated rooms, in-dividually styled with antiques. She alsomakes costume dresses for the Moros yCristia