Today we are going to talk about one of the most popular places in Andalusia, Cabo de Gata. For many it is a sun and beach destination, for others a paradise for hiking and geology. Whichever way you look at it, Cabo de Gata is a magical place, extremely unique and one that does not disappoint those who visit it.
We could do a post on each of the devices that you will see below, but we have decided to concentrate the keys to Cabo de Gata in a single post that will allow you to inspire your trip.
What you will find here
WHAT IS CABO DE GATA
Cabo de Gata is the corner of southeastern Spain. It is crowned by a beautiful lighthouse and surrounded by reefs and rocky beaches. From its name derives the neighbouring village of San Miguel de Cabo de Gata, but also the name of the ‘Parque Natural Cabo de Gata-Níjar’ which stretches from the aforementioned village to Carboneras. In total 63 kilometres of coastline dotted with charming villages, volcanic geology, incredible viewpoints and beaches with crystal clear waters.
From now on, when we talk about Cabo de Gata we will refer to the whole natural park. But let’s go in parts.
Genoveses Bay on a windless day.
WATERFRONT VILLAGES
LA ALMADRABA DE MONTELEVA (TRAP)
La Almadraba is a fishing village dependent on the capital, Almeria. It is not a place to stay, as it is so small that there are hardly any possibilities. But it is a wonderful place to stroll around the salt pans, see the old houses of the workers and fishermen, photograph the iconic church of Las Salinas and have a good rice dish in front of the sea.
Some 200 metres further on is La Fabriquilla, which belongs to Níjar. If La Almadraba is a small village, La Fabriquilla is even smaller. Its name comes from the old lead smelter of the 19th century, nowadays disappeared.
The two small villages are on the well-known beach of ‘la Recta’ (“The straight line”). But we will tell you about that in the section on beaches.
Cabo de Gata Salinas and in the background the Almadrava de Monteleva.
SAN JOSE
San José is the larger town, with more bars and services in general. It also has a small harbour, dive centres and even a supermarket. The houses in the village climb up the mountains surrounding the bay of San José. This bay has a main beach and three small coves separated by rocks. It is a nice village where you can stroll, have an ice-cream, have dinner or sunbathe on one of the beaches. From here you can make two excursions on foot: to the Bay of Genoveses and to Cala Higuera. Another recommended activity is a kayak trip along the rocky cliffs that surround San José. It is an ideal base from which to explore the Cabo de Gata Natural Park. Despite being a large village (compared to the rest of the villages in the area), at night there is a sense of tranquillity.
The village of San Jose at sunset on an autumn day.
LOS ESCULLOS
Los Escullos is a very small village facing the sea. It is located on a small cliff sculpted on an ancient fossil dune. You can also visit the artillery battery of San Felipe. This fortress was built in the second half of the 18th century to combat piracy.
Its beach is known as ‘la del Arco’ (the Arc) because of a shape created by the erosion of the sea and the wind. It is a fragile structure and it is not advisable to climb it to take the typical photo that everyone takes.
Fortress on the edge of the small cliff at Los Escullos.
ISLETA DEL MORO
La Isleta del Moro is a fishing village that we love. It has wonderful views and a couple of very good fish and rice restaurants. There you can taste the gastronomy of Almeria. One of them has a terrace almost overlooking the sea where you can even get a little splash of water. It is essential to climb the rocky spur that rises above the sea, if the wind blows from the west you will be left with your mouth open. The village has a small jetty overlooking an inlet where the boats remain anchored and rocked by the sea.
Isleta del Moro viewpoint with crystal clear water.
LAS NEGRAS
Las Negras is one of those quiet places where life goes by slowly for most of the year. Then comes the summer, and the time when it gets quite busy. You can find concerts and lots of young people. Strolling through its narrow streets of white houses you will see some craft shops where you can buy some local products.
Its beaches are made of pebbles of volcanic origin, except for some small stretches that have a little sand. Nearby you can visit several special places: the cave of Las Palomas and the cove of San Pedro.
Cerro Negro from the beach of Las Negras when the sun has already set.
AGUA AMARGA
Agua Amarga is a beautiful village in the northern part of the natural park Cabo de Gata-Nijar. It is considered one of the most beautiful by its visitors. In its streets you will find small shops with clothes and handicrafts with a Mediterranean air. Since the Middle Ages Agua Amarga has been an important place due to its privileged location between cliffs.
You can also visit some caves dug into the rock as dwellings. This is typical of this area and can be found in more towns along the north coast of Almeria. These dwellings were built around the 19th century by fishermen or mining workers.
Agua Amarga is the starting point to visit the Plomo cove, Enmedio cove, an old mineral loading bay and the volcanic dome of Mesa Roldan with its fortress. This last place was the filming location for some scenes of the series Game of Thrones.
View of Agua Amarga, on the left side you can make out the Plomo cove in the background.
THE NATURAL PARK OF CABO DE GATA- NIJAR
With its 460 km², the Cabo de Gata- Nijar nature park is one of the most unique in Europe. Geologically it was formed from underwater volcanic eruptions. Although it is best known for its fine sandy beaches and crystal clear waters, one of its main assets is its seabed. The park has marine reserve areas with posidonia meadows. To know more about this park we are preparing an article about natural parks in Andalusia that will soon be published. The natural park of Cabo de Gata is not yet a World Heritage Site in Andalusia, but we are convinced that at some point it will be.
Monsul with its andesite cliffs and cornices.
BEST TIME TO VISIT CABO DE GATA
This is a relative question. Many people will tell you summer and if you are looking for warm water, they are right. In our opinion, for everything else the best time to visit Cabo de Gata is spring and autumn.
It only rains about 31 days a year and the average temperature here is a high 18.5 degrees Celsius. In summer it is hot, not a drop of water falls and the landscape is tinged with the golden colour of dried plants. The rest of the year, with mild temperatures, you can enjoy a landscape of green meadows with the red tones of poppies.
The wind must also be taken into account. Being in the corner of the Iberian Peninsula, it is exposed to strong winds. In summer there is a predominantly easterly wind, a wind that wrinkles the sea and which, in terms of landscape, will prevent you from enjoying the blue waters that are characteristic of 95% of Cabo de Gata. In winter the westerly winds are more frequent. Although they are cooler, the westerly wind blows from the land in almost all the natural park and leaves more ready and crystalline.
Sandstones to the north of the Playazo in Rodalquilar.
THE INTERIOR OF CABO DE GATA
RODALQUILAR
Rodalquilar is very close to the beach and for much of the 20th century was famous for mining, mainly centred on the extraction of gold. There is half an abandoned village (which were the miners’ houses) and half an inhabited village. It is a village with a special charm where the mining infrastructures are mixed with the whitewashed houses. There are several interesting places to eat. The village is small and almost everything is on the same street. There is an interpretation centre and the mining area, which is next to the village and at the foot of the mountain, can be reached by car.
OTHER INSIDE PLACES
We cannot describe all the places in the interior, but we will comment on them in detail. If you are looking for hiking you must visit the Requena ravine and the cortijo del Fraile, the setting for Federico García Lorca’s play, Bodas de Sangre.
Another hiking option more focused on geology can be a visit to the volcanic caldera of Majada Redonda. The trail starts in a tiny village called Presillas Bajas.
Practically the whole of the interior of the natural park is full of ethnographic assets of interest: cisterns, ovens, waterwheels, windmills, etc. In Pozo de los Frailes you have a good representation of these.
The arid landscape of the interior of the Cabo de Gata-Níjar natural park has been the setting for numerous film shoots. Perhaps the most famous is ‘For a Fistful of Dollars’, directed by Sergio Leone and starring a young Clint Eastwood. To know its key location you have to visit the village of Los Albaricoques.
BEST BEACHES OF CABO DE GATA
This is just a selection of the largest or best rated beaches in Cabo de Gata. However, the natural park is full of small coves and rocky corners with lots of charm that are worth discovering.
CALA DE LOS MUERTOS
Starting from the north, the first big beach is the Cala de los Muertos. This is a large beach with particularly clear water. This is due to the fact that the sand at the bottom is composed of small stones. At its southern end, a large rock rises up on the shore that seems to magically hold itself up and is the beach’s symbol of identity.
Playa de los Muertos beach preceded by the Salinicas beach on a swell day.
To get there you have to walk for about 15 minutes and park your car in a pay car park. In summer it tends to be a bit crowded due to its great fame.
ENMEDIO COVE AND THE PLOMO COVE
These two coves with access from Agua Amarga are two of the jewels of Almeria. The Enmedio cove is smaller, totally unspoilt and can be reached on foot from Agua Amarga. They have very unique white cliffs and bathing areas from the rock itself.
The Plomo cove is a little further away and, unlike other beaches in Cabo de Gata, the rocks surrounding this beach are limestone (of sedimentary origin). In addition to being a beach of extraordinary beauty, the stream that flows into this beach has several constructions of ethnographic interest such as rafts and a waterwheel (which worked with animal traction).
Cala Enmedio on a day with a light easterly wind that ruffles the sea.
SAN PEDRO
From Las Negras a dirt road leads northwards to the famous beach of San Pedro. A hippie community settled here many years ago. The long road from Las Negras meant that for many years it was an isolated and little known place, but with the popularisation of tourism the place became fashionable.
It is a sandy beach with incredibly blue waters, a small castle and even a water spring. The cove is bordered by white cliffs that complete an idyllic landscape.
This little paradise is about 45 minutes walk or 10 minutes by boat. Boats will be available on the shore of the beach for the trip. If you decide to walk, expect to take a half or full day and bring food and water.
Idyllic moment in the cove of San Pedro, a memory from many years ago.
EL PLAYAZO
This is the beach of Rodalquilar, and even if it is not beach weather it is worth a visit. The road is very pretty, with farmhouses, a 16th century castle that protected some alum mines and many palm trees. When you reach the beach you will see an 18th century defensive bastion on the left hand side. Walk towards it and go around the coast along the cliffs. The rocks there have a very peculiar yellow colour (they are made of sandstone). If you feel like walking you can follow a path that leads to the campsite of Las Negras, but we will tell you about that in the hiking section. To the south you will see some cuts in the mountain that are the result of the extraction of cobblestones for the streets.
This fine sandy beach has a reef full of life just a few metres from entering the water. If you go for a swim it is advisable not to step on this delicate ecosystem, as it is a beach that gets very crowded in summer.
Rodalquilar Valley with the Playazo in the background (Oliver, Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0).
LOS GENOVESES
The bay of Los Genoveses, together with the next beach, is perhaps the most famous of the Cabo de Gata Natural Park. It is accessed from San Jose by a dirt track that during the summer months has a restricted access due to the overcrowding that the place suffered. The Bay of Genoveses is a paradise on earth. The northern area has a grove of eucalyptus and pine trees at the back of the beach. It is well worth a stroll along its long, fine sandy shore. If you like walking there is a path that starts from San Jose and goes around the mountain. It can be considered a virgin beach, as it is far from the towns and has no rubbish collection service or lifeguards. Remember, whatever you bring, you must bring it back.
The beach of Los Genoveses as we ascend the Morron de Genoveses.
MONSUL
The beach of Mónsul is a cinema beach. Scenes from Indiana Jones (1989), The Wind and the Lion (1975), The Neverending Story (1984) and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (Monty Phyton 1988) were filmed there, as well as the video clip of a famous singer from Almeria (David Bisbal). The beach is characterised by its volcanic walls and fine black sand. One of its main attractions is a dune whose size varies according to the prevailing winds. On the walls of Monsul beach it is common to find climbers practising bulder (bouldering or climbing without ropes). If you want to complete your visit to Monsul, walk to the west (La Media Luna) and east beaches.
Monsul beach from the top of the fossil dune.
MACIZO DEL BARRONAL
The area between the bay of Los Genoveses and the beach of Monsul is known as the Macizo del Barronal. The barron (from which the name Barronal derives) is a plant similar to esparto grass that grows naturally in this area. We can consider this area to be one of the most unspoilt and unique in the whole of Cabo de Gata. The coves follow one after the other between volcanic mountains that rise above the coast. They can only be accessed on foot, but avoiding going off the paths, as it is an extremely sensitive area.
CALA RAJÁ
Cala Rajá is a small cove like a tiny bay. It is ideal for a windy day, as it is sheltered by the mountains. In summer it is usually quite crowded due to its small size. Near Cala Rajá there are other small beaches and rocky places to discover walking along the coast.
LA RECTA AND LA FABRIQUILLA
The beach of Cabo or Cabo de Gata is a huge stretch of coastline known to the people of Almeria as the beach of La Recta. Parallel to the beach is a completely straight road where many car commercials and Jamiroquai video clips (Cosmic Girl and Cloud 9) have been filmed. The sand on this beach is coarse-grained and consists of small rounded pebbles. Its waters are very transparent, especially on easterly days when the wind blows from the land.
The final stretch of the beach in an easterly direction is known as the Fabriquilla beach. The sand is a little finer and is already at the foot of the first mountains of the Cabo de Gata range.
The beach of Cabo de Gata with the iconic church that characterises it (© Turismo Andaluz).
BLUE WATERS OF CABO DE GATA
Cabo de Gata is characterised by its blue waters with exceptional visibility. Swimming alone is a pleasure, but if you like to go a little further, use diving goggles. When you dive you will discover a totally different natural park. To enjoy the blue waters of Cabo de Gata, the ideal time to visit is on a day with a gentle westerly wind. From the beach itself you will be able to marvel at its waters, but if you are looking for spectacular photos you have to go up a little way to a viewpoint.
Blue water in the Isleta del Moro, in the background the choppy sea with a westerly wind.
WARNING. Caution
If you go snorkelling it is important not to step on the rocky or vegetated seabed. As we mentioned before, the underwater fauna and flora are some of the most extraordinary values of this natural park.
VIEWPOINTS OF CABO DE GATA
Cabo de Gata is a mountainous place, so almost any hill you climb will offer you spectacular views. We tell you about the four we like the most.
ARRECIFE DE LAS SIRENAS (MERMAIDS’ REEF)
The Sirenas reef is an islet and group of rocks at the foot of the lighthouse and Cabo de Gata, which gives its name to the whole park and mountain range. In the past, colonies of monk seals used to live in areas like this, but today they have completely disappeared. It is said that the sounds of these animals resembled the song of mermaids, hence the name of the reef.
It is undoubtedly a magical place, but in summer it loses all its charm at sunset due to the overcrowding of recent years. Everything is full of badly parked cars, traffic jams on the way in and out and people trampling all over the sides of the lighthouse. We recommend you visit before sunset to enjoy the views of the reef.
The Sirenas reef from below.
VELA BLANCA VIEWPOINT
The Vela Blanca viewpoint is a very elevated spot at the end of a road. It is an excellent alternative for watching the sunset and, although you won’t see the sun set over the sea, the scenery is more spectacular than at the Sirenas reef. Nearby is a 16th century watchtower (watchtower) on the cliff.
We don’t have any photos of the viewpoint, but we do have one of the cove just below. It is the cove of Punta Negra with its andesite formations in columns. It cannot be reached on foot.
PUNTA DE LA POLACRA
It takes quite a while to climb up to the Polacra point. Depending on your pace and starting point it will take you between 30 and 45 minutes. Once at the top you will be at one of the highest coastal points of the Cabo de Gata Natural Park. At the top you will find the Torre de los Lobos, an ancient watchtower from the 16th century that also functions as a lighthouse. The views from up there are simply spectacular.
AMATISTA VIEWPOINT
We always recommend the Mirador de la Amatista. It is at the foot of the road, has beautiful views and it is easy to find amethyst stones. As you continue your journey you will pass a fascinating switchback.
HIKING IN CABO DE GATA
In Cabo de Gata there are many options for hiking both along the coast and inland. Some areas of special interest for walking are the Rodalquilar mines, the Cortijo del Fraile and the Requena ravine, the volcanic caldera of Majada Redonda, the track from Higuera cove to Los Escullos, the Barronal massif, the path to Enmedio cove, etc. Here are three unforgettable trails in Cabo de Gata.
EL PLAYAZO – LAS NEGRAS
The path is not very long and runs just above the fossil dune cliffs. As it is a high path, the scenery is very enjoyable, especially on days when the sea is flat. Along the way there are some places where you can go down to the water for a swim from the rocks. Be careful, these sedimentary rocks are eroded by the wind and generate very fine-grained deposits which, when mixed with the wet body, leave the skin very soft.
Sandstone cliffs of the Playazo over which the path to Las Negras runs.
LAS NEGRAS – CALA DE SAN PEDRO
The first part of the path has a significant climb on a wide track. Further on you keep the altitude and enjoy unique views of the volcanic landscape. The second part of the trail is a narrow path on the mountainside. At this point, extreme caution should be exercised. The destination is the cove of San Pedro, which we have already mentioned. The outward journey takes about 45 minutes.
Spectacular views on the route to San Pedro cove.
LA ISLETA DEL MORO – CALA DEL TORO
In spring one of the most interesting activities in La Isleta is a walk that starts on the esplanade of the beach. It is a ravine full of palm trees, a real oasis in the middle of the arid landscape. Further up the palm grove ends but the path continues. Once you have reached a hill, it begins to descend to the Toro cove. On the way down, the vegetation returns. It is a Mediterranean forest that ends in a small rocky cove.
Palm grove that crosses the path to the Toro cove.
PIRATES AT CABO DE GATA
It was not like in the film ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, but the coast of Cabo de Gata was raided by pirates from the Maghreb for almost 4 centuries. After the Christian conquest of these territories, which were in the hands of the Nasrids (Muslims from Granada), a period of hostility began. From the end of the 15th century until almost the beginning of the 19th century, the entire coast was fortified with watchtowers and bastions. These fortifications can be recognised in almost all of Cabo de Gata (in the map at the end of the post we indicate the location).
Piracy is well documented in texts from the 16th century onwards and, although it existed in other parts of Andalusia, Cabo de Gata saw more attacks as it was an isolated and sparsely populated place.
Castle of La Cala de San Pedro from the end of the 16th century.
MAP OF CABO DE GATA
And here is the map so that you can find these fantastic places in Cabo de Gata in one day. Vélez Blanco is a bit far away, but if you have the opportunity to visit it, you will love it.
