If you don’t want to have every day on the beach, there are lots of things to see and do.

 

Markets

Markets can be good fun and there are some bargains to be had.  Most of the year the fruit and veg are just stunning and there can be a fun atmosphere.  You must be aware of pick pockets.  If possible don’t take a bag at all, take money in small notes and distribute them around all your pockets.  Don’t spoil your holiday by being careless. Don’t take credit cards, purse, wallet, just a bit of cash and a copy of your passport. (You should always carry identification with you in Spain.  A photo driving licence will do – or we’ve had credit card size passport copies laminated.)

Monday	Antas Huercal Overa
Tuesday	Cuevas del Almanzora Los Gallardos Albox
Wednesday	Mojacar Pueblo Lubrin Bedar
Thursday	Cuevas del Almanzora Carboneras
Friday	Garrucha Turre
Saturday	Vera
Sunday	Villaricos Mojacar Flea Market

 

Fiestas

Fiestas are fabulous town parties.  Usually linked to the Patron Saint of the Church, often the carved statues from the church are carried through the streets, then there will be a street party and fireworks, often with live music and dancing in the town until the early morning.  

Garrucha
Virgen del Carmen, July 16
San Joaquin, August 16

Mojacar
San Isidro, May 15
Moors and Christians, June 7-9
San Juan, June 24
San Agustin, August 28

Vera
San Cleofas, September 25

Turre
San Francisco de Asis, October 3-6
Santiago Apostal, June 25
Fiesta de Verano, August 1-6
La Immaculada, December 8

Carboneras
San Antonio (Moors and Christians), June 11-14
Fiestas del Pescador y Turistica, August 14-15
Procession of the Virgen del Carmen, July 16

Lubrin
Bread Festival, January 20th

Bedar
San Gregorio, May 9
Santa Maria de la Cabeza (Moors and Christians), September 24

Sorbas
Cruces de Mayo, May 30-31
Nuestra Senora de Mayo, May 13
Romeria de San Isidro, May 15
San Roque, August 14-17

Antas
San Roque, August 16

 

Cuevas del Almanzora

Market day at Cuevas is Tuesday and Thursday.  It’s a little local market, not too much ‘tourist’ stuff, but there’s good fruit and veg, linen, cheese etc.  The market is up at the top of the hill, near the old castle. 

Before or after you do your shopping have a look around the castle, there’s a wonderful art gallery with some lovely impressionist paintings inside one part of the castle and a museum inside the other part and it’s all free.  The castle itself is very nice too.

After that, why not have a drive up to the dam, built by the Americans as part of the compensation for the lost atomic bomb in Palomares.  Unfortunately the river that supplies this dam is not running like it was in the 1950s, so the reservoirs are nearly empty, but it’s still a pretty impressive structure with a huge Indalo man painted on one side.  Below it is the location of the rowing facility for the Mediterranean Games a few years ago.

There are a few nice Tapas bars in Cuevas.  The Hostal Lucerna just next to Luis Callado Mueblos (furniture shop) does excellent tapas and menu del dia. 

 

Mojacar Pueblo

The white town, on top of the hill.  In the 1960s the town was becoming a ghost town.  Then the mayor of Mojacar gave away land to people who would live in the village and it became a bit of an artisan sort of village, and now its future is secure with lots of tourist shops, bars and restaurants.  There’s nice artwork, jewellery, pottery and of course lots of Indalo Men.

It can be impossible to park in summer, so park in the park and ride car park by the garage on the round about, and take the bus up into the pueblo.  You’ll get completely lost wondering around the tiny streets, many only wide enough for a donkey (or motor scooter) but eventually you’ll get back to where you started.  There’s a lovely view down to the coast from the square. 

The Bar Sarten up at the top of the hill, past the church, does good English food, and it’s a nice bar with lots of atmosphere (not an awful plastic Brit Bar).

 

Cortigo Grande

This is higher up the mountain.  It’s a lovely drive, and you could follow the tracks up from the village and also have a fabulous mountain walk.  Not having a four wheel drive, we can’t do it, but you can actually drive over the top of the mountain in the right vehicle.   

Go into Turre, turn right and follow the road out of the village.  After you’ve left the village, look for a left turn with gate posts, clearly marked Cortigo Grande.  Follow the winding road up, past the golf course, keep following the signs for Los Pastores. You will eventually come to a village of very pretty, high cost villas, all individually designed,  tucked into crevices in the mountain and all built in Arabic Style.  The original village was one of the last to be inhabited by Moors, centuries ago.  It then became a very high class hotel resort, famous for its crown green bowling, but it all fell into disrepair a few decades ago following a bad winter when part of the hotel and bowling greens slipped down the mountain.  Until this summer you could wonder round the old hotel, which was very spooky, like wondering round the Marie Celeste, but the Health and Safety police have obviously been busy and now the Edwardian splendor has all been walled off   Just wondering round the village is interesting, though, and Los Pastores is a beautiful building and the food’s okay too.  I think it’s entirely inhabited by ‘posh English people’.

Drive through the archway and follow the road down, and you will get back to Turre by a different route, and you will pass Fatima’s restaurant on your left.  That is also a beautiful building, with many authentic building materials imported from Morocco.  I particularly like the sparkling tiles in the patio.   

 

Nijar  

 Nijar is a white washed village with a lovely relaxed atmosphere at the foot of the Sierra Alhamilla mountains, drive down the N344 and you will come to the signs for Nijar, a few miles before Almeria.  Nijar is famous for local crafts, ceramics and ‘jarapas’ the hand made rugs. It also has a good range of shops selling Moroccan wares.   Be careful if you’re tempted to buy a rug and you’re flying – they are very heavy.  In Nijar the prices of these local crafts are much lower than on the coast. 

 

Almeria

Almeria is the capital centre of the province.  There are a number of historical sights including the cathedral and the Alcazaba, which is described as a mini Alhambra.  The Alcazaba is a Moorish fortress, from the era of the Moorish occupation of Spain.  You could spend the whole day in the Alcazaba and its grounds, which are magnificent with lots of running water. The views from the Alcazaba are stunning.   

If you walk down from the Alcazaba into Almeria centre, you will be walking through the fishing community and the gypsies.  Take the same precautions that you would in the markets.

Almeria city is modern and bustling,  with a lovely wide central street, good quality shops and modern boutiques.  Market days are Tuesday and Friday.

It is possible to drive to Almeria, the biggest problem really is the parking.  It might be a better alternative to use the bus.  There are organised excursions, try Vera Natura reception, MedSea on Hotel Street or many of the Travel Agents in Mojacar, or try the service bus, much cheaper, from Garrucha, Mojacar or Vera town.  You can find a details at http://www.alsa.es

 

Granada

An amazing city.  It is possible to do as a day trip, or possibly two if you want to visit the Alhambra.  The drive takes about 2.5 hours and there are plenty of excursions. At least once a week, in summer, an excursion bus picks up / drops off in front of Vera Natura.  If you want to visit the Alhambra and are visiting independently then you need to book your tickets in advance, these will normally come as part of an excursion package. Alternatively, and much cheaper, use the service bus.  The very local bus company, that runs the service to Vera, Garrucha etc, has a regular service to Granada.  Look up www.autocaresbaraza.com.  Tickets for the Alhambra are available from www.alhambra-tickets.es