As there are still a few days of summer we propose a trip to an area that we love: Cabo de Gata and the surroundings. You do not have to go far to enjoy exotic landscapes, coastal villages, pirate ruins, deserts, beaches and wild coves and the best ... TAPAS! Come on, we have prepared a complete post complete with everything there is What to see and do in Cabo de Gata.
The Natural Park of Cabo de Gata-Níjar is a park of volcanic origin and the maritime-terrestrial protected area of greater surface area and ecological relevance of the entire western European Mediterranean Sea. We are fortunate enough to take advantage of this area often as my parents spend there most of the year, so every time we can we give each other a sneak.
A good idea is to stay in Mojacar, that although Cabo de Gata is not proper, it is very close. It is a town with a lot of charm hanging on the slopes of a mountain, with its typical houses of white facades and narrow and steep alleys where only people and formerly donkeys can pass. Or do it on the beach side, with a much wider offer of accommodation.
Once our operations base is located, we can begin to explore these places, and the best, follow the coast line towards Cabo de Gata, we will find spectacular views.
If we have left prepared with a towel and umbrella to enjoy a long day at the beach (do not forget the sandwiches and water!), The first forced stop is the beach of the dead. Do not be scared of the name, it is called that way because formerly here the bodies were stopped after shipwrecks, although today you will only find tourists twisting in the sun. It is a line of more than one km of pebbles and with turquoise waters, accessible through a path that runs in about 15 minutes, so do not go too loaded because you may regret it! Personally it is my favorite beach and I think the most beautiful beach of Cabo de Gata!
Other beaches that are worthwhile are the Isleta del Moro, the Playazo de Rodalquilar, the Genoveses and Mónsul, although there are many more. Just let yourself be carried away by your instinct, or make a stop to refuel halfway in a small town and ask. The best (if not only) way to visit them is by private transport, although if you stay at the town of San José, there are buses that take you to the nearest beaches. In summer there are paid parking on some beaches, and others free.
It is best to have several days (we would say that 3 are the minimum) to be able to know the area in conditions and enjoy everything there is what to see and do in Cabo de Gata, Beyond what has already been mentioned, we recommend:
- Fall in love with the views from the viewpoint of the Sirens
-Visit the lighthouse of Cabo de Gata
-See the salt flats of Cabo de Gata
- Spend a few hours in the town of Las Negras
-Bath you in the middle Cala
-Get fresh fish in the restaurants of Cabo de Gata
-Rental a kayak and find your own private beach
-Make caving in the Sorbas Caves
Tip: if you don't have a car, you can sign up for a tour of Cabo de Gata, like this one.
Another worthwhile visit is the Tabernas desert, with its arid climate and its characteristic karst landscapes, ideal for reproducing times and distant places. It was not in vain that it was the capital of Western Spaghetti and the scene of films such as Lawrence of Arabia, The Good the Ugly and the Bad, Cleopatra, Conan the Barbarian or Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. You can feel like a real cowboy visiting one of the recording studios, with his canteen, his Sherif commissary or his dance halls.
But we go to the mess, after a few days of hustle, visits to the national park, beaches, markets ... we will have to give ourselves a joy to the body, right? If I'm not being clear enough I'm going to spell it: T-A-P-A-S. If you arrive at a small place, ask for a cane and choose what you want to eat, between 25 different dishes, or wait for the special cover of the house ... priceless!
And for you to enjoy them as a dwarf, or as an elderly gentleman, Garrucha is the best place. In the Fisherman's Inn they put a whole squid battered to cool their fingers and in La Simona There are quite a few tapas, of a lifetime, to choose from. But our favorite is the Corner of the Port, if you go you can not miss the potatoes made with a secret recipe and the marinade dogfish is very good! Another place we like to talk about is the Boracay.
And don't be shy! Always ask if there is a lid included with the drink! For larger budgets there is the world famous Garrucha red shrimp.
If in the end you dare to travel to this area of Almeria, let us know, maybe we can see each other since we spend there several weeks a year. Do you know more stuff what to see and do in Cabo de Gata?
