Discovering Almeria and its region

The charming and historic city of Almeria lies in the eastern section of Spain`s Andalucía region in the south west corner of Spain. The Andalucian coast is lapped by the waters of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic and is bordered to the west by Portugal. The city and its surrounds are experiencing an increase in visitors due to the attractive combination of culture, scenery and climate; yet the region is still very much an `undiscovered` area of Andalucía, giving visitors a wonderful insight into traditional Spanish life. With its dramatic location at the foot of a mountain range Almeria is full of fascinating historical sites, with perhaps the most well known being the splendid Alcazaba, an ancient Arab fortress.

For visitors keen to explore the beautiful countryside around Almeria, renting a car is a good option to discover the area at your own pace. Several important sites are within driving distance and a road trip will really give you an insight into the diversity of Andalucía. A must for fans of the great outdoors is a trip into the magnificent Sierra Nevada National Park, which lies within Almeria province. The Sierra Nevada is a large and rugged mountain range and the national park comprises an impressive diversity of landscape. The park covers around ninety thousand hectares so if you are planning a road trip, decide on an area to focus on and spend the day exploring. You can reach the Sierra Nevada in around 30 minutes from Almeria city and there are lots of fantastic walking routes and mountain villages to explore as well as some of the most spectacular scenery in Spain. With such varied scenery, it is advisable to allow several days to explore the region, concentrating on a different section of the national park each day.

Another popular spot easily reached from Almeria is the Andalucian region of Granada, where you can discover one of the most famous structures in the world: the Alhambra. Located around 100 kilometres to the east of Almeria, the famous palace attracts over two million visitors each year. Dating from the 13th century, this ancient fortress is set in extensive and beautiful gardens and visitors should allow several hours to really make the most of their visit. With its well-chosen position at the top of a hill, the view from the Alhambra is simply stunning, offering sweeping panoramas across Granada city.

Almeria city is a great base from which to explore the surrounding area and there are a number of good accommodation choices, ranging from budget guest houses to lavish hotels. Shop around in advance and you should be able to find a good deal to suit your needs. Getting to Almeria is straightforward, with the city well-connected to other Spanish cities by road and rail. Almeria airport is an efficient and well developed gateway to the region, with regular international flights including routes from Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham. With its proximity to Portugal`s Algarve region, Almeria can also be reached by flying into Faro airport and renting a car to enjoy the beautiful eastern Algarve coast before arriving in Andalucia. If you want to arrange car hire Faro Airport is a great place to do it as several major rental companies have offices there.