Almería, located on the Southeast coast of Spain, surrounded by the calm and warm Mediterranean, is a crucible of cultures that offers the student and to those who visit its, beach, sports, culture, varied night life.
When entering Almería the first impression we get is its Mediterranean flavour. What was once the main port of Al-Andalus is now, as then, an open and welcoming city accustomed to receiving people from all over the world.
The city is a rich compendium of artistic styles and contrasting atmospheres bathed in the perpetual, brilliant sunlight which seems to be brighter here than anywhere else.
Parque Nicolás Salmerón leads us into the old town which in turn gives access to the Alcazaba (Moorish fortress). Churches, convents and monasteries rise from the narrow streets, inviting us to discover the city’s rich religious heritage, with the Cathedral as its maximum expression. The Plaza Vieja opens before us as an oasis of calm, a perfect place to have a rest. Outside the old city, the streets widen and the public buildings reflect the magnificence of the 19th century. The bustling Rambla takes us to the Port and Las Almadravillas beach, overlooked by the former mineral ore loader called Cable Inglés. Our stroll through Almería finishes in the most modern part of the city, with the Museum and Train Station. Almería, looking seaward today as in the past.
The city’s historical quarter is home to numerous bars and restaurants offering exquisite tapas and meals, combining sightseeing with gastronomy and our school is located in the heart of the historical quarter, in Real street, which leads to La Plaza Vieja and 100 metres away from the Olive Oil Museum, a popular attraction for tourists where we organise parties and singing and flamenco shows are held weekly. We cannot hope to know a city by a sight alone, we must also experience its flavours.
Some places of interest in Almeria are:
* LA ALCAZABA. Moorish citadel. The undisputed symbol of Moorish Almería is the Alcazaba. Rising on a hill overlooking the city, its unmistakable profile has dominated the bay for more than ten centuries
* THE PORT, which keeps us in contact with Africa (Melilla, Nador, Ceuta...) A port of entry since Antiquity, the Port of Almería is visited by cruise liners from all over the world.
* THE FORTIFIED CATHEDRAL, unique in Spain, symbolises the Christian city. It was ordered to be built in the extramural quarter of La Musalla following the destruction of its predecessor (now the church of San Juan) which had occupied the site of the former main mosque in the 1522 earthquake
* LA RAMBLA, it is a park that divides old and new Almería in two parts from the mountains to the port.
But apart from the city Almería boasts the Cabo de Gata Nijar natural park. It is the most untouched and least explored area of the province of Almería, an area which finds its maximum expression in the small fishing villages steeped in ancient customs and traditions that seem to have been suspended in time, like picture post cards from the past.
As a centre for tourism, the Western Coast boasts a large number of Blue Flag beaches with the accompanying services and amenities that put the finishing touches on holidaymaking.
Sunbathing on the beaches of Almeria or Beach Serena, or windsurfing at dawn are good ways to start the day, which can be nicely rounded out by enjoying the peace of the wide-open spaces in the afternoon, or by renting a boat at the marina from which to watch the sun set.
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Welcome to Almeria
