Cabo de Gata is a cocktail of beaches, cliffs, sea and
light, combined in perfect harmony. If there is something
besides these four features which calls the attention, it
is the lack of crowds and the wildness of the landscape.
To the east of Almería a traditional fishing port,
Retamar and Torre García, we enter the Cabo de Gata
- Níjar Natural Park.
The contrast begin: the up-to-now straight road begins to
snake in often tight bends, the superb flat beaches of San
Miguel and la Almadraba move on to often steeply-dropping
beaches, and the peace and quiet of the flamingoes, golden
dunes and whitewashed arquitecture of San Miguel de Cabo
de Gata (with its echoes of Africa), are replaced by the
high cliffs worn away by the violence of the sea. The lighthouse
and vantage point of Cabo de Gata appear before us; 150
metres below, the sea strikes against and wears down the
rocks. In the midst of the seaspray, the Mermaid´s
Reef stands dark and ghostly. The south gives way to the
east, and the coastline begins to climb north. Before stands
the "Vela Blanca" watchtower against the backdrop
of the Mediterranean.
The track which leads from here to San José is prohibited,
so we therefore make our way back to the main road around
the Sierra. San José is the most important town within
the Park area, after Carboneras. It is a fair-sized whitewashed
town with an enormous beach, two coves and a well-implanted
tourist infraestructure. Its marina, sheltered by the cliffs
gives lovers of the sea the chance to practice many different
water sports.
From San José, after going inland to visit Níjar,
we pass numerous routes down to the sea leading to picturesque
spots. This is a diver´s paradise.
The road now moves among a different, drier landscape, inland
towards Rodalquilar, a former mining village vilage. Walking
along the coast, or from the sea, one finds natural pools,
fascinating coves and caves hued from the rock, old dens
for monk seals. Some of the cabes contain amethyst.
At Las Negras, another small village within the Park, a
campsite close to the sea serves as shelter for nature lovers.
A boat service is available to take you to the San Pedro
cove.
The uneven clifftops mean that the visitor to Agua Amarga
has to take the round about route. Set amongst high cliffs,
the centre of the village looks out over its promenade to
a family beach with makeshift beach bars and sailing craft
catering to a gentle, non-crowded tourism.
