Page 378 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

when you get down to 4-6.30pm Tue-Sat, 10.30am- savvy travellers head for
the nitty-gritty. Its warm 1pm Sun) at the top of Almería’s equally hefty
climate – there’s no real a hill overlooking the Alcazaba fortress, which
winter to speak of – lends sea, with fine views and lords it over a city that
it the name, Costa Tropical. another cleverly curated once served as chief sea
The region’s unofficial museum. outlet for the 10th-century
capital is Almuñécar, The Drive » After 20 years Córdoba caliphate.
a fiercely traditional in the making, the final links Almería’s old Moorish
town that’s a little rough of the A7 around Motril and quarter that lies in the
around the edges, but Salobreña were established skirts of the Alcazaba
very relaxed. in 2015 after many delays. hill hasn’t been spruced
Dedicated to beach The autopista (toll way) takes up for the tourist hordes,
fun, Almuñécar’s drivers around the north of meaning it is scruffy, but
seafront is divided by a Motril, bypassing the older very real. Get Moor-
N340 in the south. As the
rocky outcrop, the Peñón landscape gets more arid ishly acquainted in the
del Santo, with pebbly you’ll spy increasing numbers Alcazaba (Calle Almanzor;
Playa de San Cristóbal of commercial greenhouses h9am-7.30pm Tue-Sat Apr–
stretching to its west, punctuating the coastal mid-Jun, to 3.30pm Tue-Sat
and Playa Puerta del Mar landscape. Almería beckons. mid-Jun–mid-Sep, to 5.30pm
to the east backed by a Distance from Almuñécar to Tue-Sat mid-Sep–Mar, to
strip of cool cafes. Almería is 139km. 3.30pm Sun all year), or the
The Museo Arque- Hammam Aire de
SPAIN 27 MEDITERRANEAN MEANDER
ológico (Calle San Joaquín; Almería (www.aire-
adult/child €2.35/1.60; 3 Almería dealmeria.com; Plaza de la
h10am-1.30pm & 4-6.30pm Don’t underestimate Constitución 5; 1½hr session
Tue-Sat, 10.30am-1pm Sun) in sun-baked Almería, a incl 15min aromatherapy €23;
the maze of the old town tough waterside city h10am-10pm), a sanitised
highlights Almuñécar’s with an illustrious modern-day version of a
ancient Phoenician history and a handful Arabic bathhouse. The
roots. Tickets include of important historical city’s latest sight is the
entry to the Castillo monuments to prove it. fantastic Museo de la
de San Miguel (Santa While the queues bulge Guitarra (%950 27 43 58;
Adela Explanada; adult/child outside Granada’s Al- Ronda del Beato Diego Ventaja;
€2.35/1.60; h10am-1.30pm & hambra, mere trickles of admission €3; h10.30am-
1.30pm Tue-Sun, 6-9pm Fri
& Sat Jun-Sep, 10am-1pm
Tue-Sun, 5-8pm Fri & Sat Oct-
TOP TIP: May), which documents
TOLL ROADS Almeria’s understated
role in the development
The AP7 (also known as E15), is a toll-charging of the iconic instrument.
autopista (motorway) that parallels much of Spain’s 5 p386
southern coastline. You will have to stop periodically
to pay a toll at manned booths. The total cost for the The Drive » Head east out of
route highlighted here will be in the vicinity of €57. Almería on the N344. Cross the
The confusingly named A7 follows a similar route Río Andarax and pass the airport
to the AP7, but is toll-free. The N340 is a third road on your right. Fork right onto the
ALP202 and at a T-junction turn
paralleling Spain’s southern coast, although these right. Follow the road (AL3108)
days much of it has merged with the A7. Some of the through low hills into the village
N340 follows the route of the Roman Vía Augustus. of San José (total distance
40km).

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