Cabo de Gata

Cabo de Gata-Nijar is a coastal natural park of about 380 square kilometres protecting a landscape formed by volcanic activity around fifteen million years ago: cliffs and headlands of dark rock, small coves of pale sand between them, and inland an arid plain that receives under two hundred millimetres of rain a year, making it the driest place in Europe. Beaches such as Monsul and Genoveses sit at the end of tracks with no development, and Playa de los Muertos further north is reached by a steep path. The salt flats near the lighthouse hold flamingos through much of the year. The whitewashed villages of San Jose, Las Negras and Agua Amarga are the bases.

What you actually see

• The volcanic coves - Monsul, Genoveses and others between dark headlands.
• The salt flats - flamingos and waders near the cape lighthouse.
• The desert interior - an arid plain with agave, palmetto and dry riverbeds.
• The white villages - San Jose, Las Negras and Agua Amarga.

When to go

April to June and September to October for warm sea without the July and August crowds; summer brings vehicle restrictions on the road to Monsul and Genoveses with a shuttle bus instead. Winter is mild but many services close.

Honest expectations

There is almost no shade anywhere and water must be carried. Access roads to the best beaches are unsurfaced and closed to cars in high season. Facilities are minimal at most coves, and the wind can be strong.

Nearby

Almeria city and its alcazaba lie west; the Tabernas desert is inland to the north.