One of Europe’s most unique regions, with a rich landscape, deep history and dozens of lesser known towns and villages; in Almeria you’ll discover a new side of Spain.

Hot, dry and gloriously diverse, Almeria is the forgotten treasure of southern Spain. You’ll experience the best of this culturally rich region and avoid the crowds.

At the east end of Andalucia, Almeria is home to some of the region’s most dramatic landscapes. It is rich in history, heavy on tradition.

The first thing you’ll notice about Almeria is its climate. Hot, arid and dry with an average annual temperature of 19.1 °C (66.4 °F), it is the second warmest and sunniest city in Europe (after Seville). But that doesn’t mean it’s a sun scorched wasteland; the region has an abundance of riches for nature lovers to explore.

You’ll find a land of contrasts; home to one of the most beautiful and ecologically diverse coastlines and Europe’s only desert – made famous by countless spaghetti westerns.

Take Cabo de Gata, a volcanic natural park on the east coast, with coves that are only accessible by foot, it gives visitors the sense that they are discovering new territory. And in the shadow of the eroded mountains of the Desierto de Tabernas, is Níjar, a village with a link to the region’s earliest history, through earthenware ceramics produced using the same techniques as in Phoenician times.

You’ll enjoy some of the clearest skies in Europe as you sit stargazing from your balcony in the evenings. Little wonder that one of the world’s most powerful telescopes has been installed at Cergal in Almeria.

Along a coastline stretching for 214 km you will find some of the most affordable properties in southern Spain. From Almeria city, a working port steeped in Moorish history, you are within easy distance of popular resorts Roquetas de Mar to the south, or Mojácar in the north, which successfully mixes traditional Spanish village life with a lively beach resort. The truly adventurous might like to sample the delights of troglodyte living in the cave houses dotted along the coast!

The Costa Almeria in the community of Andalusia encompasses 220 kilometres of coastline along the edge of the province of Almeria from Pulipi in Murcia to Adra in Granada. It is desert brought to bloom, attracting residents with a relaxed, bohemian temperament looking for an adventurous, affordable and uncrowded shoreline.

The hottest and driest coast in Spain, the Costa Almeria includes the Levante Almeriense, Almeria and Pimento Almeriense regions. The high average temperatures have created a combination of desert scrubland, greenhouse crops, rugged cliffs and sandy beaches. Popular beach resorts include Vera, Mojacar, Roquetas de Mar and Almerimar.

Mojacar is the most well-known; it was virtually abandoned in the 1950s, so a new Mayor offered to give away the town’s empty houses to anyone willing to fix them up, thus attracting the artisans that rebuilt this now bohemian community. Almeria is the capital city and the gateway to the Costa Almeria due to its international airport. The city has myriad tourist sights, most notably, the vast Islamic fort called the Alcazaba. There are fast-growing urbanisations in or near the towns of Tabernas, Albox, and Desert Springs — a renowned golf resort. Travelling between towns is easy with regular buses and road connections. Trains connect the larger towns to Madrid and beyond. The expat community thrives here, so searching for schools and jobs is relatively easy.

Almeria’s coastline has escaped considerable development and remains largely unspoilt. The Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Níjar to the South protects the Sierra del Cabo de Gata mountains as part of a huge nature reserve. These summits drop directly into the Mediterranean Sea, creating jagged, towering cliffs, riven by gullies that result in hidden coves with white, sandy beaches. Whereas to the North, you’ll find flatter ground, with quaint towns and modern resorts hosting vibrant beach fronts and sands. Golfers never get rained off and film fans can visit Oasys’ Mini Hollywood theme park which is built in the desert used as a location in films such as ‘Lawrence of Arabia’, ‘Cleopatra’, ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’, ‘Death had a Price’ and ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’.