One day, the Mediterranean sea and three volcanos made one of the most beautiful natural places in the world... it was named Cabo de Gata... Prehistoric people, Greeks, Romans, Arabs... loved it, and they kept the secret...
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Genoveses beach in Cabo de Gata-Níjar
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Undoubtedly the nature rewarded this Spanish corner with an insuperable beauty. Located on the south-east corner of Spain, about 20 kilometres from Almería, Cabo de Gata lives alone, with the nature. White small villages near the sea, flowered balconies and windows, flemings, gulls, tortoises, dolphins, small lizards, coral reefs, starfishes, seahorses... live together in this unique ecosystem. Also, there is not any more maritime-terrestrial Nature Reserve in Spain. Biosphere Reserve by the UNESCO, Natural Park, ZEPA (High Nature Value)... are some of the titles that endorse the high ecological value of this place. The first thing you can see when you arrive is the black colour of the mountains, a mixture of a volcano and an African desert.
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Swim in the beaches: you will doubt if you are in Cabo de Gata or in a Caribbean island... crystaline waters, colour fishes around you, red, white, yellow, black sands... it is an exceptional experience if you are looking for real nature. If you are lucky, you will see some artist portraying landscapes. It is indispensable to visit Cabo de Gata beacon. Other indispensable visit is Mónsul desert dunes, Almadraba de Montelva church, fishing white villages of San José, Los Escúllos, Aguamarga, La Isleta del Moro... where to fish is an art, they do it as their ancestrors.
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| What's really great: |
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Genoveses beach is an exceptional place to see the Mediterranean, also it is really nice La Isleta del Moro, a small white village near the sea and with fantastic views of Gata mountains. Mónsul beach is another place to visit and Rodalquilar is an interior village where famous writter García Lorca was inspired for his novel Bodas de Sangre. Palms, desert, red mountains, black sands and blue sky do of the simplicity a luxury to see. San José village is a beautiful village where you can find typical restaurants and nice places to relax.
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| Sights: |
It is very difficult to say any special place to visit, but if you like walking and breathing pure air, it is really interesting to ride a horse and go to the Natural Park heart, there you will enjoy the fantastic sights.
It is very nice to go to Carboneras and see the beacon (it is the highest beacon of the world) and the litlle fortification near it. There are fantastic views to take photos.
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There are many nice hotels with beautiful views
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There are a lot of nice hotels, campings and resorts in the villages. San José, las Negras, Aguamarga or Cabo de Gata are the villages where you can lodge and enjoy your visit. You will not have problems to find a room, it is not a overcrowded place, at summer or at winter you will enjoy the same and without much people. Hotels here are not expensive and all of them have very good services. If you are looking for sea views you can stay in San José or if you prefer moutains you can go to Rodalquilar or Almadraba de Montelva. Anyway all of them have an exceptional charming.
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Sea products are really exquisite delicacies in the whole zone. Also you can go to Níjar and taste meat regional cuisine. Shrimps, clams, spider-crabs, sardines, kinds of anchovy, octopuses... shellfish here is a real delicacy. Nice bars, restaurants and typical beach stalls are a good place to eat. Surely, you will remember the successful Spanish cuisine. You can see how sailors come and give the products to the restaurants, in the seaport.
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If you want to hear anecdotes and stunning stories you can enjoy going to one of Cabo de Gata's seaports and listen to the sailors' stories, they have had impressive experiences in this unknown Mediterranean sea. Storms, lost ships and strange tides have made people crafty and good connoisseurs of the sea. Women in black whose husbands are dead in the sea go everyday to pray to the church. There you can understand how sad is for them is not to bury the body, they say: 'the sea ate our husbands'. They shelter in the church, praying for their husbands' soul.
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Published on Thursday August 31th, 2006
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Fri, Sep 15 2006 - 06:11 AM
 by magsalex
| The colours of the sea and sky in the first picture are amazing. |
Tue, Sep 05 2006 - 01:21 PM
by malcinblue
| You paint a very peaceful picture Juan. Very tempted to visit soon. |
Thu, Aug 31 2006 - 08:16 PM
 by mrscanada
Lovely review and wonderful pictures.
Lyla |
Thu, Aug 31 2006 - 07:22 PM
by leillli
| it must be a calm and lovley place:)thank you |
Thu, Aug 31 2006 - 06:52 PM
by jorgesanchez
| Buena serie de reportajes sobre España. Las fotos son también magníficas. |
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