Southeast of San Miguel de Cabo de Gata, some of Spain's last surviving salt-extraction lagoons draw flocks of migrating flamingos and other waterbirds between spring and autumn: by late August there can be a thousand flamingos there. To spy on them, search out the strategically sited birdwatching hides, accessible along the east side of the main road just north of Almadraba de Monteleva.
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Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Níjar
3.7 MILES
Boasting glorious beaches, vertiginous cliffs and a semi-desert hinterland, this 340-sq-km park occupies Andalucía’s southeastern corner. It’s a wild…
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15.12 MILES
A looming fortification with great curtain-like walls rising from the cliffs, Almerìa's Alcazaba was founded in the mid-10th century and went on to become…
16.49 MILES
Set between dramatic headlands 3km northeast of Las Negras, this sandy hideaway is the holy grail of the park's numerous beaches. The 250m-long playa,…
4.18 MILES
The most celebrated of the playas off the San José beach road, Playa de Mónsul is a fabulous sandy wedge hemmed in by sharply eroded lava rocks and a…
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14.85 MILES
Almería’s formidable, six-towered cathedral, begun in 1525, was conceived both as a place of worship and a refuge for the population from frequent pirate…
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23.61 MILES
These rare and spectacular caves, 2km east of Sorbas, are part of a vast network of underground galleries and tunnels. Guided visits lead through the…
5.14 MILES
The Calas de Barronal consist of four beautiful little beaches (El Lance del Perro, Cala Chica, Cala Grande and Cala Principe) that run along the coast in…
15.19 MILES
The second enclosure of the Alcazaba sits above the Muro de la Campana de la Vela, a wall named after its bell, which once chimed in times of danger. Much…
Nearby attractions
3.01 MILES
Marking the southwest point of the promontory, this photogenic lighthouse commands stirring views of a jagged volcanic reef known as the Arrecife de las…
3.65 MILES
From its position 3km east of the Faro de Cabo de Gata on the Cabo de Gata promontory, this grounds of this 18th-century watchtower (which is not open for…
3. Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Níjar
3.7 MILES
Boasting glorious beaches, vertiginous cliffs and a semi-desert hinterland, this 340-sq-km park occupies Andalucía’s southeastern corner. It’s a wild…
3.87 MILES
A quiet, stony beach about 200m off the main dirt road southwest of San José, accessible by a footpath.
3.99 MILES
A half-moon crescent of sand off the main beach road from San José. Accessible by a walking path, it's less frequented than many of the area's better…
4.18 MILES
The most celebrated of the playas off the San José beach road, Playa de Mónsul is a fabulous sandy wedge hemmed in by sharply eroded lava rocks and a…
4.52 MILES
This nudist beach, frequented mainly by adults and couples, boasts a lovely 800m-long strip of sand. It's accessible via tracks behind the large dune at…
5.14 MILES
The Calas de Barronal consist of four beautiful little beaches (El Lance del Perro, Cala Chica, Cala Grande and Cala Principe) that run along the coast in…