-	All photographs of Almeria

Almeria province lies on the eastern edge of Andalucia, surrounded by the provinces of Granada, Murcia and Malaga. It's one of the sunniest places in Spain. It gets over 3,000 hours of sunshine a year and has the greatest number of cloudless days in the whole country.

The average temperature is 18ºC and during the summer it stays around 24.6ºC. The sea here is beautiful; crystal clear, clean and normally a lot warmer than the air. Once you get in, you won't want to get out. Almeria also has some excellent beaches; the longest stretches of coastline in the whole of Andalucia.

This is where all those classic westerns were shot; "the Good, The Bad and the Ugly", "Lawrence of Arabia" and "A Fistfull of Dollars" etc... In fact, hundreds of westerns have been produced in the local hillsides. Its barren desert-like landscape is perfect.

Although Almeria's landscape is very rugged and has a shortage of fertile soil, it's an important growth area and is well known for producing top quality oranges and white grapes, most of which are exported from its port. Almeria is almost completely dependent on this industry.

Almeria is a water lovers paradise. It's got empty beaches with tiny hidden coves and crystal clear water - perfect for snorkeling and diving. The landscape here is incredibly diverse; it offers and endless range of outdoor sporting activities - everything from water sports to hiking, golf, horse riding and paragliding.

This is a truly beautiful part of Spain. It's got something for everyone, both young and old - a diverse landscape with some excellent beaches, beautiful countryside and a wealth of history.