Almeria's coastal landscape changes dramatically as you pass from one end to the other.

The stretch of land between Granada and Almeria is mostly taken up with agriculture, and the occasional wildlife oasis. The lakes in the Albuferas de Adra Natural Reserve attract all kinds of spectacular aquatic birds. Head east and you'll notice a remarkable change in the landscape as you get closer to Cabo de Gata...

The Cabo de Gata - Nijar Natural Park is the first marine-terrestrial Natural Park in Andalusia.

It has one of the most beautiful and ecologically rich coastal strips in the whole of the western Mediterranean. It extends for over 34,000 hectares and has a a marine strip of one 12,000 hectares in width.

The park has a long rugged coastline. It's covered with idyllic bays and isolated beaches. Some of them can only be reached by foothpath.

Cabo de Gata has one of Andalucia's most dramatic coastlines. A lot of the park is made up of volcanic rocky mountains that plunge directly into the sea below. It's quite spectacular to look at.

San Miguel del Cabo de Gata is the first village you'll come to if you're coming from Almeria direction. It's close to Salinas del Cabo de Gata - a saltwater lagoon with exceptional bird life.

The next village is San Jose. It's the largest in the park. To the north you'll find the small resorts of Las Negras, La Isleta del Moro and Agua Amarga.