Beaches in Almería, Spain and Things to Do in the City

If you only have a day, the list of things to see in Almería starts on the hill. The Alcazaba y Murallas del Cerro de San Cristóbal is the city's great fortress, and the walls of the Cerro de San Cristóbal run alongside it, both within about half a mile of the centre. Below them sits the Iglesia Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación, the Roman Catholic cathedral of the city.

For indoor hours, the Museo de Almería, the Museo de Arte de Almería and the Centro Andaluz de la Fotografía, an Andalusian photography institution, are all central. Together these are the Almería attractions most visitors build a city break around, and they work well in the hotter months when you want shade in the middle of the day.

Most things to do in Almería city sit within a mile of each other. Around the old centre you will find the Palacio Episcopal, the Convento de la Purísima Concepción, the Colegio de la Compañía de María, the Casino Cultural and the Edificio de la Diputación Provincial, plus the Archivo Histórico Provincial building and the Escuela de Arte Carlos Pérez Siquier. The Plaza de toros, the city's bullring, and the Castle of Diezmo are also about half a mile out. Further along, roughly 2 miles away, Castillo de San Telmo serves as a lighthouse.

Aguadulce, about 6 miles west and 16 minutes from the airport, is the coastal town to pair with the city if you want a quieter seafront base. Inland Rioja, around 7 miles away, is a small town of some 1,300 people and a useful contrast to the coast. Almería's own ferry port is about half a mile from the centre, and Motril's lies roughly 53 miles away.

Families tend to get most from the open-air sights. Climbing up to the Alcazaba and following the San Cristóbal walls gives children space to explore, and the lighthouse at Castillo de San Telmo makes a simple outing a little beyond the centre. The coast at Almería and Aguadulce covers beach time between sightseeing.

With July and August reaching 32°C, plan fortress visits for the morning and keep the museums for the hottest part of the day. For younger children, May, June and September offer warm weather without the peak of summer.

You can see tours and tickets for the area on this page, and compare car hire if you want to reach Aguadulce, Rioja or quieter stretches of coast on your own schedule. Hotel prices are shown here too.

Most British travellers book Almería as a package, with flights, hotel and transfers together. Transfers are short: around 7 minutes to the city, 12 to Rioja and 16 to Aguadulce. You can compare package deals from Jet2holidays, TUI, loveholidays and On the Beach here. Board basis varies by hotel, and UK school holidays generally push prices up, so travelling in April, May, June, September or October tends to suit both the weather and the budget.