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Costa de Almeria

Costa de Almeria for families

family travel guide

Family trip to Costa de Almeria: key takeaways

  • Spain's newest developing resort region
  • 320 days of sunshine a year
  • Warm summers without excessive heat
  • Huge sandy and shingle beaches awarded with a Blue Flag
  • Few children's activities
  • High standard of Q-marked tourist services
  • Use of all-inclusive hotel systems
  • Limited transpport links
  • Provincial nature parks and nature reserves

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Family holidays in Costa de Almeria

It's hard to discover new lands these days, especially when it comes to Spain. The Costa de Almeria is a relatively new destination for family holidays, but it's one that's taken care of thoroughly. In addition, nature favours a good holiday: sandy beaches, warm sea and a mountainous barrier from the cold winds from the continent. If you're tempted to explore new shores, find out what makes the Costa de Almeria a good holiday destination for children.

Costa de Almeria on the map of Spain

The Costa de Almería is the coast of the easternmost province of the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is located in the south of Spain, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. To the west of the Costa de Almeria is the Costa del Sol, and to the northeast are the Costa Blanca and Costa Calida.

Photo: https://www.beachtravelwine.com/

The distance from the provincial capital, Almeria, to Roquetas de Mar is 21 km, to Adra — 40 km, to San Jose — 50 km, to Mojacar — 85 km, to Malaga — 202 km, to Murcia — 218 km, to Alicante — 290 km.

The Costa de Almeria is still in the limelight, and resorts are now developing an infrastructure that will delight even the most discerning traveller. Many of the region's tourist facilities have already been awarded the Q Mark by the Spanish Tourism Quality Institute, which indicates a high service standard.

Costa de Almeria for Kids

A holiday in the Costa de Almeria is the most relaxing holiday imaginable. No temptations in the form of tourist attractions, no special entertainment, but the hotels are so comfortable and the beaches so peaceful that you can finally forget all your worries.

Hotels are one of Almeria's two plus points:

  • They are newly built, with all the modern requirements in mind.
  • They pamper their guests with an all-inclusive concept.
  • They make sure children are not bored during siesta hours.
  • There are facilities for babies and toddlers.

Good hotels are the thing that keeps tourists coming... in winter. Yes, the Costa de Almeria is also a low-season destination for children. Swimming in the sea is replaced by swimming pools, and the weather is quite suitable for walks and excursions. A second plus in Almeria is the sandy and incredibly long beaches with clean and gently sloping bottoms. The beaches at the larger resorts have playgrounds for children.

But the plus is not even in this, but in how much free space is on the shore. Here will not have to seek out a free patch to relax with a child (but there is no room to turn in in neighbouring resort areas in the summer). The downsides to the Costa de Almeria include inconvenient transfers and a need for more entertainment. Travelling to a holiday destination can be simplified by renting a car on arrival. As for children's entertainment in the Costa de Almeria, you have to rely on what is available in the hotels.

Best time to Travel

In Spain's beach resorts, it's logical to holiday in the summer. The high season in the Costa de Almeria is in summer — yet there's always a secluded spot on endless beaches. In peak season, visiting resorts is undesirable just because the heat makes it hard to spend time outdoors.

The best time to visit the Costa de Almeria is in the first half of September when the heat is gone, and the sea is still warm.

If you can't imagine a beach holiday without swimming in the sea, we advise you not to rush to the season's opening in the Costa de Almeria. The water gets very warm only in the second half of June.

Weather and Climate

A glance at a map will give you an idea of the climate of the Costa de Almeria. Almeria is on the exact parallel as Rhodes and Antalya, with the same gentle Mediterranean lapping at its shores.

With 320 days of sunshine a year, it never rains for long stretches. The mountains protect the coast from the heat of the Tabernas Desert, though the heat does reach the shore. The warm season starts in the second half of May. By this time, the temperature rises to around +24-25°C. However, the daytime warmth gives way to a cooler evening, so pack a light jacket or jumper for your child.

July and August are the hottest months, which is not ideal for a holiday with a baby. In June, the temperature rises to +28°C. The thermometer readings during this time jump to +30° C in the morning and may reach +32-35° C during the day. The sea breeze may ease the heat, but the beach and some outdoor activities are better left for the morning or evening.

The Costa de Almeria, on the other hand, is well worth planning a holiday for September. Temperatures are still high at the beginning of the month, around +30°C, but by the end of September, it's moderately warm, around +25°C.

The best holidays in the Costa de Almeria with children are in the first half of September when the heat slowly dies down, and the sea is still very warm.

The beach season ends in October, although the air retains temperatures of +20-25°C. The dry, sunny weather in October suits a holiday with an infant in the Costa de Almeria. In November, a lull in the resorts lasts until April. Temperatures drop to around +16-17°C in winter and warm up again to +19-21°C as early as March/April.

Sea Temperature

The Costa de Almeria has an essential advantage over the neighbouring resort region of the Costa del Sol: the Atlantic cold currents do not reach it, so the sea warms up well in summer. However, the opening of the holiday season will have to wait until at least mid-June. In early summer, the sea temperature is only +21°C, but with the onset of hot weather, the water warms up quickly.

By July, the water temperature in the Costa de Almeria reaches +23-24°C, and children can't be lured away.

The sea gets even warmer in August, with temperatures ranging from +24°C to +26°C. The warmth accumulated over the summer continues into September. Although the water gradually begins to cool down, even at the end of September, the temperature is still around +23°C.

Food

Almeria hotels are often compared to Turkish hotels because of the extensive use of an all-inclusive system. There is usually a buffet where you can choose the right food for your child. Even the most fussy children will eat whatever they are given. Meals outside the hotel are slightly less popular. But what about an unusual dinner? Nearby Almeria is La Gruta, a restaurant located in a real cave. If you're thirsty, you can drink from the clear water tap next to the Moorish fountain in Mojacar.

Food can be bought in the markets, supermarkets and shops if you plan to cook independently. Almeria has plenty of big shops, and other resorts usually have at least one supermarket.

Getting Around

Public transport in the Costa de Almeria is not well adapted to the needs of tourists. In the regional capital, Surbus city buses run within the city. A single ticket costs €1.05 (this also applies to tickets for children); with a Bono Bus card for ten trips, the price drops to €0.74.

There is no public transport in the other towns — thankfully they can be bypassed on foot. Intercity transport in the Costa de Almeria is ALSA buses. Another carrier in the province is Consorcio de Transporte Metropolitano Area de Almería (CTAL).

ALSA buses' fare depends on the distance; e.g., a ticket from Almeria to Malaga costs around €10.

Tickets on CTAL buses cost less, ranging from €1.35 to €7.25, depending on how many zones you cross. For example, on the way from Almeria to Roquetas de Mar, the bus crosses two zones and Cabo de Gata three zones. The ticket price will be €2 and €2.95 respectively. The CTAL website has a timetable: you should check it, as some routes only run a few times daily.

The best way to get around the Costa de Almeria is by car. If you're going on excursions to Malaga or Granada, it's easier to travel by car.


Things to Do with Kids

A family holiday on the beach is good, but it can also get boring. It's handy to have a few ideas of things to do in the Costa de Almeria with your child. While the kids are small, you'll limit yourself to strolling around the narrow streets and along the sea. The nice thing about this is the quiet whitewashed towns are great for babies. Mohakar is the busiest town, but plenty of secluded spots also exist.

And here are more options for spending time with children:

  1. Visit the Parque Acuatico Mario Park in Roquetas de Mar.
  2. Relax from the heat and sun at the Oceanarium of Roquetas de Mar.
  3. Take your child for a walk in the parks and gardens of Almería.
  4. Measure the length of Almería's Paseo Maritimo de Ribera Almería.

The undisputed beauty of the area is its nature. There are several natural parks in the Almeria area. One of these, Cabo de Gata Nijar, offers the chance to wander through frozen lava, visit the mountains and cosy bays, admire plants that have adapted to the harsh environment, spot flamingos, find plenty of ideas for photo shoots and, if you are lucky, get a gift of agate or amethyst from nature. On the border with Murcia is another nature park, the Sierra María Los Velez.

Mountain conquerors will take the opportunity to visit the Sierra Nevada National Park. It's Europe's southernmost ski resort but also stunning in summer. There are trekking trails, many of which even children can try.

On the slopes of this mountain range lies the famous Lanjarón balneological resort. The water from Lanjarón is served in almost every restaurant in Andalusia.

The Tabernas Desert, the only one in Western Europe, also deserves attention. The desert hills of the Tabernas have more than once been turned into a film set the landscape is meant to depict the Wild West. Now the desert is home to the Oasys Mini Hollywood Park. That's where a kid will be interested: it has everything you need for a western cowboys, Indians, saloons, fights, shooting. There's also a small zoo and a swimming pool with slides for children.

Traditional children's entertainment is virtually non-existent in the Costa de Almeria. You can go to the Costa del Sol for the water parks in Torremolinos, Fuengirola and Torre del Mar.

Many interesting places are concentrated in Benalmadena: the Sea Life Aquarium, Selwo Marina Dolphinarium, Eagle Park and Butterfly Park, a cable car up the Calamorro mountain. Granada has a huge children's science museum, the Parque de las Ciencias. Another plus for a holiday with a child in Costa de Almeria is that the hotels can organise activities for children. There is often a mini-club, a playground and a swimming pool.

Sea and Beach

The main advantage of a seaside holiday with children in Costa de Almeria is the beaches: wide, long, white, light grey or dark bronze sand and sometimes fine pebbles. There is no entrance fee to the beach, as elsewhere in Spain, only the use of sun loungers and parasols. The municipality monitors the cleanliness of the coast and coastal waters, and many of the province's beaches have been awarded the blue flag and the Q mark for excellence in tourist services.

The beach holidays in the Costa de Almeria are characterised by half-empty beaches, even in high season. It is one of the advantages of the relatively unpopular local resorts.

Even on a map, you can see that the beaches of the Costa de Almeria stretch for many kilometres. The longest stretch of beach is in Mojacar (17 km) and Roquetas de Mar (15 km). The promenade in Roquetas de Mar and Almería is lovely. There is a footpath and sometimes a motorway between the coast and the hotels, as elsewhere in Spain.

The coast is vast, the bottom is clean and gentle, and the sea is calm. The sandy beaches at Roquetas de Mar are ideal for children. The beaches have children's playgrounds and all the necessary infrastructure. In addition, most beaches are Blue Flag beaches: Aguadulce, Salinas, La Romanilla, La Bajadilla.

In Almeria, the most decorated beach is Almería. In addition to this, Zapillo Beach has earned the blue flag and the Q sign. The beaches are great for children and offer plenty of opportunities for leisure activities. The municipality of Nijar, where the Cabo de Gata reserve is located, has many beaches, two of which have received top awards: Aguamarga and San José.

The part of the Levante where the resort of Mojacar is located also has several blue flags. Among the beaches in Mojacar, Marina de la Torre, Descargador, Piedra de Villazar, El Cantal, Venta del Bancal-Ventanicas are suitable for holidays with children. In contrast to Roquetas de Mar, where the beaches are coarse, Mojacar's coastline is covered in fine white sand, but often — for example, on the Marina de la Torre and Piedra de Villazar beaches — the shore is covered in pebbles.

Things to Do with Kids

The province of Almeria is mainly visited for its relaxing beach holiday. So travellers don't feel bad that there isn't much to see in Costa de Almeria. However, the province does have a few places of interest for children.

The main pride of the region is its ancient fortresses.

 One of these is the old Moorish fortress of Alcazaba in Almeria. If you are interested in the area's history, delve into it in the city's archaeological museum.

During a holiday in the Costa de Almeria with children, you can also see the Macenas and Torre del Pirulico in Mojacar, Castillo de San Andrés in Carboneras, Castillo de Santa Ana in Roquetas de Mar.

You should go further away from the coast to show your child an ancient castle. For example, the well-preserved Castillo de Cuevas del Almanzora is about 30 km from Mojacar. If you move further inland, you can see the white walls of Castillo Velez Blanco. And since there aren't many places to visit in the Costa de Almeria with a child, you might want to take a trip to Málaga.

In just one day, you can visit the Picasso Museum in Malaga, the Automobile Museum and the Museum of Arts and Folk Traditions (with exhibitions on bullfighting and flamenco). Pre-schoolers will love spending an hour or two in the interactive music museum, where you can play various instruments.


Things to Do with Kids

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Where to Stay

Where to stay in the Costa de Almeria with children? There is plenty to choose from: many modern 4* hotels, many sturdy 3* hotels, apartments and villas close to the sea and modest campsites outside the cities. The hospitality industry is developing apace and keeps abreast of modern-day demands. There are no family hotels, but you can always request a cot in the room and hire a babysitter for the little ones. Many hotels have family rooms.

When choosing where it's best for children, look out for hotels with a playground, mini-club and children's pool.

Such options are standard in the Costa de Almeria, with many four-star hotels ensuring that young guests can have fun. Some even have children's animators. You can rent an apartment or room in an apartment hotel for an independent holiday in the Costa de Almeria with children. These are often large complexes with pools, playgrounds and outdoor seating areas. Apart-Hotels often have restaurants and small shops.

Another thing to consider when choosing where to stay in the Costa de Almeria. The province's towns are located on high ground, so be sure to ask if you must climb mountains on your way back from the beach. However, most hotels and apartments are very close to the coast. The coast of Almeria is usually divided into four resort areas, from west to east: Poniente, Almeria, Cabo de Gata and Levante.

The largest resort in Poniente is Roquetas de Mar. In Cabo de Gata, one of the popular holiday destinations is San José. Part of the Levante is on the border with Murcia, with Mojacar being its most prominent resort. All regions of the Costa de Almeria are suitable for holidays with children. There is a footpath, rather than a motorway, between the coastal hotels and beaches almost everywhere.

Two other resort areas are close to the Costa de Almeria - the Costa del Sol and the Costa Calida. The area around the Costa de Almería offers plenty of excursions and activities, but the quality of the hotels is nowhere near as good as Almería itself.


Places to Stay

Getting to Costa de Almeria

By Plane

Almeria Airport mainly serves domestic flights. From many cities, you can fly with a connection to Barcelona or Madrid.

From Almeria Airport you can take bus number 30 to the city centre. The resorts can only be reached directly by taxi or by rented car.

The other nearest airports are Granada (183 km), Málaga (214 km) and Alicante (284 km). From Malaga and Alicante airports, there are ALSA buses to Almeria.

By Bus

From Almeria Bus Station, Estación de Autobuses de Almeria buses go to some of the resort towns. The journey time is less than 1.5 hours to Roquetas de Mar and 3 hours to Mojacar.

The most convenient way to get to the Costa de Almeria from the cities of Andalusia and Valencia is by ALSA bus. Timetables and ticket prices are on the carrier's website: https://www.alsa.es.

By Car

There are several car rental companies operating at the airports. It will help you get to your accommodation and travel around Andalusia without problems.

How to get to the Costa de Almeria

  • from Málaga, take the A-7 motorway;
  • from Granada, take the A-92;
  • from Alicante, take the E-15 or A-7.