Almeria - film capital of Spain

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26th July

Almeria



The approach to Almeria is stunning: the town lies surrounded by semi-desert at the foot of a range of mountains and its coastline alternating by long sandy beaches and steep cliffs.



As you wander the streets the feel is more Moroccan than Spanish.



This part of Spain is one of the sunniest and driest in Europe, other (maybe interesting) facts are that many spaghetti westerns were filmed here and apparently John Lennon wrote Strawberry Fields Forever whilst filming How I Won the War And not forgetting Game of Thrones



The major attractions are the Cathedral and the Alcazaba and of course for us some Tapas and local beer.



The Alcazaba, a great fortress stands 300 feet above sea level on three levels. It is undergoing continuing excavation and renovation.The first level was originally the military camp, the second where the Moorish kings lived in great opulence and the third was built by the Christians and is the highest level.



A good workout before the sun got too hot but as you climb higher the views over the city are pretty spectacular.



Lots of little olive groves and at one point a garden with small fountains and a small water rill running the length.



It must have been very opulent back in the day of the Moors, there is also an old mosque and military baths which are a reminder of that time.





The Cathedral is in the centre of the Old Town and looks like a fortress as pirates from North Africa have been a constant problem.



The exterior of the Cathedral has massive stone walls and small windows and opens onto the Cathedral Square where there are a number of small cafes (only catering for tourists) so for us after our exertions into the town to search for a much needed coffee and a the lunch of Tapas and beer.





We found both the coffee in a deli that had beautiful whole hams (Jamon) hanging with a lovely cheese counter.





The Tapas bar, interestingly with NO English speakers and NO English menu was an experience and very cheap.

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