The province of Almería offers attractions such as Cuevas de Almanzora — an excellent choice if you are looking to enjoy a few days away. This delightful area on the coast of Andalusia, which boasts 22 hamlets and over 14 kilometres of coastline, offers endless leisure attractions, so that every visitor can find the perfect match for their particular tastes and interests.
Cuevas del Almanzora lies 96 kilometres from Almería and a stone’s throw from Vera, Garrucha and Mojácar. It is located in Eastern Almería, and until the nineteenth century it was known as Cuevas del Marqués, as it belonged to the estate of the Vélez marquisate.
Cuevas del Almanzora offers a wealth of attractions for visitors, including several archaeological sites, the Marqués de los Vélez castle, several churches and convents, buildings linked to the mining industry, various museums, the Calguerín Caves, and the El Tarahal Watermill.
- The history of Cuevas de Almanzora
- What to see in Cuevas del Almanzora
- Where to eat in Cuevas del Almanzora
- Things to see nearby
- Hotels in the province of Almería
The history of Cuevas de Almanzora
The long history of Cuevas del Almanzora can be traced all the way back to the Bronze Age, judging by the discovery of archaeological sites that show that funeral rites were celebrated here during that period. However, the town may have first been settled during the time of the Phoenicians, and lasted throughout the Roman Empire until the time of the Emirate of Córdoba, at which point it seems to have been abandoned. Much later, it came under the Vélez marquisate, and became known as Cuevas del Marqués. Throughout the eighteenth century, the coast here was subject to attacks by Berber and Turkish pirates and Corsairs. The town’s fortunes changed with the discovery, in 1838, of a rich vein of argentiferous galen very close to Cuevas del Almanzora, and there followed 50 years of great prosperity and economic expansion. This period saw the construction of many palatial homes, theatres, clubs, casinos, educational institutions and even newspapers, such as “El Minero de Almagrera” [The Almagrera Miner]. The present Town Hall (the Palacete de Torcuato Soler Bolea) also dates from this time. The last mine workings were shut down in 1935, and since the last third of the twentieth century, economic activity around Cuevas del Almanzora has centred on tourism and agriculture.
What to see in Cuevas del Almanzora
Cuevas del Almanzora offers so many possibilities for visitors that very often, it comes down to choosing which particular activities to enjoy if there isn’t time for all of them. Here is a list of all that Cuevas de Almanzora has to offer:
The Villaricos archaeological site. This archaeological site is particularly valued by researchers studying the Phoenician colonisation of the Iberian Peninsula. Its origins date back to the Copper Age, and we know that it was inhabited until the Early Middle Ages. If you would like to visit the archaeological sites and the Phoenician Necropolis of Villaricos, you will need to contact the Cuevas del Almanzora Tourist Office to arrange a visit.
Marqués de los Vélez Castle. This remarkable architectural complex, built as a defensive bastion, stands in the centre of the Plaza de la Libertad, and is currently home to the Antonio Manuel Campoy Museum of Contemporary Art. Cuevas del Almanzora castle is built in the shape of an irregular rectangle; it comprises a keep, the Casa de la Tercia [granary], the Marquis’s Place and the parade ground. In 1985, the building was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in the Monuments category.
Church of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación. Built in the sixteenth century, on a site previously occupied by a mosque, this is the province of Almería’s second-largest religious building. The main entrance is Neoclassical in its design, while the side entrance is Baroque. The church has a Latin cross floor plan, and is divided into three naves. It has a total of 10 chapels, one of which was donated by the Carmen y Consortes Mining Company in 1854.
Calguerín Caves. On the outskirts of Cuevas del Almanzora, barely 2 kilometres from the town’s historic quarter, is a rocky landscape known as Terrera de Calguerín, which is home to the most populous cave-dwelling complex in the Almanzora Valley. There are 300 caves altogether that have been used throughout history (some since the Palaeolithic Age) as shelters and dwellings.
Casa Cueva [cave home] and the Ethnographic Museum. The Casa Cueva, located in one of the town’s genuine cave dwellings, houses an interesting collection of agricultural implements, furniture, kitchenware and domestic utensils, as well as tools used in various trades. We should be aware that in this area, there are prehistoric caves dating back between 50,000 and 100,000 years, although those that have been most thoroughly studied are around 5,000 years old. The Moors also used the Almanzora caves as homes, but by the beginning of the twenty-first century, fewer than 1,000 caves were inhabited. This Casa Cueva preserves all the essential tools used in these homes, and aims to become an Ethnographic Museum to raise awareness of the community’s heritage and cultural legacy.
Municipal Archaeological Museum. In the Marqués de los Vélez Palace, visitors will also find the Municipal Archaeological Museum, where they can see finds discovered in the nearby Fuente Álamo archaeological site. This museum documents the land and the lives and deaths of its inhabitants during a period of just over 600 years, specifically from 4,000 up to 3,300 years ago.
Where to eat in Cuevas del Almanzora
Around Cuevas del Almanzora, there are lots of restaurants where you can enjoy the mouthwatering local gastronomy. We recommend El Mesón Cuevas del Almanzora, a very pleasant restaurant offering superb quality tapas and ‘raciones’; Bar Málaga, for an informal meal based on tapas and ‘raciones’; or El Cañadas, a family-run establishment serving meals and chargrilled meats at excellent prices. Other possibilities are La Corbata del Malilla or El Jarrao, both of which specialise in grilled meats.
Things to see nearby
If you have time, and you’d like to enjoy the area around Cuevas del Almanzora, there are lots of places well worth visiting. For example, not far away are attractive towns popular with tourists, including thriving Vera (9 kilometres away); Garrucha (15 kilometres) which is also famous for its red prawns; and Mojácar (30 kilometres), one of Spain’s prettiest white towns.
Hotels in the province of Almería
For value for money, the best place to stay near Cuevas del Almanzora (Almería) is the Barceló Cabo de Gata Hotel. The hotel is in the Urbanización El Toyo, and enjoys a privileged location near the sea and the desert landscapes that inspired Sergio Leone’s Westerns.This hotel offers a wide range of services and facilities in a lovely setting. The leisure options are endless, and the outdoor activities on offer will delight children and adults alike. The hotel has 230 spacious, light, airy rooms which are perfect for a comfortable family break or a relaxing holiday for a couple. The hotel has 4,000 square metres of gardens, 4 outdoor swimming pools, restaurants and bars, as well as five events rooms. And as if that wasn’t enough, the Barceló Cabo de Gata boasts a complete U-Spa with a hydrotherapy circuit, beauty treatments and a sophisticated fitness centre.
