The broad, sweeping Carmen de Burgos promenade follows the coast of Almería for just over two kilometres, from the mouth of the River Andarax to the Port of Almería. This stretch of smooth flagstones is the ideal place to walk, cycle or even just step into the many bars, restaurants and shops that look out to sea. What’s more, if you time it right, you’ll even find yourself in a bustling little Almerian market.
Until the 1980’s the sea lapped at the doorsteps of the small houses but, with the influx of tourism to the area, plans to urbanise the coastline started to be put in place. Wanting to capitalise on the beautiful sea front, the local council built high-rise apartments with views to die for and the seaside promenade that remains one of the area’s most visited places today.
A promenade with the name of Carmen de Burgos
The city is ideally situated within a large bay, giving visitors stunning views of the sea, and even today it is watched over by a Moorish fortress. From the fortress visitors get a fantastic view of the city lights, from the glittering lights of the homes to the lamps that line the promenade and sway from the tops of the fishing boats beyond.
Built in the early 80’s, the promenade was renamed in 2011 to commemorate one of the city’s former illustrious inhabitants. Carmen de Burgos was an intrepid journalist and defender of women’s rights who became the first female war correspondent in Spain.
The promenade that inspired John Lennon
The promenade of Almería is lined with exotic palm trees that keep its stones cool even during the scorching summer months. Along its two-kilometre stretch, the promenade gives on to many of the city’s urban beaches, such as El Palmeral, San Miguel, El Zapillo, and La Térmica, and it is dotted all along with benches and water-fountains for those really hot days.
During its construction, the area filled up with bars and restaurants to serve all tastes, those of locals and visitors alike. Some of the buildings that you will find there today, however, have been in the same place since long before the construction of the promenade. This is the case with the Green Dolphin (el Delfín Verde), a small apartment complex where John Lennon stayed during his visit to Almería. It was in this apartment and along the promenade where he started writing his hit song Strawberry Fields Forever.
Restaurants on the promenade
Among the many excellent restaurants along the promenade there is one that stands out above the rest, El Rincón de Yebra. This quaint restaurant has a huge variety of homemade Mediterranean dishes with seasonal products sourced either from the sea just outside its door or the surrounding Andalusian fields. If excellent rice dishes and fried fish are more your thing then don’t miss the opportunity to visit The Building, where you can enjoy excellent food with a stunning view of the sea.
This is quite a common situation for the restaurants in Almería. Thanks to its geography, Almería is perfectly placed to make the most of the excellent fresh fish and seafood from the Mediterranean while also taking advantage of the surrounding land of Andalucía, also known as the ‘market garden of Europe’. Many restaurants in Almería utilise the best of their surroundings to produce their most famous dishes pucheros, ajos coloraos and ajopollo. Give any one of them a try, you won’t be disappointed.
If straying too far from the beach seems like too much of a sacrifice do not fret, you can take advantage of the many beach bars known as chringuitos that are to be found dotted along the beaches. These offer visitors an excellent place to have a drink or a snack in an environment suitable to couples and families alike.
Shopping by the sea
All along the promenade there is an abundance of shops and stalls where you can buy clothes, shoes, handbags, jewellery and artisan objects to take home. The stalls are open every day, and during festivals and other celebrations, you will find additional small huts that sell souvenirs and local products. One example of this is the famous Spring Market, which is held in the El Palmeral area during the festival of the El Zapillo neighbourhood, which usually takes place in May.
As well as being a lovely place for a stroll, the promenade is a delightful commercial area replete with excellent restaurants, hotels and other seaside establishments. where better to do a spot of afternoon shopping in Almería.
An accessible promenade
The promenade has been modified in recent years with accessibility projects, environmental recovery programmes, and the inclusion of bicycle lanes. Today everybody can walk, stroll or roll their way along an unimpeded stretch of 6 kilometres, making it the ideal place for locals and visitors alike.
