ALMERIA is both the name of a province and its capital city in southern Spain. The coastal place has a total (meaning not contiguous) land area of 8,774 square kilometers with a population of 635,850 in 2006. It is one of the areas in Spain where British tourists frequent because of its relatively warm summer, even warmer than the rest of northern Europe.

Almeria is not that big a city but it has its own international airport which services regional flights from key cities in Europe such as London, Paris, Rome and Berlin.

Aside from fresh sea produce, the main component of a typical Almeria dinner is vegetables and lots of it. Fruits and vegetables in Almeria are so abundant that 70 percent of the harvest is exported to the rest of Europe. Over 1,000 hectares of artificial soil are dedicated to planting of species which yield these very nutritious vegetables. This particular highlight is also one of the reasons tourists in Almeria come again and again. They are not only fascinated of the innovation of the Almerians in creating artificial soil; they are also enthralled with the high life expectancy of the Spanish. This is attributed not just to consuming vegetables of course but the constant use of olive oil in sautéing or in any way food is cooked. Olive oil is said to be the healthiest cooking oil in the world. If tourists are not contented in viewing these vegetable plantations, they can always go to the Cabo de Gata-Nijar Natural Park. This particular national preservation site is 45,663 hectares wide.

This enormous rock is the largest volcanic rock in Spain and below, one can sight the beautiful beaches such as the El Playazo which is a naturist beach. If you are conscious of strangers around you, then you can always hit the remote beaches with your friends. Just make sure not to be alone for safety reasons. Please be aware that only beach resorts employ lifeguards and those that do not fall under their perimeter are not patrolled. Speaking of beach resorts, most of them in this unassuming city are given blue flag accreditation by the European Union – meaning their tap water is safe to drink. Above those beaches, Cabo de Gata-Nijar National Park is home to gold and jasper aside from the unique flora and fauna found there. Again, trekking the immense rock must not be without a guide for safety reasons. But Cabo de Gata-Nijar National Park is so attractive to tourists that hoteliers have made a living for themselves there. The nicer sleeping spots at the natural park are Cortijo El Sotillo (complete with a crash course on horseback riding), Hotel Atalaya and Hotel El Tio Kiko. These hotels may not be officially rated five-stars but they offer the common comforts found in a typical inn like cable television, DVD player and a mini-bar. Still, nothing beats camping though when it comes to an overnight stay at a place like Cabo de Gata-Nijar National Park.