Part of the Costa de Almería guide · Cabo de Gata-Níjar

Cabo de Gata-Níjar is the protected volcanic coast of Almería province, in the south-east corner of Spain: about 40 km in a straight line from the Cabo de Gata lighthouse and salt pans in the south-west to Carboneras in the north-east, almost all of it inside the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park. Andalucía’s tourism board describes it as the largest protected area on the Mediterranean coast, with fifty kilometres of the best-preserved cliff coast in Mediterranean Europe (Andalucía.org); the villages along it belong to the municipalities of Almería, Níjar and Carboneras.

Updated 7 November 2026 · How CostaMap researches its guides

At a glance

• Where the coast of the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park, from San Miguel de Cabo de Gata and the lighthouse to Mesa Roldán and Carboneras, with the town of Níjar inland.
• Towns San Miguel de Cabo de Gata, San José, Los Escullos, La Isleta del Moro, Rodalquilar, Las Negras, Agua Amarga and Carboneras; inland Pozo de los Frailes and Níjar.
• Best for wild beaches such as Mónsul and Los Genoveses, snorkelling and diving, coastal walks, birdwatching at the salt pans and quiet fishing villages.
• Getting there Almería airport is about 25 km from San José and 46 km from Carboneras in a straight line; there is no train, so a car is the practical choice, with intercity buses from Almería.
• On CostaMap 22 places: villages, beaches, coves, viewpoints and campsites.

Map of the Cabo de Gata-Níjar coast

The map shows the places on this stretch that have a CostaMap page. Tick a place type to filter, and click a marker to see the place in the panel.

Towns and villages

From south-west to north-east, following the park’s coast as spain.info describes it, from San Miguel de Cabo de Gata to Carboneras (spain.info). Descriptions are from Andalucía.org, the Junta de Andalucía’s tourism site.

San Miguel de Cabo de Gata and La Almadraba de Monteleva

The south-western end of the park belongs to the municipality of Almería. San Miguel de Cabo de Gata has a 2,500 m beach of dark sand with full services and a good choice of restaurants (spain.info). South of it, La Almadraba de Monteleva grew up around the salt works (Andalucía.org). The salt pans cover 400 hectares, are the only ones in eastern Andalusia, and have been worked since Roman times; the workers’ quarter and the church, opened in 1907, were built for the salt workers (Andalucía.org). The road ends at the lighthouse above the Arrecife de las Sirenas, named after monk seals whose cries sailors took for sirens (Andalucía.org). See our guides to Cabo de Gata and the Mirador de las Sirenas, and the Camper Área Cabo de Gata on the road in.

San José

San José is the main resort of the park: a former fishing village that has grown into a tourist centre in keeping with its surroundings, with a marina. It grew around an 18th-century coastal battery that watched the bays used by Barbary pirates (Andalucía.org). The town beach is 850 m of golden sand with calm water and a Blue Flag, amphibious chairs and adapted toilets (Andalucía.org, spain.info). The natural beaches of Mónsul and Los Genoveses lie south-west along an unpaved road. See our San José guide.

Pozo de los Frailes

A village just inland from San José, inside the park, with a small old centre and a restored 14th-century water wheel (noria); it has grown a good deal with tourism (Andalucía.org). Camper Park Olivares lies in the farmland to the north.

Los Escullos

A small fishing and tourist settlement on its bay below the Cerro del Fraile, beside Playa del Arco, among cliffs carved by erosion (Andalucía.org). The Castillo de San Felipe, an 18th-century coastal battery, stands on an 8 m cliff of limestone above the sea (Andalucía.org). Spain.info notes that scenes of the James Bond film Never Say Never Again were shot here (spain.info).

La Isleta del Moro

A tiny fishing village of white houses beside a large rock and the islet that gives it its name, close to Los Escullos (Andalucía.org). It has a small harbour, fish restaurants and a sandy beach. North along the road, the Mirador de la Amatista looks down a high cliff. See our new La Isleta del Moro guide.

Rodalquilar

A former mining village in a round valley closed by old mining hills. Inside the park, some of its houses have been restored next to others in ruins; the mine ruins and a coastal castle from the time of Carlos III are the sights (Andalucía.org). The Casa de los Volcanes geotourism ecomuseum opened in October 2007 and explains the geology of the park (Andalucía.org), and the miners’ old social club is now a park information point (Andalucía.org). The Playazo de Rodalquilar is a 400 m beach of fine sand reached from near the village (spain.info). See our Rodalquilar guide.

Las Negras

A fishing village of simple white houses and a few hotels by the sea, in a setting of striking geology (Andalucía.org). Its 650 m beach of dark pebbles and sand has lifeguards, toilets and showers (spain.info), and it is the starting point for Cala de San Pedro, a cove with no road. Wecamp Cabo de Gata is just outside. See our new Las Negras guide.

Agua Amarga

A small fishing hamlet, now with holiday houses but still quiet, among high cliffs dotted with coves (Andalucía.org). It is in the municipality of Carboneras. Walks lead to Cala del Plomo, 260 m of golden sand, and Cala de Enmedio, 130 m (spain.info, spain.info). See our Agua Amarga guide and the walk to Cala de Enmedio.

Carboneras

Carboneras grew around the Castillo de San Andrés: Felipe II approved the fort in 1583 to guard the coast against Barbary raids, it was built in 1621, and land given to its soldiers drew settlers. A second castle followed on Mesa Roldán in 1776, and Carboneras became independent of Sorbas in 1813. Today it mixes fishing, industry, a port and tourism (Andalucía.org). The tourist office is in the castle (spain.info). South of the town lies Playa de los Muertos, and offshore the Isla de San Andrés, a natural monument (Andalucía.org). See our Carboneras guide and Camper Park Carboneras.

Níjar

The town of Níjar sits at the foot of the Sierra Alhamilla, 25 km in a straight line from Cabo de Gata. Its municipality is the fourth largest in Spain. The town keeps a maze-like street plan of Arab origin, a Mudéjar church and a tradition of pottery and weaving (Andalucía.org); spain.info names its ceramics and jarapas, rag rugs (spain.info). See our Níjar town guide and the Níjar place page. In the hills north of town is the Oasis Al Hamam ecocamping.

Beaches and coves

From the long town beaches at each end to coves you reach on foot. Sizes are from spain.info’s beach sheets.

Also worth a look: Cala Rajá, 120 m, on a difficult path (spain.info); Cala Higuera, 1 km from San José marina (spain.info); and La Galera, 800 m, near Carboneras (spain.info). Access to some coves may be restricted in summer (spain.info).

Things to do

Where to stay by town

Spain.info lists small hotels, rural houses, farms turned eco-lodges, hostels in fishing houses and campsites across the park (spain.info).

Getting there and around

A two-day route

By car, south-west to north-east, with a night in San José or Las Negras.

FAQ

Other areas of the Costa de Almería

Sources and freshness

Checked 7 November 2026. Andalucía.org (Junta de Andalucía tourism) on the Cabo de Gata-Níjar geopark, Cabo de Gata, La Almadraba de Monteleva, the Salinas, San José, Playa de San José, Pozo de los Frailes, Los Escullos, Castillo de San Felipe, La Isleta del Moro, Rodalquilar, Casa de los Volcanes, the Rodalquilar information point, Las Negras, Agua Amarga, Carboneras, Castillo de San Andrés, the Los Muertos information point, Níjar and walks with Carmen de Burgos. Spain.info (Turespaña) on the natural park, unspoilt coves, film locations, Almería bus station, Carboneras tourist office and its beach sheets for Mónsul, Los Genoveses, Las Salinas, San Miguel, San José, Las Negras, Playazo de Rodalquilar, Cala del Plomo, Cala de Enmedio, Los Muertos, Cala Rajá, Cala Higuera and La Galera. Map data and straight-line distances: OpenStreetMap (ODbL). Not confirmed: bus timetables and the 2026 summer access rules for Mónsul and Los Genoveses. The Junta de Andalucía park pages, Níjar town hall and turismodealmeria.org could not be reached when we checked. Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Mónsul, Cala Rajá and Arrecife de las Sirenas by efepunto (CC BY 3.0); Los Genoveses by Javier Pérez López (CC BY 3.0); Los Escullos from La Isleta by isol (CC BY-SA 3.0); Las Negras and San José by Josi (CC BY-SA 4.0); Salinas by Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz (CC BY-SA 4.0); Agua Amarga by MdeVicente (CC0); Playa de los Muertos by Millars (CC BY-SA 4.0); Rodalquilar and Almería by Paul Colin Hennig firstdorsal.eu (CC BY-SA 4.0); Níjar by Eduardo Milla (CC BY-SA 4.0); Carboneras by Roy Luck (CC BY 2.0); Mojácar Playa by INDALOMANIA (CC BY-SA 3.0); Roquetas de Mar by Roquex (CC0).