Portray of the Destination
The seaside resort of Roquetas del Mar is located on the extreme east of the Gulf of Almería, around 18 km (11 miles) from Almería, the capital of the Spanish province of the same name. With a surface area of 60 km² , an altitude of 7 metres (23 ft) above sea level and a population of more than 70,000, it is nicely situated between the Sierra de Gador foothills in the north and the Mediterranean Sea in the south.

The city is a fine melting pot of Neolithic and Almerian cultures. Its coastline had previously been frequented by Venecians, Greeks and Romans, yet the first permanant settlements were not established until the 13th century. In this century the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada was founded by Mohammed I, with the area of Roquetas del Mar being an integral part of the dynasty. A further defensive system of towers and cylinder walls was built for the city following the Christian conquest and the depopulation of some of the region's coastal towns. The tower of Los Cerillos is the only tower that still remains in place today, standing next to the Santa Ana castle, which was previously a watch tower.

Nowadays the principal activities of the region include intensive agriculture, with some produce grown in greenhouses using the latest cutting-edge technology. Roquetas del Mar also has plenty to offer for tourists, thanks to the “Turismo de Sol y Playa” (Sun and Beach Tourism) programme and the development of its Tourism Excellence Plan, which serves as a mark of quality for every tourist establishment. All this has transformed the region into one of the most modern tourist destinations with a promising future.

We would like to thank the City Council of Roquetas del Mar (Ayuntamiento de Roquetas del Mar) for the texts and pictures provided. Visit www.aytoroquetas.org