The Top 10 Things to See and Do in Almeria, Spain

One of the joys of visiting Almeria is being able to sample a range of traditional Andalusian cuisine for hardly any cost. Here, with every beer, wine or soft drink that you order, you’ll receive a plate of tapas for free. The often-generous portions make the city’s tapas bars unbelievable places in which to eat, as for the price of a couple of drinks (about 5-6 euros ($6.8)) you can basically enjoy a meal.

Almeria’s Refugios de la Guerra Civil were built during the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39 and comprise about 4.5km (2.7 miles) of underground caverns and tunnels. They were constructed to offer a safe retreat from the relentless attacks of Franco’s fascists, who bombed the city into submission before finally capturing it in the last year of the war. You can visit 1km (0.6 miles) of the tunnels, with tours offered in Spanish only.

During the 1960s and 70s, the desert-like terrain of Almeria province became a sought-after filming spot. Many of the decades’ best-known films were shot in the area, including the Sergio Leone westerns that have become classics of their genre. Today, you can visit three of the Wild West film sets that were built during this time: Mini Hollywood, Fort Bravo and Western Leone (no prizes for guessing who the last one was named after).