Trens para Almería

The city of Almería is the largest resort on the coast of eastern Andalucía. With its very dry, sunny climate, Almería has long been a place to relax, and there's even more reason to head for Almería now as the city basks in the limelight as Spain's gastronomic capital for 2019.

Almería is very easily reached by train. There are one-daily fast Intercity train from Madrid to Almería and one spanish high speed trains with a stop at Granada. The journey takes around six hours. Almería is now as easy to reach from Madrid than other Andalusian cities like Córdoba or Málaga. Almería is worth the effort. This relaxed, modern city offers more than just sun, sea and sand. Most visitors make time for an out-of-town excursion to the remarkable landscapes of Cabo de Gata and Níjar Natural Park – a region that rates as Europe's only real desert.

From Almería there is a useful rail link to Granada (with the famous Alhambra Palace). That journey takes just under 2 hrs and 30 mins. It is possible to take a train from Granada and continue all the way to Seville.

There are plans for a new high-speed rail route from Almería to Valencia, but don't hold your breath. The first trains are unlikely to run before 2023. For travellers wanting to travel even further south than Almería, there is a useful range of ferry connections to North Africa, with one to three boats each day to Nador (Morocco) and occasional ferries to Ghazaouet (Algeria).

Take time for Almería itself. Our favourite spots in town include the striking Moorish fortress (the Alcazaba) which, while it's a pale shadow of Granada's Alhambra, is nonetheless well worth a visit. If you like digging into the past, then do visit Almería's striking archaeology museum.