Aguadulce, a small town 10 kilometers west of Almería, is a typical beach resort. Quiet in winter, with only the local residents left and some lost tourists, and busy in summer when the holidays start. It’s mainly popular among foreigners from northern Europe, although you will also find Spanish people on holiday, especially in August.

Aguadulce is beautiful and ugly at the same time. The location is gorgeous. It’s trapped between the sea at one side and a mountain at the other side. In the morning you can see a beautiful sun rise above the sea. And at night, just before the sun sets, a beautiful light shines on the mountain. The drawback of the town is, ironically, the popularity among tourists. To meet the needs of all these people they have built a lot of big and high buildings, mainly hotels and holiday apartments. And they are still building. In their effort to fill all open spaces, they are now also building on the mountain. Result is that the once so beautiful view on the mountains is spoiled more and more.

The reason for the popularity of Aguadulce as a beach resort is the very many sunny days it has. In fact this area of Spain is the hottest and driest place in Europe. So for those who like to sunbathe: this is the right place to be. The beach is not very wide but it’s long, with a promenade running parallel with it. There are some water sports facilities, for example pedal boating (nice for families with children), diving and windsurfing in Roquetas de Mar, a town a few kilometers west of Aguadulce.

There are lots of hotels and apartments and plenty of restaurants to choose from, from ´typical´ Spanish tapas bars to the basic pizzeria and Chinese. Most of them are on the promenade and in the harbour, at the northeastern side of the town. But you can also find some good restaurants farther away from the beach, close to the main street. If you prefer to stay in an apartment and eat at home, there are a few big supermarkets where you will find all you need.

For those who are more interested in culture: this is definitely the wrong place to be. It doesn’t have an old town, like most Spanish towns, nor some interesting historic sides. But Almería isn’t far away, so you might find some interesting places there.