Roquetas de Mar travel information and video

Roquetas del Mar

Roquetas de Mar is a popular, but relatively new holiday resort located on the Costa Tropical in the province of Almeria, which is situated in the autonomous community of Andalusia.

History
Once a traditional fishing town, in 1967 Roquetas de Mar was designated a National Tourist Amenity.

The old coastal town dates back to Roman times and although now offers many modern facilities, it still retains much of its old charm with its labyrinth of narrow cobbled Moorish streets.

You will also find the old medieval tower Castilla de Santa Ana and the 17th century restored church of La Virgen del Rosario, home to a magnificent altarpiece depicting the life of the Virgin Mary. In fact dotted along the coastline visitors can visit the remains of several interesting 16th-18th century fortifications.

Facilities
Roquetas de Mar is a good destination for young families and retirees alike with lots of facilities to make your stay comfortable and enjoyable. There is even a mini train that takes you around the resort. If you enjoy an active holiday then you will be satisfied here, with a myriad of activities on offer such as golf (at Playa Serena), horse-riding, aquatic sports, bird watching and lots of sightseeing opportunities.

There are also lots of great places to eat out in Roquetas de Mar; the small marina has plenty of tapas bars and excellent seafood restaurants to enjoy during your stay.

Roquetas de Mar Beach
The 3km coarse sand beach is never crowded and is backed by an attractive promenade. There are many water sports facilities in the area - water-skiing, jet skiing, fishing and yachting – however take care as the sea can sometimes get quite rough. There is also an allocated nudist area along the beach.

Natural area
The whole area is designated a National Park and five kilometres south of Roquetas de Mar you come across the Las Marinas salt marsh, an outstanding natural area and a haven for flamingos, little egrets and avocets. Further along, Punto Sabinas is a bird watchers paradise.

Local Festivals
Each year from the 23rd August to the 1st September Almeria celebrates its local feria (fair) in honour of Our Lady of the Sea. Open air dances and performances, sporting competitions and a traditional Flamenco Festival in the Plaza Vieja promises much fun into the early hours of the morning.

Climate
Roquetas del Mar enjoys a perfect all-year round Mediterranean climate, as does the whole of the Costa Almeria. In the sub-tropical environment temperatures rarely fall below 18ºC. During the summer months the temperature rises above 30ºC and July and August can get much hotter, dropping again around mid-September to a milder, but still warm and enjoyable 23ºC-27ºC degrees. The winters are mild and mostly dry, although the winter evenings can get chilly.

Roquetas de Mar enjoys a Mediterranean sub-tropical climate; warm, with moderate temperatures in winter and reaching 40ºC in the summer. The light has great intensity all year round but is especially aglow from April through to November.