Local Amenities

2 - 10 minutes walk: Within a short stroll, there's a bus stop (to Vera, Garrucha & Mojacar; from Vera coaches go further, eg Almeria, Alicante, Granada, etc). There's a post-box for your holiday post cards. The immediate area has many bars and restaurants (we have flyers, business cards and a map in the apartment folder); of course, in season, there are several chiringuitos, or beach-bars open and the Hotel is open to non-residents and has nightly entertainment. Should you want to cook in, there's a large supermarket, Consum, stocking all the usual things including fresh milk, bread, fish and meat; and to pay for your food and drink, you have the choice of nearby cash dispensers and banks. Next to the supermarket is the local Aqua-park; sorry, you've got to wear your bathing costumes in there! Lastly, there's a couple of kilometers of 100% naturist beach and a further 5 km of Vera beach, which is naturist friendly as it borders onto the designated nudist zone.

2 - 10 minutes drive: You've probably rented a car from the airport, or perhaps driven from the ferry, and there are 2 nearby petrol stations, the closest just about 1km along the road and it has an automatic car wash, 2 pressure wash booths and car vacuum facilities (it also does fresh baked bread!); of course, there are more cash dispensers and banks, even before you get to the nearest towns of Garrucha or Palomares. There are beauty salons, an acupuncture clinic, hairdressers, physiotherapy / osteopathy clinics, sports clubs with gymnasiums, a driving range, tennis courts, padel courts and an indoor (textile) public pool. There are even more supermarkets (Lidl, Iceland and Mercadona). Palomares village is the closest to Vera Playa, a sleepy little place with a large square and several nice bars. About 5km to the south is Garrucha town, with its marinas, shops, fish restaurants and working harbour; it's also the closest health centre. Inland by 10km is the larger town of Vera, with its imposing bullring and all the usual town amenities. 4km or so north is Villaricos fishing village with its marinas, scuba dive centre (VillaricoSub) and some pleasant harbour-side bars. Inland to the north west by some 12km is Desert Springs Golf Resort (for golf information on this and other local courses www.almeriagolf.co.uk and restaurants. Garrucha has a private English speaking doctor and homeopath. Garrucha and Villaricos also offer fishing or pleasure boat hire, sailing, karting, and each town and village has its own weekly market.

15 - 20 minutes: 15km away, Mojacar Playa (beach) stretches for a further seven kilometres along the sparkling Mediterranean sea with its shopping centres, boutiques, bars, restaurants and nightclubs - it has a pleasant paseo to stroll along. 3km up the hills nestles white-walled Mojacar Pueblo, a historic and fascinating village whose winding streets cling to the steep mountain slopes, and where the Moors and Christians festival is a pageant of historical colour of every June. On the other side of the hill from the pueblo lies Turre, and on from there, Cortijo Grande golf course, but if you turn towards Vera again, you will pass Valle del Este Golf. Mojacar Playa is flanked by Marina del Torre and Macenas golf courses. 20 minutes along the motorway is Huercal Overa with the award winning hospital and large Monday market. 20 minutes along the coast road brings you to beach side San Juan de los Terreros, with its long paseo, dotted by chiringuitos. Inland, Cuevas del Almanzora with its cave houses and fortified 'castle', and the other way, Los Gallardos village and campsite, with a bowling club. Activities within this distance include horse riding, quad tours, diving www.scubajive.com, paragliding and other water sports.

25 - 35 minutes drive: If you feel like a break from the beach, it's not too far, and a pretty coastal drive north to the large town of Aguilas with its new nearby shopping mall 'Aguilas Plaza' which is open all days, and the challenge of Aguilon Golf. For those who've brought their whites and flats, there are several lawn bowling clubs: Indalo Bowls, Cabrera, Almeria Bowling and Los Gallardos. Southwest lie the Sorbas caves where you can escape the sun on a caving tour www.showcaves.com/english/es/caves/Sorbas.html.

45 - 60 minutes drive: Our nearest airport Almeria airport, is 95km south, and is about 15 minutes from Almeria town centre, bus and train station. In the other direction, on the road from Alicante, is the large town of Lorca, with its historic 'Fortaleza del Sol y Taller de Tiempo' historical interactive entertainment, and a great day out. Heading beyond Sorbas further west is the Tabernas desert area with Mini-Hollywood wild west park, complete with cowboys, indians, zoo and sets from the Sergio Leone 'spaghetti westerns' - it was near here that Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was filmed. Off the motorway to Almeria is the expanse of the Cabo de Gata national park, which has stunning scenery and also some charming little fishing hamlets along its coast. Nijar is well worth a visit with rustic shops selling a wide of locally made pottery and rugs.

90 - 120 minutes drive: There's now a fast toll motorway from Vera to Cartagena, which joins the AP7 heading on the toll road to Alicante, which makes Murcia San Javier airport just over an hour away. You have the choice of the old E15 autopista mediteranea, or the 2 sections of toll road to get to the Alicante airport, the freeway takes about 2 1/4 hours. Alicante is a major airport with many airlines using it. There are also 2 courses near Murcia, La Manga Golf, Trampolin Golf.

3 - 4 hours: For a day out and away, you can drive to historic and fascinating Granada and Alhambra, or on up to the imposing Sierra Nevada ski resort, to make the most of a beach and piste holiday during the winter. Further afield, really best with an overnight stop if you're doing any sightseeing is Malaga, Seville, Cordoba and the Mezquita and Valencia.

4 - 5 hours: Madrid, Toledo, Marbella, Gibraltar

10 hours and more: Bilbao, Santander and the border with France.

We also provide an Information pack in the apartment for your convenience.