Costa Almeria lifestyle

All Almeria's resorts have good helpings of gift shops and boutiques for stocking up with straw hats and sun-cream as well as Moorish-style handicrafts like rugs from Albox and Berja. Other good buys include Almerian basketwork and brightly coloured crockery from Sorbas and Vera. For serious sprees, head for Almeria's plentiful malls and traditional stores or Roquetas de Mar, with its large shopping centre filled with chain stores. And in all the towns and villages along the coast, you'll find regular markets selling fresh foodstuffs and interesting curios.

Due to its location facing Morocco and Algeria, Almeria's traditional cuisine displays distinct North African influences from favourites like ollo do trigo, a delicious wheat grain and fennel stew to gurullos, a rustic dish of fried flour balls, sausages and garlic. Other typical feasts include gazpacho and lots of fresh fish and seafood transformed into treats like gachas, a spicy clam stew and escabeche e sardines, fresh sardines in hot sauce. For drinks, chill out over sparkling local cava or sip on some of the region's fine sherries and wines. And don't forget tapas - you'll find loads of bars serving the region's favourite seafood varieties in Almeria and other resorts too.

Less developed than many other Spanish Costas, nightlife in Almeria is less frenetic than in neighbouring regions. Expect long, lazy evenings settled at a friendly tapas bar, dining at a favourite restaurant or enjoying a folklore night at your hotel. For up-tempo nights, head for Roquetas de Mar, with its thriving bar scene or if you're in Almeria, throw yourself into the lively bars and nightclubs congregated around the La Chanca quarter - you'll have a blast.