Agua Amarga: Holiday Apartment – Beach, Trails and Culture

Agua Amarga is one of the urban beaches in Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park. Playa de Agua Amarga is located almost entirely in the town center, is 550 meters long and 30 meters wide, and has fine golden sand and crystal-clear water.

Trails and Landscape

The Vía Verde de Lucainena a Agua Amarga follows the former railway line used by the mining train and serves as a route for hiking and cycling. The linear route measures 6.5 kilometers each way; the estimated walking time is 2 hours and 30 minutes each way, and the difficulty level is low. Along the way, it passes through steppes, ramblas and cortijadas, offering views of the coast.

The S13 San Pedro–El Plomo–Agua Amarga trail runs along a rugged coastline of volcanic origin with cliffs, gorges and coves. It is 11.1 kilometers long, follows a linear route, has an estimated walking time of 4 hours and 30 minutes, and has a moderate to high difficulty level. One cove along the route is framed by two limestone formations eroded by the action of the sea. It has 150 meters of golden sand and crystal-clear water, as well as views of the mineral loading pier and Mesa Roldán with its tower. At the end of the S13 San Pedro–El Plomo–Agua Amarga trail, designated suitable sites are available; suitable sites are also available at Cala del Plomo.

Beach and Points of Interest

Playa de Agua Amarga is accessible to people with reduced mobility and is a ten-minute walk from the car park. At the beginning of the Vía Verde de Lucainena a Agua Amarga, there is a car park with 12 spaces; another car park with more than 30 spaces is located next to the mineral loading port. Agua Amarga has a municipal tourist information point with the identifier PIT-AL-00006.

History and Culture

The remains of the Agua Amarga mineral loading pier were included in the General Catalogue of Andalusian Historical Heritage in 2003 through a collective general listing by the Consejería de Cultura. The Agua Amarga mineral loading pier operated from the late 19th century until 1942; that year, the last cargo ship, the “Bartolo,” departed. On Agua Amarga beach are the remains of buildings that belonged to the mineral loading pier.

The railway line from Lucainena de las Torres to Agua Amarga ended in Agua Amarga. The earliest historical references to Agua Amarga are attributed to the Nasrid period; at that time, the place is said to have been a Muslim anchorage called “Chavala” in the district of Pechina.

The open-air painting workshop “Los paisajes de Agua Amarga” was held for the third time; artists worked at various locations on the beach and in the town center. Agua Amarga’s “Noche en Blanco” is a recurring event and was held for the ninth time.

When you choose a holiday apartment in Agua Amarga, you can review the travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions together on the listing pages. The three details emphasize different aspects: scheduling, the type of accommodation desired and the conditions of the respective offer.

Other Places

Other places for your regional planning include Lubrín, Los Gallardos, Las Cunas, Fernán Pérez, Gérgal, El Contador, Turre and El Hijate.

For the higher-level travel overview: Almeria.