What's on in Costa de Almería hidden gem

Almería is Spain's sunniest, driest province — a dramatic, almost desert landscape that has stood in for the American West in countless spaghetti westerns and, more recently, for the deserts of Game of Thrones. Its coast is a string of contrasts: the whitewashed hill-town of Mojácar tumbling down to its beach, the family resort of Roquetas de Mar, and, best of all, the volcanic cliffs, hidden coves and protected wilderness of the Cabo de Gata natural park, where development simply stops and the beaches go wild.

It's the kind of place that rewards visitors who like their Spain a little raw and uncrowded. The summer calendar centres on Almería city, which throws one of Andalusia's liveliest patron fairs — the nine-day Feria de Almería in late August — and hosts the excellent Cooltural Fest, an indie-pop festival that overlaps with it and pulls in big Spanish names. Along the coast, every town marks the Virgen del Carmen in July and its own patron-saint fiesta through the summer.

Almería airport (LEI) keeps things simple with direct UK seasonal flights, and it's close to both the city and the resorts. As with the rest of Spain's quieter coasts, there's not much public transport once you arrive, so a hire car is the way to reach Mojácar, the Cabo de Gata coves and the desert film sets inland.

Big skies, empty beaches, real Andalusian fiestas and prices that feel like a throwback — here's what's on along the Costa de Almería while you're here.