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Agua Amarga Terrace Apartment
Nijar, Andalusia, Spain
Agua Amarga Terrace Apartment
Nijar, Andalusia, Spain
Natural Park-Based Beach Retreat
Set in the arid Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park in Andalusia, this beach apartment has desert chic styling, a bright modern kitchen, and a big boho-cool rooftop terrace drenched in sunshine, with views out to sea. Plus, it's outfitted with an outdoor shower, shaded living/dining corner, and an abundance of prickly cacti and succulents.
Offering rare residential access to the protected coastline of Cabo de Gata-Nijar Natural Park, this beach retreat, with its ample rooftop terrace, shines brightly in the rugged Almeria desert. A cool, serene retreat, the home brims with breezy linens in pale earth tones and has been updated in contemporary coastal style—think driftwood tones and tactile furnishings—at the hands of interior architect/designer Carmen Bruna Alcaide of Atelier Brunelda. Soothing and natural, the revisited residence is a three-minute walk to the beach and the small town’s square, and offers a wide rooftop terrace combining sunlit spaces with a shaded pergola and built-in sofa seating.
AROUND
Agua Amarga is one of a handful of villages within the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park in southern Spain’s Andalusia region. Covering 38,000 hectares, the arid coastal park offers 50 kilometers of coastline featuring jutting cliffs, unobstructed views, and unspoiled beaches, the best known Genoveses and Mónsul. Semi-arid and deserted, this part of Andalusia is home to hemp and agave plants, volcanic rock and sand beaches pocked by fossils. Limited in population, the park has historically been home to seafaring Moors, Phonecians, and Romans, and today it features four main towns within its protected boundaries: Agua Amarga, Las Negras, Rodalquilar, and San José.
Vividly whitewashed, the community of Agua Amarga where the home is located, spreads between stone-pocked dry hills facing the aquamarine sea. Greenery spills from the town’s terraces and an abundance of trees in this otherwise austere landscape creates an oasis-like setting. Agua Amarga is located near the Mesa Roldán, an ancient volcano topped by a watchtower and lighthouse. Near the Mesa, three small coves—Cala Arena, Cala Sorbas and Cala Castilla—are known for their wild beauty and are accessible only by sea. Agua Amarga beach is a crescent stretch of sand stretching for a mile along the town’s border, lined with small cafes, shops, and souvenir shacks. The west side of the beach offers a series of small caves that were reputedly once inhabited.
Continuing along the coastline, a series of rugged coastal inlets are favorites for exploring by kayak. To the beach’s south, wilder sands continue along the coastline. Cala Cala Enmedio and Cala del Plomo are great spots for snorkeling, swimming and kayaking. The quiet beach of Los Muertos is accessible exclusively via footpath and therefore beautifully isolated, and tor those traveling the coast by boat, visit the fortified Cortijo de la Rambla del Plomo, a 17th-century outpost built to protect farmers from attacks by the Barbary pirates.
LOCATION
Nijar, Andalusia, Spain. Nearest airport: Almeria (20km)
BEST TIME TO VISIT: March to December
