MOJÁCAR , Almería's main and growing resort, takes its name from the ancient hill village which lies a couple of kilometres back from the sea, a striking agglomeration of white cubist houses wrapped round a harsh outcrop of rock. In the 1960s, when the main Spanish costas were being developed, this was virtually a ghost town, its inhabitants having long since taken the only logical step and emigrated. The town's fortunes suddenly revived, however, when the local mayor, using the popularity of other equally barren spots in Spain as an example, offered free land to anyone willing to build within a year. The bid was a modest success, attracting one of the decade's multifarious "artist colonies", and now, twenty years later, they are quickly being joined by package-holiday firms and second-home professionals. A plush new 280-room hotel has opened, as well as a parador on the beach, and a burgeoning foreign jet set now lives here for half the year and migrates in summer.

 

If you want to stay in the upper village there are a handful of small hostales ; try Casa Justa , c/Morote 5 (tel 950 478 372; ¬27-36), or the cheaper La Esquinica on nearby c/Cano (tel 950 475 009; ¬18-27). For cheap eats up here, Rincón de Embrujo , on the plazuela fronting the church, does a good-value menú . Down at the beach , there's a good campsite , El Cantal de Mojácar (tel 950 478 204; open all year), rooms to let and several hostales . Among the hotels , try either the good-value Puntazo (tel 951 478 229, fax 951 478 285; ¬36-48), to the south of the centro comercial on the seafront, or the nearby Hostal Bahía (tel 951 478 010; ¬27-36), with rooms around a pleasant patio. The modern and rather dull Parador Reyes Católicos (tel 950 478 250, fax 950 478 183; ¬90-120) is set in a palm-tree landscape right by the beach. For a decent no-frills meal , head for the Cafetería Rosa , facing the south side of the centro comercial . Other restaurants, mostly of indifferent quality, are to be found along the seafront, where you'll also find lots of fine beach bars (currently a little overwhelmed by Spanish techno). Nightlife happens all along the beach strip throughout the summer and it's fun just to cruise and see what's on offer. The sassiest of the discos is Pascha , easily tracked down at the foot of the strobe light it beams into the sky every night, and the beachfront Goa is similar. The beach itself is excellent and the waters (like all in Almería) are warm and brilliantly clear.