Roquetas de Mar travel guide
Long beaches, flamingo lagoons and greenhouse country
Roquetas de Mar is a flat, sunny beach resort about 20 km west of Almería, busy with Spanish families in summer. Use it for beach days, birdwatching at Punta Entinas and trips to Almería and Cabo de Gata; a long weekend works, best from May to June or September to October.
On the flat coast west of Almería, Roquetas de Mar is a beach resort with a sea of plastic behind it: the greenhouses of the Campo de Dalías stretch inland for miles, growing vegetables for northern European supermarkets. The draw is the sand, a long seafront promenade and some of the sunniest weather in Europe. In summer most visitors are Spanish families, and many northern Europeans have settled here for good.
Aguadulce, at the Almería end of the municipality, is where the marina sits, along with the most pleasant stretch of hotels. Head the other way for Punta Entinas-Sabinar, a protected wetland and dune coast where flamingos feed in the lagoons beside stilts and terns; its beach is an unofficial naturist spot. Steady wind also makes Roquetas a good place to learn kitesurfing.
Day trips are the other reason to base yourself here. Almería, with its Alcazaba, is on the half-hourly M-330 bus, and the wild coves of Cabo de Gata are about 45 minutes away by car. Wear a hat. The dry air and sea breeze hide how strong the sun is.
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Beaches, lagoons full of birds and wind for kitesurfing, with Almería and Cabo de Gata close by.
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Best time to visit Roquetas de Mar
Month by month, so you can pick the weather and the crowds you want.
Highs of 26°C to 30°C, long dry days and room on the sand.
Highs around 34°C and almost no rain; the beaches near the promenade fill early with Spanish holidaymakers.
January still reaches about 18°C, which keeps many long-stay visitors here through the colder months.
August is the peak of the Spanish holiday season; book well ahead and expect the beaches near the promenade to be full.
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Getting there
Almería airport and the M-330
Almería airport is about 40 minutes away by car. There is no direct bus from the airport, so either take a taxi or go into Almería first and pick up the M-330, which runs between Almería and Roquetas every 30 minutes; timetables are on the CTAL metropolitan transport website. Málaga airport, with far more routes, is about two hours west along the A-7 motorway, which has no tolls. Almería's port has ferries to Melilla and to Morocco and Algeria.
- M-330 bus
- Every 30 minutes between Roquetas and Almería
- Málaga airport
- About 2 hours by the toll-free A-7
- Almería airport
- About 40 minutes by car; no direct bus
- If you fly into Málaga, hiring a car is the easiest way down the coast.
- Arriving late at Almería, a taxi saves waiting for connections.
Where to stay
Aguadulce marina, the Santa Ana harbour or Playa Serena
Roquetas strings along a long strip of shore, and its three main areas feel quite different. Pick by whether you want a marina, the everyday life of the town or a big resort hotel near the dunes.
- Aguadulce
- Marina, promenade and the beaches closest to Almería; the most polished stretch, and the busiest in August
- Town and fishing harbour
- Around the port and the Castillo de Santa Ana, with local bars and shops; less of a resort feel
- Playa Serena
- Large resort hotels on the southern beaches, nearest to Punta Entinas; sleepy outside summer
- Away from Aguadulce, check how far your hotel is from an M-330 stop if you will not have a car.
Getting around
Walk, cycle or take the M-330
The resort is compact and flat, so most places are walkable, and the Green Corridor gives walkers and cyclists a path running parallel to the beach. The M-330 bus stops at several points around town every half hour on its way to Almería. For Punta Entinas, Cabo de Gata and the mountains inland, you will want a car.
- Green Corridor
- Walking and cycling path parallel to the beach
- M-330 bus
- Several stops in town on its way to Almería
- Low humidity and the sea breeze make the sun feel weaker than it is; carry water and cover up when walking at midday.
Know before you go
What makes Roquetas de Mar worth the trip, and what catches visitors out.
Why travelers love it
- Flamingos at Punta Entinas-Sabinar, best seen early in the morning.
- A kitesurfing lesson with one of the local schools, using the steady coastal wind.
- An evening walk along the Aguadulce promenade as the marina lights come on.
Good to know
- The sun is stronger than it feels; low humidity and the breeze mask it, so cover up even in spring.
- Book Alhambra tickets well in advance if you plan a day in Granada; they are limited and rarely available on the day.
Trip fit
BookingMentor editorial ratings out of 5, based on a first-time visitor's experience.
Weather in Roquetas de Mar, month by month
Roquetas averages 34°C in July and 18°C by day in January. December is wettest, at about 38 mm.
Climate figures are approximate long-term averages for Roquetas de Mar (World Meteorological Organization, via Wikipedia).
Punta Entinas flamingos, then the Alcazaba and Cabo de Gata coves
Two days work from Roquetas. On the first, see the flamingos at Punta Entinas-Sabinar at sunrise, spend the windy afternoon on the beach, and eat at the Aguadulce marina; on the second, take the M-330 bus to Almería's Alcazaba, then drive to the Cabo de Gata coves.
Day one, morning: drive or cycle west to Punta Entinas-Sabinar soon after sunrise, when the flamingos and wading birds are most active and the light is soft on the lagoons. Walk out through the dunes to the beach, which stays empty for long stretches even in summer.
Afternoon: beach time, or a kitesurfing or windsurfing lesson if the wind is up; it usually strengthens after lunch.
Evening: walk the promenade north to Aguadulce and eat by the marina.
Day two, morning: take the M-330 bus into Almería for the Alcazaba, the Moorish fortress on the hill above the port, and the provincial museum below it. Go early, since the fortress walls give little shade.
Afternoon: with a car, head east to Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park, about 45 minutes away, for volcanic coves and clear water for snorkelling. Bring an umbrella and strong sun cream.
Evening: back in Roquetas for grilled fish and a cold beer on the seafront.
Greenhouse tomatoes, gazpacho and a free tapa by the marina
Eat fish and greenhouse vegetables. The farms behind the town supply much of Europe's winter tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, which is why the gazpacho is so good, and many bars still serve a free tapa with each drink. On hot afternoons, order a clara, beer with lemon soda.
Almería keeps the old habit of serving a tapa with each drink, and Roquetas follows it in many local bars, so a few rounds can make dinner. Fish and seafood from the Mediterranean are the obvious choice by the sea.
The greenhouses behind the town supply much of Europe's winter vegetables, so tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers here are cheap and good, which is why gazpacho tastes as it should. In summer, melon and watermelon from the same farms turn up at every meal.
A caña is a small draught beer and a clara is beer mixed with lemon soda. Eat in the bars along the promenade and in Aguadulce, and remember dinner in Spain rarely starts before 21:00.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Quick answers to the questions travelers ask most before visiting Roquetas de Mar.
Getting there
The drive takes about 40 minutes. No bus runs direct, so take a taxi, or ride into Almería and catch the half-hourly M-330.
It works if fares or routes suit you: the drive east along the toll-free A-7 takes about two hours.
Yes. Some 45 minutes east by car, the natural park has volcanic coves and clear water, though almost no shade.
General
Parallel to the beach, giving walkers and cyclists a traffic-free route along the flat resort.
The Punta Entinas beach is used unofficially by naturists, and some coves in Cabo de Gata are also naturist.
The town has its own kitesurfing school, and the reliable afternoon wind suits windsurfers too. Sailing and diving centres operate here as well.
Aguadulce suits those who want the marina and quick access to Almería. Playa Serena, at the southern end, has the large resort hotels and is closer to the dunes.
Yes, as a long day trip to Granada, but buy tickets well ahead because they sell out and are rarely sold on the day.
May to June and September to October. Winters stay mild and sunny, which suits long stays.
The resort is compact and flat, so most places are walkable, and the Green Corridor gives walkers and cyclists a path running parallel to the beach. The M-330 bus stops at several points around town every half hour on its way to Almería. For Punta Entinas, Cabo de Gata and the mountains inland, you will want a car.
Timing & weather
Early in the morning, when they feed in the lagoons of the protected wetland west of town alongside stilts and terns.
The best time to visit Roquetas de Mar is May to Jun, Sep to Oct. Warm sea and steady sun without the August crowds.
- Best overall: May - June, September - October (Highs of 26°C to 30°C, long dry days and room on the sand)
- Summer: July - August (Highs around 34°C and almost no rain; the beaches near the promenade fill early with Spanish holidaymakers)
- Winter: November - March (January still reaches about 18°C, which keeps many long-stay visitors here through the colder months)
July is the warmest month in Roquetas de Mar, with average highs of 34°C, and January the coolest, with lows of 8°C. December is the wettest month, at about 38 mm of rain; July is the driest. Roquetas averages 34°C in July and 18°C by day in January.
Visa & documents
Spain follows Schengen entry rules. Citizens of the EU and of many other countries, including the US, UK, Canada and Australia, can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period; other nationalities need a Schengen visa. The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) records non-EU travelers' fingerprints and a photo at the border.
Health & safety
Pickpocketing in the big cities is Spain's main crime risk for visitors. Pickpocketing is common in Barcelona and Madrid, especially on the metro and in tourist areas. Heatwaves and wildfires occur in summer.
