Almería Province – a new home for murder mystery

Why the Province of Almería became the backdrop for the Almería Mysteries

Before March 2020 I didn’t even know there was a province called Almeria and only discovered it by chance…but it was a discovery that led to a whole new world. While waiting for a property seminar on Portugal, cold and wanting to sit down, we snuck into the seminar on Spain and became enthralled by the presenter’s enthusiasm for the Almeria area and the video of idyllic village scenes and changing landscape. The covid pandemic delayed our trip to the province but once there we were not disappointed.

Almería or Costa de Almería, the names by which the province of Almería is known, is part of the autonomous region of Andalucia in southern Spain. It has a varied landscape which includes something for everyone; beaches, mountains, even desert.

The provincial capital is also called Almería and, to help avoid confusion, is often referred to as Almería city. Situated on the Mediterranean coast, its airport is the main gateway to the area and easily reached from the UK. Popular coastal holiday destinations in the province include Roquetas de Mar to the west of Almería city and Mojácar to the east.

There are the pretty whitewashed hillside villages and smaller towns or pueblos like Sorbas, Velez-Blanco, Bedar and of course Lubrín – the home of the Almería Mysteries. Several of the towns and villages are overlooked by castles or watch towers, some dating back to a time when the Moors ruled the area.

If you view a satellite image of the region it almost looks like part of the coastline, particularly by El Ejido in the south-west, is covered in snow. It’s actually all the greenhouses used to grow fruit and vegetables; with those, the lemon and orange grooves and all the almond trees you can see why Almería province is known as ‘Europe’s Garden’.

Moving away from the coastline you will find the Tabernas desert, a feature you many not be familiar with but have probably seen – on screen. The desert has provided the backdrop for many western films including “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” and “A Fistful of Dollars”.

A little further inland the mountain range of Sierra de Los Filabres can be found; it’s a popular destination for those who like hiking and cycling.

I haven’t explored all of the province yet but it certainly provides a great setting for the Almeria Mysteries.