Surrounding Areas: 
The countryside around El Pinar/Mojacar is what some people would call 'Real Spain' and comes under the province of Almeria. The towns and villages are Spanish in character and you are likely to see donkeys bringing sugar cane in from the fields and herdsmen walking their goats over the mountains. Local wildlife includes wild boar, genet, fox, weasel, deer, grouse and tortoise.  
 
The Mojacar area is Spain as it used to be; small villages in the hills (some with a small bar for drinks and tapas), orange, lemon, almond/olive groves and goatherds. This is a slow way of life that is disappearing.  
 
The area is also famed for its troglodyte villages where cave dwellers have fashioned their extraordinary homes out of the soft rock. As well as the modern-day 'troglodyte' villages, there are also prehistoric caves at the nearby town of Sorbas, as well as Roman and Moorish remains.  
 
Tourist centres have built up on the eastern coast of the province at Mojacar and on the southern coast, west of the city, at Aguadulce, Roquetas de Mar and Almerimar. In these areas you'll find good beaches, marinas, international restaurants, hotels and sports centres. There is also the Cabo del Gato-Nijar nature reserve with its desert landscape and rugged coastline peppered with small coves, only accessible on foot.  
 
Approximately 45 minutes inland near the village of Tabernes you can visit the "badlands of Almeria" - Europe's only desert region. Visit "Mini Hollywood", where numerous films were shot including "A Fistful of Dollars" (Clint Eastwood) and part of the Peter O'Toole epic movie "Lawrence of Arabia". Wild West shows are put on daily (in high season).  
 
There are opportunities for sightseeing both in the immediate area and further afield and spectacular views (and driving) on the roads from Mojacar to Carboneras and beyond to the mountain coastline of Cabo de Gata, offering secluded beaches and coves. In the other direction, towards Villaricos and beyond, there are numerous small coves and inlets with small beaches.  
 
For those of you who don't mind travelling for apx 2 hours and want a complete full day out or overnight stay, there is the magnificent Alhambra, situated in Granada. The Alhambra was a Palace, citadel, fortress and home of the Nasrid sultans, high government officials, servants of the court and elite soldiers from the 13th to 15th century.  
 
This area of Spain is the ideal destination for those of you who are seeking a peaceful holiday, with a mix of traditinal Spanish villages whilst having easy and quick access to the coastal area of Mojacar Playa which boasts a nightlife that would satisfy most.  
 
Almeria Province: 
Turre & Mojacar come under the Almeria Province which has escaped mass tourism and the high rise buildings which are now evident on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol. The Province is located in the South East corner of Spain, bordering the provinces of Granada and Murciaand unlike other provinces is still relatively uncommercialised.   Almeria Province is one of the last refuges of unspoiled coastline and has retained the old-world charm and atmosphere of traditional Spain!  
 
The city of Almeria is located on the Costa Almeria (coast) at the eastern edge of Andalucia. This is probably the least known of all the Spanish costas although tourism is a growing industry here with holiday resorts developing to the east and west of the city. The coastline has a good variety of beaches but the hinterland has a barren, almost lunar landscape which put the province of Almeria on the world stage in the 1960s when Italian movie-makers decided it was the ideal location for hundreds of "spaghetti westerns".  
 
The Almeria province has been colonised by all the great Mediterranean peoples from the Phoenicians, the Carthagineans and the Romans to the Moors, who were in occupation for some 800 years, creating a wealth of culture and knowledge and leaving relics and ruins which are among the wonders of the world.  
 
The coast is the driest and warmest in Spain (most probably the best in mainland Europe), with an average rainfall of 11" and an average annual sunshine of 320 days. The sea temperature is warmer in winter than its air temperature, making swimming an all-year-round, enjoyable, activity. The overall annual average temperature exceeds 18C, with the winter temperature rarely falling below 13C.  
 
Some consider the Costa Almeria as the cradle of Spain, due to the number of prehistoric finds - evidence of the occupation by various civilizations, such as the Romans, Greeks and Arabs.  
 
The Almerian interior offers many geographical variations for exploration - coastal coves and inland desert areas. There are also picturesque national parks including the Santa Maria park in the north and the Sierra Nevada mountains natural park in the west of the province that it shares with neighbouring Granada.