In Berja the suburb of Villavieja was declared a site of 'Cultural Interest' back in 1987. There are the remains of a Roman amphitheatre and also a Moorish fortification, which date from 8th century. In the suburb of Alcuadique to the east, are the ruins of Moorish baths. The whole region contains evidence of its Moorish past the most spectacular being the 10th centurary Alcazaba (fortress) in Almeria, the largest in Spain.
The sports enthusiast is catered for well, with facilities never more than a short drive. Almerimar offers scuba diving, many other water sports, marinas and a newly built go-kart track just a 15 minute journey away. Roquetas de Mar with its three marinas is just a 25-minute drive and offers a rapidly expanding shopping area and Grand Plaza with every type of shop and restaurant. The historic city of Granada is only a 150km drive.
For anyone with an interest in cinema history there are various film sets built in the Nature Preserve of the Tabernas Desert , just a few miles north of Almeria and these have now been transformed into three theme parks; MINI HOLLYWOOD, TEXAS HOLLYWOOD and WESTERN LEONE. The later two are still working locations at least part of the time.
To the west of Almeria is Cabo de Gata-NÃjar Natural Park, the largest terrestrial maritime reserve in the European Western Mediterranean area. As a funded reserve it contains some of the most unspoilt natural beaches anywhere in the Iberian peninsula.