I was thinking today that it is a good time of year to start planning the odd day out … for us maybe on our motorbike. Driving up the coast beyond Almeria there are so many great places to visit, and even in the middle of January, as today is proving, there is lots of sunshine as long as you are back in Almerimar by around 6pm!

Mojacar is actually pretty high up on my list to re-visit, mainly because I have not really spent time in what I would call the REAL Mojacar yet, but only visited a friend who was staying in the beach resort (Mojacar Playa). This was as expected, in some ways like a bigger Roquetas, with lots of restaurants and bars AND lots of English people, which makes it great for a lively weekend away but not if you want to check out a more Spanish atmosphere and tradition.

This is where Mojacar Pueblo (town) comes in, located up the hillside from the beach resort and described in one guide I read as “like a gargoyle watching over the Mediterranean Sea”.

The old town, unlike the beach resort below, still remains remarkably true to its Moorish past, with beautiful traditional whitewashed buildings and a lot of charm. The best option is to park your car just below the town and then explore at your own pace on foot. My experiences of old Spanish towns have led me to believe that cars are a hindrance as the streets tend to be so narrow that driving is difficult, and you run the risk of missing something anyway.

In Mojacar you have the choice of following the snaking road up through the town or more directly climbing the stairs which lead upwards into the residential heart of the town. Either way you will have incredible views, take fantastic photos, and get some warming exercise, particularly good at this time of year! Now I have already inspired myself to go back there sooner rather than later.

Below are some places of particular interest taken from a local guide:

La FuenteMora (The Moorish Fountain)
The source of water dating back to Roman times, La FuenteMora still remains a focal point in the everyday life of the village. People come to fill containers of the fresh, spring water, much as they have done for centuries. A history of the village is also written upon the fountain’s walls.

La Plaza Nueva (The New Plaza)
The view from the Plaza Nueva is one of the best in Mojacar. In the distance, the blue Mediterranean Sea glistens behind Mojacar beach. The panorama also includes the craggy hills and hinterland of the area, dotted with farms and homes.

Puerta de la Almedina (The Old City Gate)
This was the traditional entrance to Mojacar which dates back to Moorish times. You can still see the coat of arms of Mojacar which was engraved above the arch sometime in the 15 th century.

Casa del Torreón (The Old Customs House)
Just inside the old city gate is the 18 th century Casa del Torreón which served as the customs house for Mojacar. It was where visitors were taxed for the privilege of entering Mojacar.

La Iglesia de Santa María (The Church of Santa Maria)
La Iglesia de Santa María dates back to the 14 th century and was originally a fortress. It became a church years later and still remains the religious centre of Mojacar life.

AND for those of you into the history of this area, as well as its Moorish past, Mojacar has rumoured links with Walt Disney, is the source of the Indalo Man, AND has a very recent re-development; it is only since 1960 that Mojacar has expanded from a population of less than a 1000 into the ‘thriving artist’s colony’ and expat resort it is today:

“Mojacar has a long, multi-faceted history which stretches over 4000 years. Populated by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Greeks, and Moors, it still remains an intersection of many cultures. It was under Moorish rule that Mojacar really began to flourish. The castle was built and the town walls were expanded and fortified. Even so, it remained a Muslim town on the Christian frontier and because of this, Mojacar suffered many brutal incursions.

In 1488, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel came to the area to demand the submission of its local leaders. All complied except for the mayor of Mojacar. When later questioned about his absence at a meeting held near the town’s Fuente Mora (Moorish Fountain), the mayor reportedly stated that although he was a Muslim, generations of his people were Spanish by birth and that they deserved to be treated more “like brothers, not enemies…�? Evidently, Ferdinand and Isabel were sufficiently impressed with the reply to accept the mayor’s pledge of loyalty and the town continued to flourish for the next four centuries. By the middle of the 18 th century, its population had reached over 10,000 people.

Mojacar’s fortunes, however, began to change around the middle of the 19th century when its population began to decline. The reasons were numerous: The region (technically Europe’s only desert) began to suffer severely from droughts and many residents began to leave. Some went northward to seek employment in the factories of industrialising Catalunya while others immigrated to distant places like the Americas. In fact, local legend claim that the cartoonist Walt Disney was born in the area and immigrated to the United States when he was a child.

This depopulation of Mojacar continued until the 1960s when it reached critical proportions with only a few hundred residents living in the area, and running water, electricity and telephone services lagging behind other areas of Spain. Farms and homes were left abandoned to decay. The old town began to resemble more of a ghost town than the vibrant centre that it once was.

Then suddenly, Mojacar region began to see a rebirth. It first began with the influx of Almerian artists like Jesús de Perceval, a disciple of the Barcelonan philosopher, Eugenio d’Or. In the mid-1950s, de Perceval founded the Movimiento Indaliano, choosing the Indalo figure as its emblem; originally a prehistoric cave drawing found near Vélez Blanco, it represents a man holding a rainbow over his head, and is said to be a symbol of luck.

The word ‘Indalo’ is derived from the Latin, “Indo Eccius�?, which means “Messenger of the Gods�? although once again, many believe that the original meaning of the symbol has been lost. The original group included musicians, artists, writers, poets but mostly painters. Mojacar was becoming a renowned artists’ colony and its symbol became more and more visible. This was also the beginning of the propagation of the Indalo Man as a local emblem.

The 1960s was also the time that the local government began to offer free land to anyone that would agree to construct a dwelling while adhering to certain conditions. This offer proved to be the spark which rekindled Mojacar’s economy. More new residents began to appear and the town continued to thrive.

Until now, the region was famous for the hillside town and its surrounding farms but now the natural beauty of the Mediterranean Sea and its beautiful sandy beaches was becoming the main attraction. Now the region was beginning to bustle with holiday-seekers, eager to enjoy their time playing in the sand and surf. Word of the region’s natural beauty began to spread, tourism brought foreign money to the area, and a new beach area Mojacar Playa developed and became a favourite vacation retreat for travellers. Today Mojacar still has one of the highest expatriate populations in all of Spain.

As for the Indalo man; he became even more popular and was incorporated into the ever-increasing number of businesses and consumer goods. The symbol’s use multiplied and the Indalo became more of a provincial emblem than just a local one. Over the next few years, the Indalo symbol saw a great increase in its popularity being painted on the front of houses and business as a good luck totem. It very much became the symbol of this region of Almeria and Mojacar in particular.”

About Almerimar

Almerimar is located in the province of Andalucia, Spain. The nearest airport is 30km away in Almeria. Other airports that are within 3 hours include Malaga, Murcia, Granada, and Alicanti. Other holiday resorts in the region include Mojacar , Aguadulce and Roquetas de Mar

Almerimar is also one of the largest marinas in Spain with over 2,000 births and excellent boatyard facilities.