Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Níjar

Boasting glorious beaches, vertiginous cliffs and a semi-desert hinterland, this 340-sq-km park occupies Andalucía’s southeastern corner. It’s a wild and often hauntingly beautiful place, its largely empty landscape punctuated by remote white villages and isolated farmsteads. Animals and plants thrive in its arid, salty environment while abandoned mines and bizarre rock formations hint at its intriguing mining history. The park’s main hub is San José, a popular resort on the east coast.