Landscape seen from La Amatista viewpoint.

© Marcelina Zygula/Shutterstock

Mirador de la Amatista

Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Níjar


On the main road between La Isleta del Moro and Rodalquilar, this high viewpoint commands breathtaking views of the vertiginous, unspoilt coastline. From here the road snakes down into the basin of the Rodalquilar valley.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Níjar attractions

1. Jardín Botánico El Albardinal

1.53 MILES

Rodalquilar's extensive botanical gardens showcase the vegetation of Andalucía's arid southeast. It's well planned, with every plant, tree and shrub…

2. La Casa de los Volcanes

1.76 MILES

At the far end of the village, this museum has displays on the local mines and the geology of Cabo de Gata and Andalucía. Signs are primarily in Spanish,…

3. Gold Mines

1.83 MILES

Set amid the Martian red-rock terrain at the top of the village, the skeletal remains of Rodalquilar's gold mines are an eerie sight. The complex, which…

4. Playa del Playazo

2.9 MILES

A 400m-long strip of sand, the Playa del Playazo is sandwiched between two promontories, one of which is topped by a small 18th-century fort (now a…

5. El Cortijo del Fraile

3.38 MILES

This abandoned farmstead on a windswept plain 6km northwest of Rodalquilar was the scene of the tragic, true-life love-and-revenge story that inspired…

6. Playa San Pedro

6.2 MILES

Set between dramatic headlands 3km northeast of Las Negras, this sandy hideaway is the holy grail of the park's numerous beaches. The 250m-long playa,…

7. Playa de los Genoveses

7.4 MILES

The first beach southwest of San José is Playa de los Genoveses, a lovely, 1km-long stretch of sand framed by two headlands. It owes its name to the…

8. Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Níjar

8.14 MILES

Boasting glorious beaches, vertiginous cliffs and a semi-desert hinterland, this 340-sq-km park occupies Andalucía’s southeastern corner. It’s a wild…