If you’re staying in Mojácar and thinking “what else is out there?”, the answer is: quite a lot. From crystal caves to desert film sets, sleepy artisan villages to slightly surreal hippie beaches, this corner of Almería is packed with experiences that feel a little off the beaten path. I’ve included websites – please check that the “thing” is open before you travel to avoid disappointment. Take water with you.
Here are some of our favourite things to do around Mojácar 👇
🌟 Underground Wonders & Natural Curiosities
1. Garnet Hunting at El Hoyazo Crater
A bit of a treasure hunt in a volcanic landscape. Yes, you can actually find garnets. Sadly you have to leave them there. Read about our experiences on our garnets in Almeria blog. The walk into the crater is a bit steep – and can be a bit windy going up.
Tip: Take water and snacks. Also to make a day trip – take a look at Nijar / Cactus / Butterflies to “make a day of it”. Remember shops tend to close at 2pm
2. Geode of Pulpí – Europe’s Largest Crystal Cave
This is one of those places that doesn’t quite feel real until you’re inside it. Giant gypsum crystals shimmer in every direction, making it feel like you’ve stepped into another planet. It’s genuinely one of the most unique natural sights in Spain. More info on the Andalucia Website
[Photo Credit: Antonio Gomez]
3. Virtual Reality Geode Experience (San Juan de los Terreros)
If you can’t get tickets for the real thing, there’s a brilliant (and very affordable) VR tour at the castle in San Juan de los Terreros.
Open roughly 10–2 and 4–7, and only about €1. A surprisingly immersive backup plan. More info on the Pulpi Tourist website:
4. Sorbas Caves
Still in cave mode? The gypsum caves at Sorbas offer guided adventures where you’ll crawl, climb, and explore beneath the surface. Bring sturdy shoes and a sense of curiosity. More information on the Spanish Cuevas De Sorbas website. (If you don’t have auto translation setup you can copy and paste into a translate tool) – or try this English Choose-Almeria website
🌊 Beaches, Wildlife & Nature
For the summer months we’ve got more information about The Beaches of Mojacar and Watersports
5. Walk to the Source of the Río Aguas
A peaceful hike with a purpose.
Pair it with a visit to Sunseed Desert Technology, a sustainable community experimenting with solar living and low-impact lifestyles. We wrote a blog about our visit: Source of the Rio Aguas
Tip: bring water, snacks, and a bit of curiosity.
6. Walks Around Vera’s Wetland Oasis
Just outside Vera, this area is ideal for gentle nature walks. I found quite a detailed description here about Salar de Los Caños an area where saltwater and freshwater converge.
Tip: If you have a pair of binoculars, bring them. (Charity shops often have them)
7. Hippie Beach (near Carboneras)
A slightly hidden, balanced stones on the road to Carboneras. Perhaps more thoughtful and respectul rather than a place to run around. Probably more suited to slightly older children. Expect relaxed vibes, creative souls, and a bit of a “you found it” feeling. It can be surprisingly hard to find information about how to get there. When we went there was no 3G signal for mobile phones.
Tip: Online search: “Templo Hippie de Angel” or on Google Maps La Galera Beach
8. Cortijo Búho – Owl Sanctuary
A bit further away at 2 hours 40 minutes, but a magical little sanctuary where you can get up close to owls and other birds of prey. Great for (calm) families or anyone who secretly wants a Hogwarts moment 🦉Last time I looked it was open 10am – 1pm Monday – Saturday. More information on the Cortio Buho website. There’s no entrance fee or gift shop. They do appreciate a donation. For food locally, they can book a table for you in one of the bars in the local village if you ask when booking. Apparently only the google map links takes you there (warning if you have another sat nav).
9. Aquarium – Águilas
After I posted this blog, a friend contacted me about a couple of Aquariums. There’s a free Aquarium in Aguilas. See info in Murcia Today. There’s a second one in Almeria – I’ll put details in the Almeria section below.
🎨 Culture, Crafts & Local Life
10. Mojácar Pueblo
You can’t skip visiting the pueblo!
The picture is of one of the viewing points. But Mojácar Pueblo is a whitewashed village perched on a hill, with houses, winding streets, and views that stretch all the way to the sea. It’s Mojácar’s postcard moment. If you’re travelling by car – there’s a couple of good size carparks near the swimming pool and you can walk a little way up the hill and there’s a lift.
11. Cuevas de Almanzora Castle
One of our favourite Sunday walks is around Cuevas del Almanzora. Park for free in the Market Square right outside the old castle (mind the narrow streets getting there!). It’s called Castillo Del Marques de los Velez. It’s a small but striking castle especially against the blue sky.
Inside there is a small Natural History Museum plus several exhibition spaces (including sculpture, art gallery, and often a photography exhibition). We’ve found the museum and exhibitions to be the perfect size for exploring. Enough to see with surprises round each corner, but not so big that it’s “draining” [just me?!]
12. Cuevas de Almanzora
Once you get into the heart of the town, we’ve found it to be one of those places that has quiet surprises round many corners. There’s a walking tour that takes you past interesting architecture which also includes the outside laundry area and a tour of a cave house. See our Facebook page with a description of our day out to Cuevas de Almanzora
(The castle has physical maps or there’s kid friendly website available: www.marcotopo.com – code: CUEVASDA to take you on the tour)
on’t take our word for it take a look at this Ancient History page
For those with a deeper curiosity there’s the nearby Villaricos necropolis, which we’ve yet to explore ourselves.
13. Cahoots – Craft Workshops
Get hands-on with creative workshops right on Mojácar Playa. A great way to slow down and make something memorable. They have great views of the sea from their small craft shop and creative studio. Take a look at their (paid) workshops on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CahootsMojacar/events
14. Níjar – Artisan Village
A beautiful whitewashed town known for ceramics, textiles, and traditional crafts.
Perfect for wandering, browsing, and picking up something unique. Remember most shops will close at 2pm. One exception is a large shop called Once (pronounced the Spanish way ..On-sey).
You might combine a trip here with Cactus Nijar (below), or the Butterfly Garden (also below) or the Garnets at El Hoyazo crater (above).
15. Cactus Níjar
A botanical garden with the focus on exotic cacti and desert plants. I’m not sure of their exact opening hours – but send them a message if you’re going there especially to visit: https://www.facebook.com/cactusnijar/directory_contact_info
16. Butterfly Garden (Níjar)
The Mariposario in Nijar is open between April to November. But I’m including it here in case you find this blog at another time. It’s a colourful experience. Here’s a link to the Mariposario website
Read about our day trip to see the butterflies on our blog.
🎢 Fun, Quirky & Unexpected
17. Karting Garrucha – Go Karting
Fast, fun, and slightly competitive. Not just for when you want a break from beach lounging. Fairly close to Mojacar, although probably worth booking a slot with them at Karting Garrucha. Book a slot in summer to ensure you’re not queuing for ages, and in winter to ensure they’re open.
18. 10 Pin Bowling (Mojácar)
Simple, classic fun for families or a relaxed evening out. This is their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ozonebowlingmojacar
19. Wild West Theme Parks (Tabernas Desert)
Yes, really. Just outside Tabernas lies Europe’s only true desert, a landscape so cinematic it became the backdrop for countless spaghetti westerns. Iconic film sets like Oasys MiniHollywood bring that history to life with live shows, preserved sets, and a slightly surreal, step-back-in-time atmosphere.
We’ll admit, it’s still on our own to-do list, but it’s one of the most talked-about day trips in the area. Whether you dive into the theme park experience or simply explore the dramatic desert scenery, it’s a unique escape just 50 minutes from Mojácar. For more information Wikipedia or a better description here.
20. Lunar Cable Park
The cable park is open mid February – December. The inflatables usually open in May. It is one of our favourite places as our daughter loves Wakeboarding. Even if you’ve never wakeboarded before – Lunar can provide lessons. We’ve described it more on our A visit to Lunar Cable Park is an Active Day Trip from Mojácar
🍷 Food, Music & Experiences
21. Olive Oil Tasting
A few years ago we did a tour and tasting session at Oro del Desierto. Strongly suggest you book ahead. Learn how olive oil is made and, more importantly, how it should taste. There are other olive oil producers in the area who do tours – we just haven’t done them.
22. Live Music Around Mojácar
There’s always something happening. For what’s on today, check out the website (there’s also an app) Mojacar Live for local bands / gigs.
🔭 Night Skies
23. Stargazing
There are two fairly local observatories near Mojacar. With minimal light pollution, the night here feels vast and cinematic. Sometimes the run public events.
🏰 Almeria
24. Alcazaba of Almería
If you fancy a city day, along with any shopping centres you might want to visit, there’s Almería’s fortress is one of the largest in Spain, with sweeping views and layers of history. Take a look at the Wikipedia information.
25. Almería climbing wall
If it’s raining and you’ve got kids who are literally climbing the walls – good to know that there’s an indoor climbing wall in Almeria: Climbox
26. Almería Zip Line / High ropes
Parque de aventura Enix:
27. Almería Aquarium
If it’s raining
🚴♂️ E-Bike Hire
28: We’ve got a separate page about cycling in Mojacar. A great way to explore the coastline or nearby villages without melting in the sun
Final Thoughts
Mojácar is the kind of place where you come for the sunshine… and then accidentally fill your days with caves, castles, deserts, and unexpected little adventures.
If you’re working remotely from DeskSpace Coworking Mojacar, this is your reminder: your (extended) lunch break could involve a crystal cave. Not bad, right?
If you liked this page, we’d be THRILLED with a FOLLOW on our DeskSpace Facebook page: www.facebook.com/coworkingmojacar Thank you.