Los Baños de Sierra de Alhamilla

A few miles to the north east of Almería is a small village called Los Baños de Sierra de Alhamilla. Why is it called that? Well, it is situated up in the mountains of the Sierra de Alhamilla and it has a hot spring.

The Phoenicians and the Romans were aware of this spring and then the Moors made regular use of the hot water. The Arab geographer Al-Himyari wrote about the spa village: “…a high mountain which has important mineral deposits.. It is also has an extraordinary hot spring that has no equal in Al Andalus by the goodness of its waters, its sweetness, its diuretic virtue, efficacy, and all its healing powers…”

I can attest to the fact that there must be a hot spring here because there is an acequia with water that is rather warm - it is 58°C apparently.

The Balneario spa hotel is located here and visitors can avail themselves of various health treatments. I prefer just to walk around this pleasant oasis and drink coffee or have a beer in one of the two bars in the village. 

Diverse Almería - Baños de Sierra Alhamilla

Los Baños de Sierra Alhamilla is a small village dominated by a spa hotel, situated next to primitive but nevertheless attractive houses amidst an oasis of palm trees.

An attractive indoor garden is set in a central courtyard. It is quite delightful; an oasis of peace and tranquillity. It apparently took eight years to restore the old building and the hotel 'Balneario de Sierra Alhamilla' is splendid. It provides a range of health treatments; some of them based on the health-giving properties of the mineral waters of the Sierra Alhamilla.

Many birds inhabit the sierra, though most occupy the areas above 800 metres because of the increased tree cover. Finches, stone curlews, little bustards, crested larks, short-toed larks, lesser short-toed larks and black-bellied sand grouse inhabit these mountains, as do blue rock thrushes, crag martins, alpine swifts and black wheateaters. In the highest peaks, birds of prey including eagles, buzzards and kestrels soar.

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