La Isleta del Moro

Isleta del Moro is a quaint fishing hamlet known for its picturesque setting © Michelle Chaplow
Isleta del Moro is a quaint fishing hamlet known for its picturesque setting

La Isleta del Moro

La Isleta del Moro is a quaint fishing hamlet known for its picturesque setting, and well worth the 500m detour from the AL-4200 road from San Jose to Las Negras. The population is only about 200 people.

The name comes from Isleta del Moro Arraez, possibly from a Moorish commander called Mohamed Arraez (ar-rais means boat owner).

Straddling a narrow peninsula, between two small hills, the hamlet offers a very photogenic coastal scene, looking more Aegean than Andalucian with blue-painted doors and windows adorning the white-washed houses which are surrounded by crystal-clear waters.  

Out of season the village is very quiet, although even in winter on a sunny day, you can sit and watch the sunset and the fishermen from the waterfront café; there is also a small hostel 'Pension la Isleta del Moro' and some apartments to rent.

Holiday homes in Isleta del Moro

Holiday homes in Isleta del Moro

isleta del Moro Daniel

Located in La Isleta del Moro, 400 metres from Playa del Penon Blanco and 1.3 km from Del Arco Beach, isleta del Moro Daniel offers air conditioning. This property offers access to a patio, free private parking and free WiFi. The property is non-smoking and is situated 42 km from Museum of Almeria.

Bus service

Saturday and Monday retern Bus service from Isleta del Moro to Almeria with Autocares Bernardo

Bus to Almeria

WHAT IS THERE TO SEE?

Isleta del Moro has a jetty where a number of small boats are anchored just offshore in the shelter of the bay. A fleet of small fishing boats called varadas also operates out of Isleta del Moro. These are pulled up onto the beach, in traditional fashion, with a wooden winch. Fish caught locally includes sargo (bream).

Limited parking is available in the main square, which is actually an old river course. You can get a drink or meal at La Isleta bar with terrace overlooking the jetty and the bay, which is dominated by the dual-peaked extinct volcanoes called Volcanes del Fraile. 

The municipal lavadero in the square remains a witness to the past when it was a social hub.  It is functioning again following a 2009 restoration, albeit with plastic plumbing. 

This part of the Almeria coast is characterised by the abanicos aluviales (affluvial fans), fan-shaped deposits of sediment, located between the Sierra de Cabo de Gata volcanic mountains and the sea.

Fiesta de Virgin del Carmen (16 July), the patron saint of sailors, is an important festival for the village.

Don't miss the view of La Isleta, from the hill above the village and the jetty
Don't miss the view of La Isleta, from the hill above the village and the jetty

VIEWPOINTS

Don't miss the view from the hills above the village and the jetty.

The inland hill has an official mirador, where photos are best taken a couple of hours before sunset. The seaside mirador is a popular spot to climb and watch the last of the sunset - you can capture a super selfie.

Like everywhere, the hamlet has expanded with new buildings over the last 20 years, so classic picturesque photos need to be carefully composed.

An official viewing point, Mirador La Amatista, sits overlooking the coast at an old Guardia Civil lookout post on the AL-4200 coast road towards Rodalquilar. This offers views along the Cabo de Gata coastline to Los Esculleros coastal village and inland to Pico de los Frailes, at 500m the highest peak of the coastal mountain range.

BEACHES

The larger of the two beaches is Playa de Peñon Blanco, a 400m-curve of sand, which you can park behind; Playa de Isleta del Moro, next to the jetty village, is very small.

FILM LOCATIONS

Isleta del Moro was used as a location in the films El Pájaro de la Felicidad (1993 Spanish drama directed by Pilar Miró), Un Día Sin Fin (2004 Spanish-Italian comedy by Giulio Manfredonia), and Sea-Mail by (2006 Spanish comedy by Víctor Erice). In June 2018, Arnold Schwarzenegger filmed Terminator 6 here, having already filmed Conan the Barbarian here back in 1982.

NEAREST PLACES

The next villages are San José, Los Escullos, Rodalquilar, Las Negras and Agua Amarga