San José is a village and fishing port in the centre of Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata, in the Province of Almería. Its population in 2011 was 1012 inhabitants. Recorded by the INE. Over recent years San José is experiencing an increase in the number of visitors and is an easily accessible town from Almería airport and the A7 autovia. San José, as with all of the Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata, is most popular during the spring and summer months. San José boasts a few beaches, a few outside the town and within walking distance, such as Playa de los Genoveses, Playa de Mónsul and Cala de la Media Luna. There are several restaurants and tapas bars in San José. The local independently run tourist office is a reference point for activities in the Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata. Accommodation is plentiful although in summer some places can be fairly expensive and are quickly filled.
Generally there is accommodation open all year round and it is especially plentiful during the spring and summer months, although one may want to book early. During the summer and during Semana Santa, prices can be particularly expensive. There are a number of websites with information relating to hotels, hostels, self-catering accommodation, food and drink.
Natural spaces
Due to its situation in the middle of the Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata, one is never far away from natural spaces, the most popular of those being the beaches. But there is so much more and all within walking distance of San José.
Beaches
Apart from the town beaches of Playa de San José, Playa de la Calilla and "Tabacco Beach" you can wander along westward to the stunning beaches of Playa de los Genoveses, Playa de Mónsul and Cala de la Media Luna. But this is just a small number of the stunning beaches and coves to be found to the west of the town. There is also Playa del Barronal, Cala del Príncipe, Cala Chica, Cala Carbón and many more. To the east to the pueblo is the stunning Cala Higuera overlooked by the even more stunningly located bar El Refugio. All beaches around San José are ideal for snorkelling.
Campillo de los Genoveses
Alongside the beach Playa de los Genoveses is the Campillo de los Genoveses, a partly cultivated natural space that is a haven for flora and fauna. Further along the track is part of the Sierra de Cabo de Gata. Both of these areas are popular with wildlife enthusiasts, hikers, artists and photographers, cyclists and shepherds grazing their goats and sheep. Amongst the features of Campillo de los Genoveses is a huge fossilised sand dune that once was part of the beach, making this an area of geological importance.
Notable fiestas
San José celebrates along with the rest of the country. The following fiestas are the largest to be celebrated in San José annually.
Carnival (Carnaval)
Of all the fiestas that take place in Spain throughout the year, there is nothing wilder than the Carnival celebrations in late February. The week leading up to Lent is a time for wild partying in some parts of Spain when the country plays host to Europe’s biggest and best Carnival festivals. San José like most other towns, hosts its own carnival, probably not on the same scale as other major cities but colourful and vibrant none-the-less.
Día de San José
Día de San José or Saint Joseph’s Day honors St Joseph, the Virgin Mary’s spouse, and is held annually all over Spain on 19 March. This date is also known as Father’s Day in many areas of the country. The celebrations start on Friday night where live music is played in the main square or plaza and there is a drinks tent selling beer, wine and tapas. This is in addition to the already crowded bars.
is a festival of ancient origin adapted to commemorate St. John the Baptist. It is a festival that is usually linked with celebrations to celebrate the arrival of the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere, whose principal rite is a fire. The purpose of this ritual was to "give more power to the sun" The festival is marked by a night of partying around beach bonfires and party-goers jumping over waves, each wave supposedly bringing good luck.
The paseo
During the spring and summer months, the paseo in San José is transformed into a riot of colour by a number of artisan market stalls selling all manner of hand-made jewellery, leather goods, clothing, incense holders and other unusual and original goods.
Things to do
During the spring and summer months, there is plenty to do in San José; diving, kayaking, photography experiences, wildlife watching, geological field trips, hiking are just some of the varied activities you can do in and around San José. Some of these activities are also available throughout the year.
Cinema
In common with a number of locations around the province of Almería, San José has been used a number of times in cinematic / TV history. Fistful of dollars, For a few dollars more, The good, the bad and the ugly, Lawrence of Arabia are amongst the many epics that feature scenes around San José. The nearby Monsul beach has been used for scenes in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and the music clip 'Ave Maria' from pop star David Bisbal. The syndicated TV series Queen of Swords used Monsul Beach and nearby locations for haciendas throughout the series. The top of the rock was used as a fight location in the first filmed episode Death to the Queen when actrees Tessie Santiago climbed to the top for a two on one sword fight.
