It was late October when we visited Spain so we just missed the summer season.  However we were still craving some sun and beach time so we figured a trip down south was in order.

When researching Spain, I had read Almeria province was the hottest and driest in the country and you could still sit out to enjoy lunch during winter.  I knew this is where we needed to be.  We rented a little car in Seville and headed to the coast!

We wanted to avoid the popular hot spots of Marbella and the Costa del sol. We craved a picturesque small town on the ocean without the crowds.  In a touristy country like Spain I knew this would be hard to find, but I pulled out the map and looked up town after town along the coast to find the perfect one I was envisioning.

After some research, I found the perfect place!  I almost don’t want to write about it as I don’t want it to become more popular.  It was perfectly quaint and quiet when we were there.  This little town on the Mediterranean that I speak of is San Jose.

San Jose

Located a little north of Almeria City, this pretty little town is the perfect place to relax by the beach, get off the beaten path and immerse yourself in more local life.  There were next to no tourists when we were there.  It was the off-season, but I doubt it is a tourist hot spot even during the high season.  I hope it stays that way, so don’t spread the secret too much 😉

 

Where to Stay

There are not a whole lot of options in the little town of San Jose, especially in late October during the off-season.  We chose the Doña Pakyta hotel because of the gorgeous view of the ocean and were not disappointed!

Doña Pakyta

Upon entering the lobby we were struck with the gorgeous views from the large picture windows that you see as soon as you walk in.  I squealed in delight when I saw the beautiful view of the perfectly blue water and white buildings along the coast.

Our room was located on the other side of the road of the lobby, up a flight of stairs.  We were shocked when we saw how large the room was!  Upon entering there was a living room with TV, mini fridge and balcony.  Then there were two doors off of it.  There was a master bedroom with large bed, another TV and huge balcony with table and sun loungers and a magnificent view of the ocean!

  

There was another little sitting area off the bedroom area with a closet area and lots of room for luggage and then a fairly large bathroom.  The other door off of the living room was another large bedroom with two beds and another bathroom!  We had no idea the room we booked was this large.  It was just the two of us so we didn’t even take advantage of all the space, but it would be perfect for a family.

We had our rental car with us which we had no problem finding parking for on the street.  I’m not sure during the busier season if it would be a problem, though.  It was easy enough to walk from the hotel into town where there were a number of restaurants.

The beach was nice although it was pretty windy.  We did not swim at the beach at the hotel as we wanted to check out the nearby Playa Monsul instead (more on that below!)

I would definitely recommend Doña Pakyta for your stay in San Jose.  It appeared to be the best choice in town. Don’t expect luxury, because it certainly is not that.  But it is comfortable, clean and you get a lot for the small price you pay for a stay here.

 

What To Do

Relax at the beach

San Jose town is located on a pretty cove with a good stretch of sandy beach and shallow water.  It is perfect for families.  The water is the prettiest blue – like no shade I had ever seen before!  The way it contrasted with the bright white buildings was gorgeous.

If you get too hot (which is sure to happen, especially during the summer season!) just walk a few steps to the boardwalk where there are a number of ice cream and gelato shops.

Rent a kayak

There are a number of shops that rent out kayaks and paddleboards.  It’s a great way to get out and explore the crystal clear waters.  You can rent a regular kayak or try one of the fancier clear kayaks.

Horseback Riding

Our hotel had the option of booking a horseback riding excursion but sadly we did not have the time.  It looked like  a beautiful outing, riding the horses on the beach or in the hills!  Check with your hotel lobby for details.

Visit Monsul Beach

The highlight of our trip to San Jose was visiting Playa Monsul.  This fabulous beach is easy to get to from town.  It is only a few kilometers away but about a 20 minute drive as the road is pretty rough and you can not drive fast.  There is also a city bus that will take you there for a couple of Euros.

We drove down the dirt road and passed other beaches along the way.  When we arrived, there was a good sized parking lot with free parking.  I had read online that parking was 5 euros but there was no one collecting parking fees when we were there.  Maybe this was because it was off-season.

The beach is truly stunning.  As soon as you walk from the parking lot down to the beach you will recognize the rock formation which was featured in a scene from one of the Indiana Jones movies.  This was a highlight for us!  Indiana Jones is one of our favorite movies.

When we were there the beach was not too busy.  It was full of locals and only one other foreign family other than ourselves.  About half the women were topless and some men were completely nude, but this appears to be completely normal.  Being from North America, we are not used to it but it is nice to see how comfortable Europeans are on the beach.

Even though it was late October the water was still pretty warm and the sun was hot.  The water was very nice to swim in and waves were pretty calm.  Make sure to bring snacks and water because there are absolutely no facilities here.  No bathrooms, no concession stand, no vendors, nothing.  We had brought some jamon y queso from town and some pastries and made a nice little picnic on the beach.

Come here and enjoy one of the most relaxing afternoons you can have and take in the magnificent scenery!  It is really such a lovely beach and a bit of a hidden gem!

 

Where to Eat

Since we were in San Jose in October, the town was a lot more quiet than we were expecting.  Many of the restaurants were closed.  We wandered up and down the boardwalk and around town, looking for a good-looking restaurant.  We ended up settling on Rione Trastevere as it appeared to be the busiest place in town and we were so glad we did!

Rione Trastevere

Being in Spain, we wanted to eat more local dishes (paella, tapas, etc) and were trying to stay away from Italian.  But this restaurant was a nice change from all the Spanish food we had been eating.

The menu had a large selection of pizzas to choose from and pasta dishes.  Ryan and I ordered a pizza and a pasta dish to share.  We were amazed how big the pizza was when it arrived at our table.  It was so delicious though, we actually managed to finish the whole pizza and pasta!

We were stuffed but still wanted to try some dessert.  We ordered the tiramisu and it was HUGE as well!  The biggest tiramisu I’ve ever seen.  For a dessert lover like myself it was amazing.  The best tiramisu I’ve ever had.

Prices were very reasonable for the quality and size of the portions.  Service was very friendly – probably the friendliest service we had in Spain!  The staff did not speak much English at all and the restaurant seemed to be very popular with locals, which is always a good sign.

If you are looking for a short, relaxing Spanish holiday, San Jose is the perfect choice!

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