Aguadulce is a town in the municipality of Roquetas de Mar, province of Almería, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, in Spain. It is located in the Poniente Almeriense region, about 14 kilometers from the city of Almería, along the highway (N-340a) and 14 kilometers from the dual carriageway road.
In 2018, its population was 16176 inhabitants, although in the summer the population triples due to tourism, the main economic engine of the city.
The cities of Aguadulce, Las Hortichuelas and Campillo del Moro did not originally belong to the municipality of Roquetas de Mar, but were added in the first third of the 20th century. The reason was that the city council of Enix, to which these seats belonged, proposed to hand over to Roquetas de Mar if this municipality paid off the terrible debts of Aguadulce.
In the summertime, the population increased slightly due to the tourism that began during these periods. In 1964, Aguadulce was declared Spain's first national centre of interest precisely because of the growing tourism. Even at that time, those few vacationers who arrived in this city did not stay in luxurious cottages or magnificent hotels by the beach, but in modest houses that they rented or bought in the center of the neighborhood. They made simple shacks on the beach, where to enjoy sunbathing and swimming in the sea, and that when they had finished their holidays, the cottages were put in a sack until the following year. And gradually, out of 27 houses and 300 inhabitants in 1950, Aquadulce turned into a place of residence for a permanent population exceeding 15, 000 inhabitants, so that in the summer months the figure triples and reaches about 45, 000 people.
The city is equidistant (10 km or less) from Roquetas de Mar and the city of Almería, and to get there you must first drive through long tunnels and along huge cliffs and vertical walls that plunge into the sea. In addition to peaceful beaches and beautiful natural surroundings, there is a marina and a promenade with a variety of restaurants and nightlife. There are also plenty of water sports and cultural activities.
Aguadulce Marina
The marina is located at the foot of the cliffs of Cañarete and is a good place to start walking through Aguadulce. This is your entry point to the city from the east if you have come from the capital of Almería. It is one of the largest marinas on the Almerian coast and you will find plenty of pubs, bars and restaurants there, all of which are popular during long summer evenings. In fact, Aguadulce has gradually become one of the largest centers of nightlife in the entire province of Almería.
Try Stanley & de Marco, a restaurant/pizzeria that has been bringing quality Italian food to its customers since 2003. It offers a varied menu with a mix of classic and modern dishes accompanied by live piano music on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. If you want to keep the evening going, head to the Texan-themed HeartBreak Aguadulce to enjoy live rock music or a game of billiards.
For daytime entertainment, the port-based Aquatours offers diving courses for all levels (including trial dives). One of the best diving routes includes a trip to see vast areas of posidonia, an endemic marine plant considered a natural treasure in Almería.
Promenade
The promenade of Aguadulce stretches for 2 km from the marina along the main beach, where there is a blue flag as an indication of the quality of the water, sand and services available.
The promenade is lined with bars, restaurants, ice cream parlors and souvenir shops. Try Nuevo Amarre for seafood and fried dishes or Koral if you want to taste Cuban food. In La Piedra, Argentine meat dishes merge with the traditional Spanish tapas culture. Almost at the end of the promenade is Chiringuito J. Emilio, the perfect place for a cocktail and good food in a chilled atmosphere.
Aguadulce Mall
Centro Comercial 501 is an open-air shopping centre just 250 metres from the sea at the western end of Aguadulce. Also known as Las Fases, it has restaurants and some of the most prestigious bars in the entire province. All are free of charge and offer a wide range of music for all tastes. Among the bars worth trying are at least Maracas 501 Aguadulce and Pachito, and among the clubs Caramelö is a sure choice.
