Now I know it is not the most exciting part of Spain, and I've heard it is very dry and barren, but I'm going there for a mini break in Sept with my OH (he has to work and I am tagging along).

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone knows the area and if there is anything good to see/do. I like old buildings/monuments and sightseeing in general. No kids so won't have to cater for them. Neither of us play golf. We LOVE sushi so do let us know if there are any Jap restaurantes in the area.

It's a long haul to get over there so I don't want to do too much driving when we get there. We'll be staying somewhere in or around a place called Vera.

Anyone know the area?

Ta.

I have a friend who lived in Antas and now lives in Cuevas, both quite close to Vera. Although I haven't been into Vera some of the surrounding villages are very nice, especially Antas and Bedar. Both are quite spanish and picturesque. For a more 'international' experience you might what to try Turre or Mojaca

Sorry I couldn't help more.

try bedar and the restaurant at the top of the village,called the miramar, it serves the nicest leg of lamb on the coast(enough for two so beware). if you want to see the area i am afaid you will have to drive. mojacar playa is lovely in parts,garrucha is nicer still and the friday market is not to be missed. mojacar pueblo is a must, if you can,park before actually getting to the top of the road which separates and goes left into the puebo and right down to the car parks,saves a walk. turre is nice but not too much to see there but further on past turre there is the road to cortijo grande and that is spectacular. take the left turn just past the golf course sign i believe. a bit of a windy road but well worth the visit,even with the fire damage. if you can stomach heights the drive to carboneras is good, long twisty roads with steep drops and lovely scenery. plenty to see and do. enjoy.

all these areas are great, the miramar has wonderful food but you may need to book, esp. on a sunday lunch, it gets really crowded, Vera has a naturist beach if you fancy taking your clothes off, i went to that area a few yrs ago to help renovate an old house - mojacar pueblo's great too, it has a very decorative local well and you can drive out within a few minutes be in open countryside - i once ran out of road and ended up in a dry riverbed with an old man and a load of goats..............

Thanks guys.

So the plan of action will be (unless I'm missing something huge):

1 Couple of hours at Garrucha beach.
2 Visit Bedar
3 Visit Mojaca village.
4 Take longer drive down to Carboneras.

I only have 48 hours to fill so that will probably be enough.

I have two evenings for dining out - one at the restaurante at Miramar I think and for the other I'll head into Mojaca costa for something "international", sushi if they have it.

By the sounds of it Vera itself is a waste of space as nobody has even mentioned it.

Mojacar is one of my favourite places in Spain, Lovely

Vera is the local town - ugly, dusty and dry. It has one very good restaurant - the Terraza Carmona (downtown) and two or three others (Vera Hotel is one) just outside. It's about 5kms from the beach, although there is a 'Vera Playa' which includes the up-market Puerto Rey urb (where lots of Madrid politicos have houses) and Pueblo Laguna.
Cuevas next door has a castle with a good art museum inside.
Mojacar is fun. The village is special (the beach is 'very British'). Garrucha has good fish restaurants, although expensive. Carboneras is perhaps better and cheaper.

[QUOTE=Lenox;7863079]Vera is the local town - ugly, dusty and dry. It has one very good restaurant - the Terraza Carmona (downtown) and two or three others (Vera Hotel is one) just outside.

I thought the Vera Hotel was a brothel?................i went for a lads nite out, just for the drinking you understand, was like somethin out of a bond movie.............hugs statues in the grounds, all the women on stools round the room, with lights on them and the drinks were bloomin expensive...............

Indeed - great fun! No, that's the 'Hotel Argar'. The snack bar next door has the unfortunate name of 'Come Come'.

Cuevas has a castle and museum? This sounds like it is more up my street. As I said before, I like looking at old buildings and monuments.

...............yes the Agar i remember now, it was raided a few yrs ago and lots of the women were found to had come from columbia hoodwinked by promises of jobs & then their passports taken away, I remember the guards on the doors and the massive high walls around the place - also there were firearms found & drugs, in fact one of the women offered me cocaine - i dont even smoke................

Cuevas del Almanzora - about 5kms from Vera. It has an area of cave-houses - hence its name. The castle is at the top of the pueblo, called Castillo del Marqués de los Vélez and has two museums in it. A historical one and an art museum, being a collection of Spanish 19th and 20th century art (there's everything from Goya to Picasso there - very nice).

That's more like it. I'll definitely visit. Thanks Lenox.