The mysterious ghost town that's trapped between mountains in the south of Spain

In the middle of a semi-desert and volcanic mountainous landscape, one of Almeria’s most remarkable villages can be found. Rodalquilar, a small town in the municipality of Níjar within the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park, went from being a great mining town to becoming a ghost town. It used to have 1,400 residents but now only has 170. The number does increase in the summer months due to tourism.

The Sierra del Cabo de Gata and the Rodalquilar Valley share a common origin. A unique landscape is created by the mountains on one side and the open sea on another. Farmhouses with waterwheels or cisterns serve as a reminder of the agricultural and livestock farming that existed before mining.

Gold rush started at the end 19th century, when individuals and companies from Spain, Europe, and America began to exploit its mines. The production was impressive: One thousand kilograms of gold were mined in less than two years. This amounted to an estimated five thousand kilograms between 1957 and 1967. Rodalquilarite mineral was discovered on the same site. But the low metal concentration in the rock ultimately made mining unprofitable, and the mines were shut down.

The population left the town when mining stopped. Many homes were in ruins. As the town was located within the Natural Park, it was possible to partially restore the center of the city. However the houses constructed for the workers had to be demolished and bricked in order not to allow illegal occupation. Rodalquilar is now a popular tourist destination, offering rural accommodation, and hiking trails that follow old mining infrastructures.

The town is home to the Albardinar botanical garden (Jardín Botánico del Albardinar), which is dedicated to the conservation of native species of Almeria’s flora and the park’s management office, where you can see exhibitions about the environment. Its mines and rocky coves were also the location for many films from Death Had a Price up to ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Rodalquilar has a quiet and evocative ambience. The memory of a time that transformed the valley’s life is still visible among the ruins, restored homes and hills created by mining. The district has become the refuge of artists and bohemians fleeing from the stress in big cities.

Rodalquilar’s traditional “Noche de las Velas”, a night of candlelight, is a magical event that can be enjoyed by the entire family, as well as couples and friends. This activity includes astronomy art entertainment gastronomy live music.

In addition, for more than 20 years the Festival Clásicos en el Parque has been taking place, unique in Spain for its fusion of music, nature and heritage in the heart of the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park. The event is a classical concert with influences from other genres that takes place each July in Rodalquilar, at the Amphitheatre as well as the Patio de Los Espartales or Vivero. All of these places are linked to the past mining of this unique enclave.