Rodalquilar between gold mining and volcanic landscapes

Culture

The Ecomuseum La Casa de los Volcanes houses a former building called Casa PAF. Until the mining operation closed in 1966, it was used for the extraction of gold ore in Rodalquilar.

A visit to the Ecomuseum offers a geological introduction to the landscapes of the Cabo de Gata Geopark and their interpretation. A dedicated room presents the history of mining: from the historic extraction of alum in the 16th century and lead and silver mining in the 19th century to the modern gold extraction process at the DENVER plant.

The basic structures of the plant illustrate the scale of the mining project in Rodalquilar. The Poblado Minero de Rodalquilar is a complex of buildings associated with the lives of mining families.

The El Albardinal Botanical Garden is located in the former Guardia Civil barracks in the mining settlement of Rodalquilar.

Nature

The route through the El Albardinal Botanical Garden leads from stands of jujube, dwarf fan palm and artinera through rosemary and esparto grass stands. Further along, thyme stands and grassland give way to fruit and cereal crops.

The S10 Cerro del Cinto Largo trail connects volcanic formations with mine entrances and abandoned mining settlements.

The S12 La Molata trail begins near Castillo de San Ramón at El Playazo. From the AL-4200 road, about 1 km from Rodalquilar towards Las Negras, an approximately 2 km-long paved track leads to El Playazo. From there, the route continues to the castle area, near which the trail begins.

The S12 La Molata trail runs along a rugged coast with cliffs and small coves. In the surrounding area, it offers panoramic views of El Playazo Bay.

Nearby, El Playazo lies at the foot of the volcanic caldera of Rodalquilar and has fine, light-colored sand. The seabed around El Playazo is rich in natural marine life.

El Playazo is one of the most frequently visited diving sites in the surrounding area.

Geographical location

The starting point of the trail to Cerro del Cinto is in Rodalquilar, next to the administrative office of Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park. There is a large car park there; the trailhead sign is located approximately 25 m from the exhibition hall.

The circular route around Cerro del Cinto has two variants: a long route of 10.7 km and a short route of just over 4 km.

The S16 trail can be started in the vicinity of Los Albaricoques, the Cortijo del Fraile or Rodalquilar. The new S16 cycling and walking loop is included as a proposal in Níjar’s Sustainable Tourism Plan for the years 2022 to 2024 and connects Los Albaricoques, the Cortijo del Fraile and Rodalquilar.

The section of the S16 between the Cortijo del Fraile and Rodalquilar has been developed as a cycling and walking path and prioritizes non-motorized travel.

Other destinations include Las Negras, El Pozo De Los Frailes, San Jose-Nijar, La Isleta and Los Albaricoques.

Nearby, Castillo de San Ramón was built during the reign of Carlos III; construction was completed in 1768. As early as 1510, a fortress had been built in the area to defend the alum mines.

For the main travel overview: Nijar.