Última actualización: 14 de junio de 2025
My name is Frank. I live in Frankfurt, I work in investment banking, and I’ve spent the last five years surviving on coffee, endless meetings, and Excel sheets that seem to have a life of their own. What was once my professional dream turned into a nightmare wrapped in neckties, late-night calls, and the sweet scent of burnout.
One particularly cruel Monday, while sipping my fourth espresso before 10 a.m., a colleague (Peter—a guy who usually only talks about financial derivatives) told me: “Dude, go to Almería. I went last summer with my girlfriend to explore the coves around Cabo de Gata. It’ll change your life.”
Three days later, my flights were booked. June 2024. Two weeks. No meetings. No Excel. Just “Almería coves” in my search history.
Day 1: From Frankfurt to Paradise
I stepped off the plane, and the air smelled like sea, rosemary, and freedom. Almería is nothing like my grey city. There’s sunshine, people smiling, and… silence. I rented a small car, almost as cheerful as the guy at the rent-a-car desk. Forty minutes later, I was in Agua Amarga.
Days 2–14: Almería, Coves, Sand, and the Antidote to Modern Capitalism
I can’t do justice to what Cabo de Gata is. It’s another planet. Or rather, it’s this planet as it should be: no rush, no offices, no Wi-Fi on the beach.
The coves I explored (in order of appearance in my heart):
- Cala de Enmedio: a short walk from Agua Amarga and suddenly… a beach straight out of a movie. White sand, white rock formations sculpted by minimalist aliens.
- Cala del Plomo: even wilder. Few people, crystal-clear water, and fish that seem to wave hello as they pass.
- Cala Rajá: a hidden gem near the Cabo de Gata lighthouse. Getting there is a bit of an adventure, but worth every drop of sweat.
- Monsul and Genoveses: the most famous ones. I get it now. Monsul looks like Mars. Genoveses, like an eternal postcard.
- Los Escullos, Isleta del Moro, and San José: towns full of flavor, great food (bless the grilled octopus), and the kind of people who aren’t yelling into their phones.
I did a couple of bike routes. The best one: from Agua Amarga to San José, passing through Isleta. The scenery is insane. Sun, sea, black rocks, prickly pears, and goats that seem to laugh at you as you climb hills.
I also went diving for the first time. No sharks, but I did see a sunfish that winked at me (or so I’d like to think). The water is so clear it’s scary—you feel like you might lose sight of the horizon.
Day 15: Frankfurt Kills Me
Coming back felt like switching from Technicolor to black and white. Airport. Ties. Clouds. Bad coffee. But something’s changed. I don’t know if it’s the sand still stuck in my sandals or the photo of Cala de Enmedio I set as my desktop background, but I feel like I left an old version of myself in those coves.
And the best part: it won’t be long before I go back.
“Almería coves.” If you’re reading this from an office: book it. Go. Close Excel. Open paradise.