Zurgena

The Friday market transforms Zurgena's main square into a social hub that would make any British high street jealous. By ten o'clock, stallholders from Huércal-Overa have laid out glistening swordfish steaks alongside mismatched socks, while neighbours debate the merits of this week's tomatoes. It's market day as it should be – chaotic, friendly, and thoroughly Spanish, with the added bonus that someone will probably explain in English why you need that particular cheese.

Zurgena sits quietly in the Almanzora Valley, 248 metres above sea level, where the only traffic jam involves two tractors and a determined elderly gentleman on a mobility scooter. The village proper houses around 3,000 residents, but add La Alfoquia – the old railway settlement across the tracks – and you're looking at 5,000 souls. This split personality works: traditional Spanish village on one side, slightly more international flavour on the other, all within walking distance if you don't mind a gentle uphill stretch.

The valley location means winters stay mild enough for morning coffee outside, though you'll want a jacket from December through February. Summer temperatures hit the high thirties, but the low altitude prevents the stifling heat that makes mountain villages unbearable. Spring brings the real magic: from late February, almond trees explode into white and pink blossom against ochre earth, creating a natural spectacle that beats any municipal planting scheme.

The Station That Wouldn't Die

La Alfoquia preserves its railway heritage with stubborn pride. The old station buildings, complete with original signage, now house a small railway museum and a rather good café. Train enthusiasts can examine restored signalling equipment and timetable boards, though regular services stopped decades ago. The platform hosts the monthly artisan market, where local honey shares table space with handmade leather goods.

The railway theme extends unexpectedly to fish and chips. An English-run chippie operates from a converted goods shed, serving proper cod in crispy batter with genuine malt vinegar. It's either culinary paradise or proof that British expats will recreate home anywhere – possibly both. The owners source potatoes locally but import the proper curry sauce, a dedication that deserves respect.

Five Bars and a Way of Life

Village social life revolves around the square's five bars, each with distinct character and loyal clientele. Bar Central opens earliest, catering to workers needing coffee and tostada before heading to the surrounding olive groves. By eleven, Bar Avenida fills with expats discussing property prices in English while Spanish regulars pretend not to understand. The tapas remain resolutely Andalusian: montaditos of local ham, olives from nearby groves, and grilled prawns when the fishing boats have been generous.

Evening brings the paseo, that Spanish institution of gentle strolling. Families walk clockwise around the square while teenagers loiter anti-clockwise, creating a slow-motion human washing machine. The bars stay open past midnight, though last orders depend more on the owner's mood than any licensing laws.

Valley Views and Mountain Rewards

The flat Almanzora Valley makes cycling accessible rather than intimidating. Quiet country roads connect Zurgena with neighbouring villages – take the lane to Lubrín for a gentle 12-kilometre ride through almond groves and past abandoned cortijos. Mountain bikes can tackle the rambla tracks, but check weather forecasts first: what looks like a dry river bed can become a torrent within hours of heavy rain.

Proper mountains lie twenty minutes west by car. The Sierra de los Filabres offer serious hiking with 2,000-metre peaks and proper mountain weather – pack layers even in May. Closer to home, the Sendero del Castaño follows an old irrigation channel through terraced agriculture, ending at a natural spring where locals fill plastic containers for drinking water.

Coastal Access Without Coastal Prices

Zurgena's inland location keeps accommodation affordable, but the Mediterranean remains temptingly close. Vera Playa's vast beach stretches 30 minutes east – bring a windbreak as the Levante wind can whip sand into every sandwich. Garrucha's working port, 35 minutes away, serves the freshest fish at harbour-front restaurants where fishermen mend nets between courses.

The drive to the coast follows the Almanzora River, passing through orange and lemon groves that burst with fruit from November onwards. Stop at one of the roadside stalls – honesty boxes still function here – and buy Seville oranges for marmalade that would make Paddington weep with joy.

When the Village Lets Its Hair Down

August's feria transforms sleepy Zurgena into party central. The square becomes a fairground, the bars extend onto the streets, and someone inevitably imports a British tribute band. For one week, nobody sleeps: children's activities start at midday, teenage discos begin at midnight, and the thirty-somethings' bar opens at whatever time they finally arrive. Book accommodation by Easter – village houses fill up with returning expats and their extended families.

San Pablo's January fiesta provides winter warmth with processions, traditional dancing, and enough free tapas to negate any New Year diet. The religious elements remain serious – this is still Spain – but the accompanying celebrations involve the entire village, Catholic or not.

Practical Realities

You'll need wheels. Car hire from Almería airport takes forty-five minutes on the A-7 motorway, then ten minutes navigating country lanes where sat-navs lose the plot. Sunday buses exist in theory rather than practice – check timetables carefully or prepare for an unexpected overnight stay.

The Friday market genuinely starts winding down by one o'clock. Arrive before eleven for proper browsing, bring cash, and don't expect organic prices – this is shopping for locals, not tourists. The fish van parks by the fountain; join the queue early for best selection, though anything still swimming in Garrucha that morning appears here by ten.

Pharmacy opening times follow Spanish logic: mornings only, except when they don't. The 24-hour rotation system means one village pharmacy stays open late – check the notice on the door for which day applies. Medical emergencies require Huércal-Overa's hospital, twelve minutes away, where English-speaking staff cover most eventualities.

Zurgena won't change your life. It's not spectacular, dramatic, or world-famous. What it offers instead is authentic Spanish village life with enough British influence to ease the transition from Sainsbury's to Spanish markets. Come for the almond blossom, stay for the Friday fish, and leave understanding why some people never make it back to Blighty.