Cable Inglés: What to do in Almería city if you only have one day
A walk along the Cable Inglés jetty is one of the most typical things to do in Almería capital city
Compared with some other major Spanish cities, Almería provincial capital has relatively little to offer tourists and visitors in the way of cultural landmarks.
That said, one of the most popular things to do in Almería is a stroll along the Cable Inglés, which is something of an icon of the city.
What is the Cable Inglés in Almería?
The Cable Inglés is a kind of old, unused jetty made from steel that sticks out into the sea above the port of this seaside city, and it has metal rail tracks running along the length of it.
It rises up on a gentle slope over a distance of a few hundred metres to reach the end, where it is raised almost 19 metres above sea level and from which offers unparalleled views over the Mediterranean Sea and the city of Almería.
It is 100% free of charge to visit the Cable Inglés, and the whole visit shouldn’t take more than 30-45 minutes. The best time of day to visit is at sunset, when people often go to take photos from the end of this pier.
History of the Cable Inglés
The reason this old railway pier, built between 1902 and 1904, is in the middle of the city is because it was originally used in the early 20th century as a way to transport mineral deposits in minecarts to the cargo ships waiting in the port.
Although it is formally known as the El Alquife mining loading dock, the reason it is more commonly called the ‘English Cable’ is because the company that used it to load their valuable mining deposits from Granada was the British ‘Alquife Mines and Railway Company Ltd’.
When it was built the Cable Inglés was inaugurated by King Alfonso XIII of Spain, and its unique system of both storing and depositing cargo from both sides allowed the company to load around 8,000 tonnes of mineral deposits in 8-10 hours.
Designed by Scottish engineer John Ernest Harrison, it actually runs for almost a kilometre from the old train station (itself a gorgeous period building worth seeing from the outside since it is not visitable inside) to the waterfront, but most people only walk the part that starts at the end of the park. It is an easy visit, and is suitable for people with reduced mobility.
There is another smaller sister to the Cable Inglés, the Cable Francés (French Cable), which is located further along the coastline, but it has neither the fame nor the fantastic views that its English sibling does.
The Cable Inglés ceased to be used for its primary function in 1970, and in 1998 it was declared a Monument of Cultural Interest.
Cable Inglés opening times
- Monday-Sunday: 9am to 2pm and 4pm to 7.30pm.
In the winter when there are fewer people there are no restrictions and no one counting how many people enter. However, in summer you have to book ahead of time if you want to visit the Cable Inglés because, for health and safety reasons, there is a limit of 250 people who may be allowed in at a time.
To book a place to visit the Cable Inglés, visit the port authority website, www.apalmeria.com.
Where is the Cable Inglés?
Images: Autoridad Portuaria de Almería
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