The Alcazaba commands the ridge above the city with the authority of a structure that was never meant to be subtle. Built in 955 by the Caliph Abd al-Rahman III and expanded by later rulers, it is one of the largest Moorish fortifications in Spain, covering over 43,000 square metres across three distinct enclosures. The lower enclosure contains gardens that have been sympathetically restored with fountains and Mediterranean planting; the middle section holds the remains of the residential palace; and the upper reaches include a Christian castle added after the Reconquest.
The walls that define the hillside are original tenth-century construction, and to walk along their length with the city spread below and the Mediterranean glittering beyond gives a sense of what Almería must have looked like at its medieval peak, when it was the most important trading port in al-Andalus. Entry is free for EU citizens, making this one of the great free sights in Andalusia. Come early morning or late afternoon to avoid the midday heat — the site is largely exposed and the summer sun is fierce.