National Geographic forgets about Mojacar

National Geographic recently released a list of Spain’s 100 most stunning towns, featuring places like Santillana del Mar and Valldemossa.

Surprisingly, not a single town from Almería made the cut, despite having gems like Mojacar and Nijar.

According to Javier Zori del Amo, National Geographic Travel’s director, chosen towns had to be small yet culturally and scenically rich. This should have included Almería’s municipalities, like Mojacar, which boasts similar qualities to towns on the list.

Cádiz, Caceres, and Mallorca led the list with four towns each. In Andalusia, only Almería and Seville didn’t make it.

Notably, three Almerian towns – Mojacar, Lucainena de las Torres, and Nijar – are part of Spain’s Most Beautiful Towns Association. Mojacar, a founding member, is famous for its white houses and stunning views of the Mediterranean. Lucainena de las Torres offers picturesque streets and historic sites like calcination ovens. Meanwhile, Nijar is known for its charming narrow streets and colourful flowerpots, best viewed from La Atalaya.

Almería boasts other stunning towns like Velez Blanco, with its impressive Renaissance castle, and Alpujarra’s quaint villages, such as Laujar de Andarax and Almocita. Despite their beauty, they were overlooked by National Geographic.