Set amid the Martian red-rock terrain at the top of the village, the skeletal remains of Rodalquilar's gold mines are an eerie sight. The complex, which was fully operational as recently as the mid-20th century, lies abandoned – and you’re free to explore its former crushing towers and decantation tanks.
To get an insight into the area's mining history, stop first at La Casa de los Volcanes, a small museum with Spanish-language displays (some translated into English) on the mines and the geology of Cabo de Gata.
Beyond the mines, a rough dirt road continues through the hills, pocked with abandoned mines and the ruined miners' hamlet of San Diego. Rather than attempt this road by car, you'd be better off taking the Sendero Cerro del Cinto, an 11km walking trail that traverses the striking postindustrial landscape.
