Costa de la Luz by Cindy Powell

 

The Costa de la Luz, on the western side of Andalucia, is a world away from the more commercialised Spanish Costas, and these parts have long been much-loved by Spanish holiday makers. Many of the seaside towns of the Luz, therefore, have a genuine Spanish feel because they did not evolve geared around foreign tourism.

The coast is divided into two sections, the Huelva province, which stretches from the Portuguese border to the Doňana National Park, and the Cadiz province, which stretches from the River Guadalquivir to Tarifa in the South, a few miles from Gibraltar.

The popularity of the region is mainly due to its fantastic sunny climate and light summer breezes which take the edge off the heat, coupled with fine white sandy beaches, mostly backed by sand dunes and pine trees. Large zones of protected pine forest and salt marsh provide a natural habitat for birds and butterflies.

 

Parts of the Costa de la Luz are now gradually becoming more developed as European tourist areas, but there are building restrictions in place which ensure that the setting is not spoiled by high rise or high density over-building. As a result, the few purpose-built tourist resorts that do exist have been carefully planned and have a ‘quality’ feel to them, with attractive luxury hotel buildings, landscaped grounds, and up-market leisure facilities with bars, clubs and restaurants

These areas are interspersed with traditional Spanish seaside towns, like Conil or, slightly more inland, Medina Sidonia, where private villas a bit more off the beaten track can be found.

 

Cadiz Province

As well as great beaches, the Cadiz province has fantastic sightseeing opportunities. Cadiz itself is virtually an island, surrounded by sea on all sides. The enormous gold domed cathedral dominates Cathedral Square, and if you take time to climb to the top of the Tavira Tower, you can get a magnificent view over the old town or a fascinating glimpse of daily life going on via the Camera Obscura. Cadiz is also well known for its excellent food and carnival during late February and before Easter.

Jerez is famous for horse riding and flamenco, as well as its many sherry bodegas and buildings of historical interest.

Chiclana de la Frontera is just south of Cadiz, about 15 mins’ drive. The centre of Chiclana is a bustling commercial centre, but the market square still has traditional outdoor food markets. The coastline of Chiclana takes in the resorts of La Barossa and Novo Sancti Petri. Both resorts are high quality holiday destinations, having hotels, sports complexes, horse riding schools and golf courses in addition to numerous bars, shops and restaurants etc.

La Barossa beach runs through both resorts, and is a beautiful 8 kilometre stretch of white sands, which has been awarded the European Blue Flag for cleanliness. Some stretches of beach are urbanized, with promenades, beach bars etc, and others are completely natural, from little sheltered coves to rugged rocky inlets; calm, open wide bays or more exposed stretches for surfers, sailboarders or kite surfers.

Novo Sancti Petri is set around a fantastic 36 hole golf course designed by Seve Ballesteros. As you stroll about the resort you will glimpse the lush greens, which are bounded by palm trees and lakes. There are numerous cycle paths, and the more adventurous cyclist will enjoy riding through the open pine forests where you will often encounter horse riders from the local riding schools.

Conil is a popular seaside town that retains it original charm. It has a wide beach which is extremely popular in summer, and a promenade lined with seafood restaurants offering local specialities. In the summer months there are crafts markets in the square, and you can wander around the charming narrow cobbled streets and admire the tiled courtyards. Conil is special all year round, but really comes alive in summer.

Vejer is a stunning Moorish pueblo blanco (white village), perched at the top of a hill, accessed by a steep drive up narrow, winding roads. The view over the surrounding countryside, once at the top, is superb: looking down over the square white buildings, which give the impression of rows of sugar cubes. The castle and much of the town dates back to the 16th century, and the main square is dominated by an attractive tiled fountain. Vejer has some lovely bars and restaurants

Tarifa is situated at the southernmost tip of Spain, just 14 miles from Africa. This is the point where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic, and the rolling waves produced entice surfers from all around Europe.

 

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