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Here in the
Cadiz region of Andalucia, the Costa de la Luz and the area between
Gibraltar and Sevilla, we are living in a territory which is still
very Spanish, still stunningly beautiful with it's white villages
and great beaches, still populated by charming and friendly people
and where one can drive with ease to the nearest large city, the
airport and the beach. Here, although English is still a foreign
language, it is spoken quite widely and therefore one can learn to
speak Spanish at leisure and without pressure.
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Please click on the
links to find more information on the particular village or area of your
choice. We shall be adding more villages to this section, as we
continue to explore this beautiful Province. |
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Arcos de la Frontera
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Arcos de la Frontera
has a population of around 30,000 and is split into two distinct parts,
the old town or ‘casco viejo’ which leads down the narrow cobbled
streets (adorned with flower pots and window boxes) from the 15th
century castle, the Santa Maria church and the San Pedro chapel, along
the main street to a more present day area, where there are hotels,
bars, restaurants, shops and a modern underground car park.
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Just beneath the town is a large body of water emanating
from the river Guadalete and it is here that one will find an array of
fine townhouse developments being built in wide open countryside, with
views of the lake and the surrounding hills.
Click on
townhouses at Terrazas del Lago for more details
Arcos de la Frontera is approximately 30 minutes drive from the famous
sherry producing town of Jerez de la Frontera with it’s international
airport and network of motorways leading to virtually everywhere in
Spain.
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Barbate |
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Barbate is perhaps not the prettiest village on the Costa de la Luz, but
it has a certain charm that makes it very appealing. There are about
20,000 residents in Barbate, although this number increases during the
summer months. Most of the tourism here is national, not many British
visit Barbate.
The beaches are lovely, the surrounding countryside is stunning and the
prices in the restaurants, bars and shops are still quite low. Barbate
is a great place to shop and the markets offer plenty of deals. Stock up
on your entire beach gear here - surf boards, beach chairs etc. - there
is plenty of choice at nearly half the price of other nearby costal
towns. There is a huge shopping centre being built in the middle of the
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Some things that you really must check out…
1.
Do a sailing course: in a matter of days you'll be sailing up and down
the Straits of Gibraltar, under the supervision of an instructor of
course. It only takes a few hours to get the hang of it, and the courses
are really cheap. Check them out!
www.sailingcertification.com.
2. Go-Karting: take a rest from
the sun and sand, and head over to the track for a bit of fun.
3. Ballooning: Barbate offers all types of activities, even those as
bizarre as ballooning. But there you go, rent out a balloon and get a
bird's view of the whole coast!
www.discoverandalucia.com
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4. Watersports:
When the winds get too strong in Tarifa (the windsurfer’s paradise),
it's a good idea to head up the coast towards Barbate. The water is
crystal clear and the winds are usually gentler. Just north of Barbate
is one of the best beaches in Spain for surfing in the winter. Scuba
lovers can also find some fantastic spots off the Barbate coast.
However, if you don't fancy getting wet, there are boat excursions to
far away fishing grounds. Another option is to book a dolphin-watching
cruise, as there are hundreds of species of dolphins in the Straits and
beyond.
Also very
popular, if you don’t like watersports, are hiking and biking. There are
tracks in the medium mountain ranges for beginners and some difficult
ones for the more experienced hikers and bikers. |
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Bornos |
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Bornos is a delightful town lying on the borders of a large lake that
grows from the river Guadalete, 182 metres above sea level and with a
population of around 8,000. It’s origins are not a matter of record
however, it’s tower “El Castillo de Fontanar” which was originally built
by the Moors, was conquered by Fernando III in 1250 and given over to
the dominion of the house of Ponce de Leon and later to the House of
Ribera in 1398.
It then became a fashionable leisure area for the nobility and an
important settlement for various religious orders. In the 17th century
Bornos was governed by the House of Medinaceli and the family is still
prominent to the present day.
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Although quite out of
the way, Bornos regular bus services to both Cádiz and Jerez, from where
there is plenty of transport to the rest of Spain.
Bornos is a lively
village, with several bars and restaurants, a couple of hostels (‘pensiones’)
and just out of town there are one or two country guest houses (‘casa
rurales’). The lake is often alive with swimmers, people racing their
yachts and fishing and it has a lovely walkway, like a promenade, along
the water's edge. |
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Chipiona |
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Chipiona is a lovely village; population around 15,000; sitting right on
the edge of the Atlantic, with small hotels (hostales) all along the
front of the 3 golden beaches, the Playa de la Regla,
the Playa Camerón/Tres Piedras and the Playa Cruz del Mar/Canteras. It
has not, however been modernized to look like Benidorm or Marbella for
example - and still has the quaint charm of a typically Spanish resort.
Fishing and sea sports are very popular here and there is a “Club
Nautico” where in summer various sailing competitions and championships
are organized.
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Bus services to both
Cadiz and Sevilla are regular and the village is within just 15 minutes
drive of Sanlúcar de Barrameda to the north east and about the same
distance from Rota to the south west.
All around Chipiona you will find various roman relics and during the
years 139 – 140 a.d. there was a lighthouse built to help the sailors
avoid the dangers of navigating through the mouth of the river
Guadalquivir. It is from this lighthouse, the “Turris Caepionis” that
Chipiona first got it’s name. Clickon
Chipiona.
for more information. |
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Chiclana de la Frontera |
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Chiclana de la Frontera is just half an hour’s drive from Jerez
airport, and about an hour and a half from Sevilla. It is a
charming little town with a good commercial area having all manner
of outlets including markets, handicraft shops, wine cellars,
restaurants and bars.
The
centre of Chiclana is some 6 kms from the coast yet it is a lovely
drive down to the sands and there are several excellent restaurants
along the way.
This area is very popular with both German and Spanish tourists
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Apart from the beaches, there are pine woods and salt marshes, (the
Bay of Cadiz Natural Park is a protected area) and a little way
inland, vineyards, oak woods and meadows with small, natural lakes
where you will find many different species of birds.
Chiclana de la Frontera is the ideal place for a holiday as it has a
mild climate with little rain. It is a traditionally agricultural
town, well known for it’s spring waters from the ‘Fuente Amarga’ and
it’s good wines.
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Conil de la Frontera
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Conil de la Frontera, some 25 miles from Cadiz is built on a coastal
plain and bathed by the mild waters of the Atlantic. The surrounding
countryside is a mixture of beaches, pine forests, coastal thickets and
hills that in some places lead to cliffs at the sea’s edge.
Conil is on a hill that gently slopes down to the sea.
It is recommended to start walking upwards from the Paseo Maritimo which
climbs gently until it reaches the town centre.
Visits
should include:- Museo de la Raices Conileñas, Puerta de la Villa, Torre
de Guzman and the different churches, such as Santa Catalina plus
the fishing harbour just three miles out of town. |
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There are many bars and cafes, often with live performances in the
Bateles neighbourhood. The dishes of Coníl are among the tastiest in the
province and the local restaurants, often in historic buildings with
central patios, are busy until late.From the Bateles beach the paseo
maritime winds its way through interesting streets such as: Santa
Catalina, Ancha, Peñon, Cadiz, Plaza de España, Goya until it reaches
the Puerta de la Villa.
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El
Puerto de Santa María |
El Puerto de Santa María is a town that was well planned for enjoyment,
street by street and beach to beach. It is one of the best areas in
Spain for fresh fish and you may enjoy ‘tapas’ all along the ‘Ribera del
Marisco de El Puerto de Santa María’.
Among the principal attractions of ‘El Puerto’ are the beaches. All
with fine golden sand, and each one with its own characteristics. This
area is a true paradise for water sports.
Just outside the town is the ‘Parque Natural de la Bahía de Cádiz’, a
labyrinth of cliffs, dunes and beaches with land so well conserved that
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“Puerto Sherry” is the leisure port with over 1,000
moored yachts
and another 3,000 in dry dock. Here you will find a cruise school,
submarine and sailing schools, a 300 bed hotel, a shopping centre and a
fishing village all just waiting to be explored.
El Puerto de Santa María has about 68,000 inhabitants and a wealth of
things to do, amongst which are a ‘Parque Aquatico’ (Waterpark), the
Casino Bahía de Cádiz, a number of fine restaurants, flamenco clubs and
discos, not to mention the famous ‘bodegas’ and a large sports complex
featuring a swimming pool, tennis courts, paddle tennis, squash and a
gymnasium. |
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Isla Cristina |
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Isla
Cristina is a beautiful combination of sunlight and sea, found in
one of the most privileged spots on the
north
Costa de la Luz
nestling
on a pine covered rise, and
jutting out into the Atlantic.
It is is no longer an island but a very popular holiday resort and
sits just 5 kms from the city of Huelva.
There are around 8 kms of fine golden beaches (with some excellent
windsurfing) plus a busy fishing port well known for it’s fresh and
preserved fish.
The marina at Isla Cristina is located at the mouth of the River
Carreras, in an exceptionally beautiful area of dunes and marshes.
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As you
would expect in a port town along the Costa de la Luz, there are
loads of good fish restaurants to choose from like the renowned Casa
Rufino, on the road to the main beach (Carretera de la Playa) and
also several beach bar/restaurants (chiringuitos).
The town's population doubles in July and August due to the great
number of tourists, mainly from Sevilla. Only visit at this time if
you like a lively atmosphere and a resort packed with people,
because Isla Cristina is full to bursting point in the summer. |
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Medina Sidonia
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Medina Sidonia
is an old
Moorish city (the name comes from the original Medina in Saudi Arabia
which houses the tomb of the prophet Muhammed) and
is one of the richest towns (when it comes to
history) in the entire province of Cadiz.
Once again, like many of the towns in these parts, it sits at the very
top of the hill - for protection against marauding enemies.
Medina Sidonia is located south of the "white
villages route" (the "Ruta de los Pueblos Blancos") and it is famous for
having within its township, numerous fighting-bull ranches.
Smaller
than Arcos de la Frontera, it has a population of some 12,000 people and
is yet unspoilt by any particularly modern buildings.
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It boasts numerous places of interest such as the
Roman sewers from the 1st century, the Roman bridge, the ruins of the
Arab castle of Torrestrella (13th century), the arches of Pastora, Belén
and the Puerta del Sol.
Then the monastery of San José del Cuervo, the
convent of Las Descalzas from the 17th century, the Visigothic hermitage
of Santos Mártires from the 7th century and the church of Santa María de
la Coronada from the 15th and 16th centuries, one of the most
significant examples of Flamboyant Gothic architecture in Cadiz. |
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Rota |
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The town opens out to
the Atlantic and behind it are two national parks, the 'Bay of Cádiz
Nature Park' and the 'Doñana'.
It is also a town of two extreme contrasts. The old town inside its
ramparts has almost a medieval atmosphere complete with a beautiful
castle and church, yet nearby is an up to date naval base, established
in the 1950's during the Franco era.
Rota is an extremely up and coming area boasting three large beaches (on
both sides of the town) with a leisure port built between two of them.
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There are several
bars and restaurants downtown and you will find new developments of
apartments and town houses appearing at the edge of town within minutes
walk of the beach and a short way from the centre.
Rota is an ideal town
to view on foot. Stroll down its long narrow streets to the Castillo de
Luna and the church of Nuestra Señora de la Expectación. From there you
can visit the harbour Deportivo Pesquero Astaroth and perhaps round off
your walk with the fine view of the Bay of Cádiz to be seen from the
Mirador or the Balcón de las Almenas.
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Sanlúcar de Barrameda |
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Sanlúcar started life
as a fishing village in the 13th century and is very well known for its
sea food , especially lobsters - and for its ‘Manzanilla’ (a pale dry
sherry).
However, after the Americas were discovered it became a big commercial
port and it was from here that Christopher Columbus left on his third
trip to the New World in 1498.
The town is still home to many fishermen and the taste of fresh fish
caught here on the day is unsurpassed anywhere.
Today it is a thriving community with a large shopping centre, a great
walk along the port and a Nautical Centre.
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The climate is
typically mediterranean, with gentle temperatures in both summer and
winter and averaging around 17ºC over the year.
With about 3,000 hours of sunshine per year, Sanlúcar has actually been
classed as one of the sunniest towns in Europe.
Horse racing is also
very popular here in Sanlúcar and every year since 1845, there have been
races along the beach during the month of August. |
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Tarifa |
The name "Tarifa" is derived from the Berber fighter Tarif ibn Malik.
Tarifa's Moorish
style is still predominant with its medina (old city centre). This
town that was once a strategic military fortress, became a sleepy
fishing village and today,
is
extremely popular with windsurfers and kitesurfers.
Tarifa’s wild coastline attracts as many nature lovers as surfers
and is just as famous for it’s birdwatching as its surfing. Tarifa
is an excellent place to watch migrating birds such as storks, that
cross the Straits of Gibraltar in spring and autumn. |
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Ten
kilometers of white sandy beaches, unspoiled countryside and some of
the best windsurfing conditions in
Europe have
established Tarifa as a true surfer’s paradise. Just 11 km across
the Straits of Gibraltar
at its narrowest point, this southern-most tip of Europe where the
Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean enjoys spectacular views
of the Rif mountains of Africa, just across the water.
There are regular ferries between Tarifa and the nearby Moroccan
city, Tangier. |
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Ubrique |
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Situated between the 'Parque
Natural de la Sierra de Grazalema' and the 'Parque Natural de los
Alcornocales', Ubrique is surrounded by beautiful
mountain scenery and is full of history.
Less than one kilometre from the centre is the Roman city of Ocurrí,
inviting the visitor to travel through time thanks to the existance
of the many ruins (houses, monuments, spas etc.)
Ubrique is another of the beautiful 'pueblos blancos' that can be
found all over Andalucia. This one is approximately 100 kms from
the coast and is different from say, Arcos de la Frontera and Medina
Sidonia, in that it is not on the top of a mountain but rather
nestling at the foot of one and facing another. |
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The town is so called because it is
close to the source of the river Ubrique, which divides it almost
into two. The upper town has the most tremendous views of the
mountains - and along the pedestrianized main street in the lower
town are numerous bars and restaurants which must be visited. These
photos by the way, were taken in January - look at the sky !!
The main industry at Ubrique is leather and the town is world
renowned for the quality of this work. You can either walk around
the town looking at the hand made leather goods in the shops or take
a guided tour around one of the local factories. |
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Vejer de la Frontera |
Vejer de la Frontera
is a charming town set between the sierras and the sea and is
actually 10 kilometres inland perched high above the steep gorge of
the River Barbate.
The town is a perfect example of what many Andalucian towns were
like during five centuries of Islamic occupation and resembles the
Moroccan towns across the Straits of Gibraltar.
Even until recently, the local women still wore long, dark cloaks
that covered their faces. The Moorish influence can especially be
felt in the narrow streets of the town. |
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Vejer was
declared a national monument in 1978 and is a mass of white washed
houses & winding cobbled streets.
Set 200 mtrs above the surrounding countryside, the old town has
many historical monuments. The castle, the turreted medieval walls,
the minaret of the old mosque, the churches and convents, are all
a blend of moorish, visigothic and mudejar styles.
Until recently Vejerwas unspoilt, its romantic
courtyards and small plazas uncorrupted by modern tourism, however
now there are many British and Germans making Vejer their home. The
town has a lively atmosphere where the locals are happy to welcome
visitors and small bars and restaurants make wandering through the
historic quarter a real pleasure. |
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Contact us:-
Costa Luz Properties,
Rota (Cadiz)
Andalucia, Spain. Tel /Fax: +34.85.611.3999 |
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