Alcala de los Gazules Tourist Information The long coastal road from Malaga is now verged with countless new holiday villages built by outsiders for outsiders  – so where can one go to meet the locals, to find the real Spain? The answer is to look up.  The south of Spain is encrusted with mountain villages. They dot the landscape, like the cranes’ nests that also cover the area, within a triangle formed by the coasts of the Atlantic, (Costa de la Luz) the Mediterranean (Costa del Sol) and the Algodonales mountains to the north. Tourists rush in to find the beaches, whilst above them between sea and sky, these sparkling pueblo blancas are largely untouched by the modern tourist trade.  Some of these white villages, such as Ronda are well known, but it’s relatively easy to find more remote hamlets,  such as Alcala de los Gazules; a tiny town, built on a sandstone ridge overlooking the fertile Guadalete valley. Like many Andalucian  settlements, it was established by the Romans but became important centuries later as fortresses guarding the ever-fluctuating frontier between Christian and Moorish territory. Its church, dedicated to St. George, is Gothic but restored in that filigree Spanish baroque style, the ornate façade weathered over the centuries so that it looks like melting sugar.  It is odd to stand on the paved market square and realise that the decorative town hall was built when King Philip of Spain was married to Mary Tudor of England and considered England to be part of Spain. Alcala is now a rough and ready agricultural town, home to tough Serrana goats and fierce looking grannies, where no one looks rich, but where they welcome incoming tourists with a subdued but courteous curiosity. From this mountain top perch you can view the real, unspoilt Spain. A short drive, walk or cycle ride down and you are in the wild open country of the Alcornocales National Park,  rich in wildlife such as the fallow deer (the ghost of the forest) the Spanish Ibex, wild cats, genet and rare birds such as eagle owls, snake eagles and Egyptian vultures.  Strolling through the cork oak and olive groves you have before you uninterrupted scenery, glittering lakes below and the high peaks of grey and green Aljibe mountains surrounding.   From this wilderness it’s about 30 minute’s drive down to the more traditional holiday pursuits of beaches, museums and cultural excursions. You’ve got the wine dark  Mediterranean in the east, and the turquoise Atlantic with its magnificent white endless sandy beaches in the west.  There are remote beaches, and fun places like  Tarifa, Spain’s southernmost town, which is the surfing capital of Europe. Facing the Atlas mountains of Morocco and the Britain’s old colony of  Gibraltar, Tarifa beach is 12km long with beautiful white sands and is still very natural with hardly any hotels located on the beach.  It also has the exciting innovation of  two wild winds, the Levante from the east,  the Pontiente from the west. These are said to drive some locals mad, but they are exciting for visitors and wind surfers, particularly at their strongest in Spring and Autumn. In the first week in May, Jerez, Spain's famous sherry  town,  hosts its Feria del Caballo, a great horse fair. This draws thousands of visitors to see the world's finest horses and riders compete in the endurance trials, coach driving, "pursuit and tumble" and dressage competitions, with a stunning display of the finest horses of the region.  The highlight of the fair is the Como bailan Los Caballos Andaluces show, performed by Jerez's very own Real Escuela de Arte Ecuestre (Royal School of Equestrian Art) - a fully-fledged equestrian ballet, featuring choreography adapted from the training exercises of classical dressage and doma vaquera, (known as cowboy) along with Spanish music and costumes. One wonderful move to watch for is the cabriole, where the horse throws its forelegs and hind legs in an outward arc before putting its feet to the ground. Some of the celebration takes place in the hot streets of Jerez as the equine Andalusian aristocracy take delight in riding up and down the main street, impeccably dressed a la Andaluz, and occasionally stopping off for a coffee or sherry. But the event most tourists see is held in the vast Gonzalez Hontoria Park, rigged out with colourful and undeniably beautiful fairy lights which transform the night sky during the evening celebrations.  You pay a few Euros and are spirited back to another world, of fiesta, Spanish fashion  and fun.  It is impossible not to be impressed by the sheer quality of the displays; the purebred, Arab and Anglo-Arab in-hand classes, the  Spanish purebreds and Andalusian thoroughbreds, all polished until they shine like ceramic, decorated and topped with equally flash looking riders, elegantly hated, straight backed, whip wielding women nowadays as well as men.  The fair is also an opportunity to eat, catch up on your sherry drinking,  and shoot the breeze in a very Spanish way.  You can take a break from the excitement of the fair by relaxing on the nearby beach of Puerta Santa la Maria, famous for it’s seafood. Unlike fairs in Britain this seemed free of tat, litter and alienated hoodlums.  Perhaps the most fascinating thing to see was the Spanish people themselves at close quarters. For a British person from an increasingly fragmented, atomised and fearful society, they gave a splendid view of a cohesive society still happy with itself, where the family unit is well intact.  It was moving to see Spanish families together, mothers and daughters dressed in matching Flamenco dresses, shoes, shawls and hair adornments, grandmothers in good clothes and the children taking part, everyone enjoying themselves together, each with a role to play.  Thank to you Janet Reed for this article - her property in Alcala de los Gazules is available to rent and can be viewed here: 2 bed holiday house for rental in Alcala de los Gazules

Arcos de la Frontera Tourist Information                                                                                                                   The enchanting Pueblos Blancos (White Villages) sparkle on hilltops throughout southeast Spain’s Cadiz Sierra range. There are virtually scores of beautiful and historic villages throughout this region, and adventurous travellers are well rewarded for following arduous mountain routes to reach them. Luckily, the most renowned village, Arcos de la Frontera, is also the most accessible, only 90 minutes by car or bus south from Seville and 40 minutes from Jerez airport. Arcos sits along a ridgeline above the impressive cliff, Peña Nueva, overlooking the winding Guadelete River and its broad valley. The opposite side of the ridge, Peña Vieja, overlooks Lago de Arcos. The old town centre sits at the highest point, with streets of white-washed homes cascading down the ridgeline. Motor traffic flows only west to east into the old town, and then loops back, leaving the town’s labyrinth to be explored peacefully on foot. Find the central Plaza Cabildo, and peer from the plaza’s open north side down onto the golden cliffs and out across the river plain. The old Castillo (fort) and Santa Maria church overlook the square, along with one of Spain’s better Paradors (state-operated historic inns). The church in Arcos de la frontera dates from the 7th century, containing elements of Romanesque and later Gothic styles. The interesting church interior, open in the evening, shows off an interesting Andalusian Baroque choir and altar. Explore the labyrinth of narrow streets and alleys which run out from the plaza. Some of the alleys are but two meters wide, following the rugged terrain, with arches bridging between homes on either side. This is an architecture that harks back to the Moslem occupation in the Middle Ages. The white home facades sport the signature geranium-filled, grill-covered windows of the Pueblos Blancos. Tiled rooftops add to the classic charm. You will be amazed that tourism still really has not found this typically Spanish white village. Set in the heart of Andalucia and only a short drive to the wonderful beaches of the Costa de la Luz it really is a must when visiting the area.

Aymonte Tourist Information

Nearest Airport: Faro (Portugal) Nearest Beach: Isla Canela and Punta del Moral

Ayamonte, the “door of Spain”, extends from the Portuguese border to the environs of the Straight of Gibraltar, in the neighboring province of Cadiz. Ayamonte is today a modern city whose marina, next to the Guadiana, provides a good ambience and helps the fishing industry. You can cross the Guadiana river by ferry into portugal's vila real for just over a euro. The beaches of Ayamonte are Isla Canela and Punta del Moral. Also worth a visit are other beaches in the Huelva area namely Playa del Rompido, San Miguel and Nuevo Portil. These beaches offer different, but equally beautiful, scenery with Pine forests extending right up to the beach. Ayamonte also offers plenty of activities for the more sporty traveller.  There are plenty of Golf courses to visit, water sports, walking, sailing and of course you have the wonderful climate to enjoy them in. This information was kindly donated by David Abbott

Barbate Tourist Information arbate is a small fishing port, built in the fifties and like a lot of ports up and down the Costa de la Luz was mainly dedicated to Tuna fishing industry. In the 1970’s when restrictions started to come in it had to find another industry it could rely on and it chose tourism.  Barabate is also the site of the famous battle of Trafalgar. What bring visitors to Barbate are its surroundings and the wounderful beaches that only the Costa de la Luz can give.  To the west of Barbate is the large national park of Umbrella Pines, 'El parque natural de las Marismas y Breñas'.  Its modern 1950’s layout lacks the charm of some of the more traditional Andalucian villages, but there are nevertheless, some nice buildings in the heart of the old fishing town. There is a modern square "Plaza de la Inmaculada" with the Town Hall on one side and the ancient Church of Sta Paulino on the other. The town is popular in the summer with Spanish holiday makers although it is generally untouched by foreign tourists at the moment. Barbate has a wonderful "promenade" which is almost 2 km in length, from the River Barbate to the Marina. The towns main beach called Playa del Carmen is very popular. To the south of the River Barbate estuary, the beaches of Playa del Botero stretch for miles like most on the Costa de la Luz. The main fiesta in Barbate is on 23rd June: "Verbena de San Juan".  Local crowds gather on the beach at night to burn images of local or national celebrities and notorious politicians going back to the Franco dictatorship of which the name Barbate de Franco got it’s name.

Cadiz Tourist Information Cadiz stands on a peninsula jutting out into a bay, and is almost entirely surrounded by water. Named Gadir by the Phoencians, who founded their trading post in 1100 BC, it was later controlled by the Carthaginians, until it became a thriving Roman port. It sank into oblivion under the Visigoths and Moors, but attained great splendour in the early 16th century as a launching point for the journey to the newly discovered lands of America. Cadiz was later raided by Sir Francis Drake, in the struggle to gain control of trade with the New World, and managed to withstand a siege by Napoleon's army. In the early 19th century Cadiz became the bastion of Spain's anti-monarchist, liberal movement. The old city looks quite Moorish in appearance and is intriguing with narrow cobbled streets opening onto small squares. The golden cupola of the cathedral looms high above long white houses and the whole place has a slightly dilapidated air. It just takes an hour to walk around the headlands where you can visit the entire old town and pass through some lovely parks with sweeping views of the bay. Passing through the Tierra Gateway of the restored remains of the city walls and crossing the long strip of land, which joins Cadiz to the continent, you come face to face with this unique, morish in style City. The Baroque and Santa Cruz Cathedral’s feature bright golden domes and sumptuous interiors, so different in architectural gothic style of the majority of other Spanish Cathedrals. Cadiz is a bustling cosmopolitan city tempting you to explore its historic parts plus its modern side, with restaurants on every corner of every street all opening onto squares. We do recommend the city tour to start with. The ride is on an open top London bus. This may sound typically English tourism, but it gives you an excellent perspective of Cadiz and lasts only 30 minutes .You can then plan the rest of your day. At the beginning of spring, the Easter processions run through the narrow streets are a fascinating sight.If you are out there at this time of year, they can not be missed, typically spanish and the locals are extremely inviting. Web-sites linked with Cadiz Cadiz city guide, tourist web-site for Cadiz Cadiz C F - a link to the Cadiz football clubs page

Chiclana de la Frontera Tourist Information Nearest Airport: Jerez 40 minutes, Seville 1hr 30 minutes, Malaga 3 hours, Faro 3 hours Nearest Beach:  La Barrosa Beach, 8km long with white sand Amenities:  Everything you would expect from a large town.  Markets, shops, restaurants ... Golf:  Novo Sancti Petri Golf Club a 15 minute drive away First Aid:  Hospital in town Chiclana de la Frontera is located in the Andalusian province of Cádiz on the costa de la luz. Situated in the south of the Gaditanian Bay it is fed by the Atlantic Ocean. Chiclana is a half hour drive from Jerez airport, and is an hour and a half from Seville airport both have Ryanair flying in daily. The old town has inhabitants of more than 60,000. This increases through the summer months now tourism has found this quaint white washed Spanish town.  The lesser developed areas of Tarifa, Zahara de los Atunes and Conil de la frontera surround Chiclana. Chiclana is surrounded by some of the best beaches, pinewoods and salt marshes on the Costa de la Luz. The marshes have a high ecological value, which are part of the protected area known as the Natural Park of the Bay of Cádiz; the long sandy beaches have favoured the development of high-quality tourism; the pinewoods alongside the coast of Chiclana are the ideal complement for the beaches. The sea and the countryside plus tourism still seem to be in perfect harmony. The urban centre of Chiclana is six kilometres from the coast and has all public services, good public transport, cultural and historic values, etc. It also offers important tourist attractions: markets, handicrafts, wine cellars, restaurants, bars, etc. The Urbanisation of Novo Sancti Petri has become popular over recent years and grown to encompass the beautiful beach area of La Barrossa which stretches for seven kilometres which is unspoilt by the mass tourism. The Hotels of Novo Sancti Petri are some of the finest on the Costa del la Luz, most of which carry the five star award. Chiclana benefits from a mild climate and temperatures without sharp oscillations with very little seasonal changes, little rain and more than 3,000 hours of sun a year. Chiclana is a traditional town, with good wines and medicinal waters "Springs of Fuente Amarga". Its urban structure is of a typical Andalusian style, with narrow streets and courtyards full of flowers. Chiclana preserves the most genuine customs and traditions of Lower Andalusia: the processions, bullfighting, flamenco, wine production, the snacks at noon... are present in the daily life of its inhabitants. The people are some of the friendliest we have ever come across, warm and welcoming. Their love of children and the family pays dividends to their laid back way of live. Once you have visited this town and the area you will struggle to return home! ‘Guaranteed’ Chipiona Tourist Information Chipiona is a traditional family costal resort town which retains alot of Andalucian charm and character. A mid sized town (16,000 habitants, growing to 200,000 plus in August), Chipiona is located on the point of the Guadalquiver where the river meets the sea; As a result Chipiona and the surrounding area is fairly flat.Tourism(mainly made up of Spanish families) is a major industry but is balanced  by flower/fruit growing and traditonal wine making (The moscatel from Chipiona is famed throughout Spain). This gives Chipiona a farming feel (particularly outside summer). The beaches are one of the main draws of the town. Chipiona has 3 excellent blue flag beaches which have the usual services lifeguards, wc, beach bars during the summer months.  There are several beaches to choose from including Playa de Montijo-Niño de Oro, Playa Cruz del Mar - Las Canteras, Playa de Regla, Playa de Camarón-La Laguna, Playa de Las Tres Piedras - La Ballena. The beaches in and around Chipiona are generally longish(Playa de regla is 1.6 Km) and wide with white sand (little or no pebbles) and gentle gradient and are ideal for familys.  There are some smaller sheltered coves and also some Rockier areas where sea-fishing can be good. There are a number of 'Corrales'; rock walls , where traditional fishing techniques can be seen- in particular at low tides) and where snorkling and rock pool hunting can be fun.  Other organised watersports options in the summer are limited to pedalos on the main beaches.  However windsurfing and surfing are popular in the autumn, winter and spring months,when the waves get bigger. The town centre of Chipiona is small and makes getting around on foot ideal.   The Center and most of the shops are based around the streets Isaac peral(pedestrianised), Victor pradera and Cervantes(formally called Miguel de Cervantes).  Here you will find all types of shops and a municipal market where fresh meat, fish and vegtables can be found. Chipiona has a good mixture of seafood bars and restaurants(Los Corrales and Las Canteras are worth checking out) and traditional ventas (especially on the road into town from Rota or Sanlucar). The nearest bullring is in Sanlucar. Some things to see/do in Chipiona : - Climb the Faro (the lighthouse of Chipiona is the tallest in Spain) - Swim on Playa de Regla, Snorkel in the Corales. - Try a Fino or Moscatel or a mosto (Unfortified grape wine available in winter months)   in the Coopertiva Catholica agricultura or in one of the many bodegas in the town. - Join the Spanish in a Walk down the beachside promenade down to the Sanatuario Nuestra sra  de Regla as the sun sets. - Visit the pinar(on the rota road), and try to spot some Chameleon. - Walk around the old town (norh of Isaac peral) through narrow cobbled streets and plazas. - Partake in Carnaval (in february) , said to be 2nd only to the one in Cadiz and is a week of noise, partying and dressing up. - See the spectacular procession of the Virgen de Regla(8th Sept) and the feria in the run  up to the procession. From Chipiona, it's a good base to visit Sanlucar(7Km),  Jerez(27km & nearest airport), El Puerto de Santa Maria(27km), Cadiz(60km) , Seville(1 hour drive) and the pueblos blancos and sierras of Cadiz(around an hours plus drive). This article was kindly written by Dave Ruane Conil de la Frontera Tourist Information   Nearest Airport: Jerez airport is 50 minutes away. Nearest Beach:  There is the Playa de los Bateles, Playa de la Fontanilla, Playa Fuente del Gallo, Playa de Roche with its big waves (making it ideal for surfing), Playa del Puerco, the Cala del Aceite, etc. In total, 14km of beaches with fine, golden sand and crystal-clear waters. Amenities:  Supermarkets, tapas bars, restaurants, boutiques, horse riding etc Golf:  Campano (10 mins away), Montenmedio (17 mins away), Golf Sancti Petri  (20 mins away) First Aid:  A health clinic in Conil  Conil de la Frontera has about 16,000 inhabitants. It is surrounded by a very diverse landscape, with its breath-taking coastline, old Spanish town features, undeveloped countryside, pine forests and many surrounding traditional villages. The area is in keeping with the inhabitants' way of life - as they make their living from farming, fishing, trading, small businesses and also from tourism. Conil is fast becoming popular with summer tourists, particularly the Spanish themselves. Because of this it still retains it's typical Andalucian feel with narrow cobbled streets, real Tapas bars, open-air markets at weekends and pavement cafes around the main plazas. And you'll love the people. July and August are particularly popular with the Spanish and the Town becomes busy and lively with numerous festivals. In the centre of Conil town there are still many ruins dating back to the Moorish period, which you have to discover for yourself since they are situated in the small alleyways and streets. So a guide book may be a good idea. It is particularly pleasing to have a look at the highly creative and countless inner courtyards the Spanish seem to love so much. Conil is also well known for its seafood restaurants, and if you enjoy wonderful food and wine at very reasonable prices you cannot go far wrong. Conil offers a rich variety of fresh produce and tasty dishes, followed by a good variety of desserts. Shopping - Wonderful shopping in Andalucia. Chic shops abound in the cities. Snorkelling and Diving - There are countless locations to dive along the Costa De la Luz. Surfing - Although windsurfing tends to be better known in Andalucia, surfboarding is also enjoyed by many, particularly in the Autumn and Spring  Tennis - There is no shortage of courts to play tennis in Costa de la luz. Walking - For all levels of fitness and usually best for enjoying the scenery Watersports - Andalucia has over 800km of coastline, both Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. Sailing, Motorboating, Rowing, Canoeing, Windsurfing, Surfing, Snorkeling, Diving, Deep sea fishing. Windsurfing - The varied coast line offers windsurfers at all levels the chance to practice this sport. Golf Courses (Name : distance: number of holes)  Campano 10 min 9 holes Montenmedio 17 min 18 holes Golf Sancti Petri 20 min 36 holes Vista Hermosa 30 min 9 holes La Duquesa 1 h 5 min 18 holes Montecastello 1 h 7 min 18 holes Real Club Sevilla 1 h 20 min 18 holes Real Club Pineda Sevilla 1 h 25 min 18 holes Alcaidesa 1 h 27 min 18 holes La Ballena 1 h 45min 18 holes La Zaudin 1 h 47min 18 holes This information was kindly donated by Andrew Townsend To view his property in Conil, Las Tres Piedras click here Shops Glu Glu Conil - Surf Shop, C/Chiclana 32, Conil de la Frontera, 1140 Cadiz, Web-site:  www.glugluconil.com Tel:  0034 956 443 422 Costa Ballena Tourist Information Costa Ballena (Playa ballena) is set between Rota and Chipiona, only 8 km from Doñana and one hour from Seville, Playa Ballena is right in the heart of the costa de la luz Andulucia. Costa Ballenna hosts some of the most beautiful stretches of beach in Europe and its 300 days of sunshine a year.  This beautiful area like so many on the costa de la luz has so much indigenous vegetation, rolling dunes, lush golf courses, warm seas and fresh water lakes all coexist in perfect harmony with the trappings of modern life. Costa Ballena boasts four international airports in close proximity (Jerez, Seville, Málaga, Gibraltar); a motorway connecting with the European networks through Seville and Madrid, and a high-speed train with a terminal in Seville. Costa Ballena Resort is a purpose built resort and has been designed with the preservation of the surrounding environment. Open spaces and landscaped zones already take up more than 62 percent of the surface of Costa Ballena, with more than 45,000 trees and shrubs planted throughout its territory. The decision to blend its architecture with the already pleasant surroundings is one of the strongest features of this development, like all buildings on the Costa de la luz the height never exceeds three floors unlike the monstrosities on the costa del sol. A minimum habitual area of 30 square meters per resident and all attempts made to optimise the relationship between residential spaces and natural, leisure and sports areas. The developers have paid special attention to providing future residents with the best facilities, whilst maintaining their environmentally friendly approach. Special pnuematic rubbish disposal systems eliminate the need for containers; water purifiers provide water for irrigated land, quality drinking water, artificial lakes and a whole sea for fishing, the beach, sailing and much more. Natural Gas is in all the houses, residual water purifiers, security facilities and active monitoring, sanitary systems and emergency medical services as well as a plentiful supply of parks, avenues, gardens and a large area of trees all make Playa Ballena a perfect living environment. If you are looking for a purpose built resort away from the hustle bustle of the Spanish resorts and towns then the Costa Ballena (Playa Ballena) is most definitely the place for you.

Alcaidesa El Gastor - The White Village of El Gastor in the Costa de la Luz, Andalucia Spain is located at the bottom of the hill called El Algarin.  Click here for tourist information on El Gastor, Costa de la Luz, Spain El Palmar - With its ‘super sized’ golden beach the beach resort of El Palmar easily absorbs the increasing number of visitors that have discovered this delightful corner of Andalucía, these are made up mostly from Sevillanos and Madrileños along with a few of northern Europe's more adventurous travellers. Click here for tourist information on El Palmar, Costa de la Luz, Spain El Puerto de Santa Maria - The town of El Puerto de Santa Maria is 10km north east of Cadiz across the bay of Cadiz and is best known for its ferry El Vaporcito which has been in operation for over 100 years carrying passengers to and from Cadiz to El Puerto. Entertainment is lively in the summer in the town centre.  Click here for tourist information on El Puertode Santa Maria, Costa de la Luz, Spain El Portil - El Portil town is the most popular beach resort along the Huelva Costa de la Luz cost line. During July and August it has an influx of Spanish holiday makers and it's worth booking accommodation in advance at this time.  Click here for tourist information on El Portil, Costa de la Luz, Spain El Rocio - El Rocio is straight out of yesterday’s wild west movie ! Tarmac roads end outside the town’s boundary and the streets remain dusty as a reminder of the days when the only transport in this area was the horse.  Click here for tourist information on El Rocio, Costa de la Luz, Spain Gibraltar - Gibraltar (also know as 'The Rock') is situated between the Costa del Sol and the Costa de la Luz in southern Spain.  Gibraltar is connected to Spain by thin strip of land and can be entered by either driving across, parking in Spain and walking across or via plane.  Click here for tourist information on Gibraltar, Costa de la Luz, Spain. Huelva - The city of Huelva is meant to be over 3000 years old and was originally names Onuba, archaeological finds suggest that it is the oldest city in the country. Click here for tourist information on Huelva, Costa de la Luz, Spain Isla Cristina - The holiday beach resorts of Isla Christina and Isla Canela are two well kept secrets, although not for long as the Spanish have been coming for years and the ‘estranjeros’ (foreigners to you and me) are not far behind. There are a clutch of golf courses locally here and across the border in Portugal and the local town of Ayamonte being a few miles from the coast is still very much a Spanish town. - Click here for tourist information on Isla Cristina, Costa de la Luz, Spain  Islantilla - The beach resort of Islantilla is a highly esteemed, almost completely Spanish tourist destination on the white sandy Atlantic coast of Andalucia, known as Costa de la Luz.    It has more than 3,000 annual hours of sun, together with a mean temperature of 22 degrees and its incomparable natural resources, allows you to indulge in a variety of activities ranging from simple relaxation to more active leisure pursuits.  Click here for tourist information on Islantilla, Costa de la Luz, Spain Isla Canela -  the beach resort of Isla Canela is a large tourist resort which is situated on an island, the island is linked to the town of Ayamonte by a bridge.  Isla Canela boasts 7km of fine, white sandy beaches, a 17-hole golf course, a marina, a shopping centre and hotels. Click here for tourist information on Isla Canela, Costa de la Luz, Spain Jerez de la Frontera - Jerez lies some nine miles inland from the sea between Cadiz and Sevilla in the south of Spain and is the principal of three sherry towns.  Jerez is also world famous for its magnificent dancing horses, which you can see at the Real Escuela Andaluza de Arte Equestre.  Click here for tourist information on Jerez de la Frontera, Costa de la Luz, Spain Jimena de la Frontera - Jimena de la Frontera, which has recently been designated a “Parque Cultural”, is one of the spectacular white villages of traditional vernacular architecture in the foothills of the Ronda mountains. Click here for tourist information on Jimena de la Frontera, Costa de la luz, Spain La Antilla - Located just 5km away from the city of Lepe, La Antilla is a lovely small beach resor,t.  The beach of La Antilla is an amazing 20km long which runs all the way up to Islantilla. Click here for tourist information on La Antilla, Costa de la Luz, Spain  La Linea de la Concepcion - The town of La Linea de la Concepcion (which is sometimes known as just La Linea) is located just above Gibraltar and is the point that links Gibraltar to Spain.  Click here for tourist information on La Linea de la Concepcion, Costa de la Luz, Spain

La Barrosa - La Barrosa is a lovely Spanish beach resort.  You will find fantastic 8km long La Barrosa beach here, stretching far and wide with its deep white sand.  There are restaurants, shops and bars along the beach front and the 'high street' of La Barrosa. Click here for tourist information on La Barrosa, Costa de la Luz, Spain  Los Barrios - This little town our opinion is the gateway to Andalucia and the costa de la luz. The atmosphere is laid back unlike it’s cousin in the not so far away costa del sol. When entering this town you start to feel like you have ‘arrived’ in the real Spain.  Click here for tourist information on Los Barrios, Costa de la Luz, Spain Los Canos de Meca - Los Canos de Meca is a small yet unspoilt beach resort/coastal village on the Costa de la Luz on the parquet natural del acantilado. It still retains its Spanish charm yet gives the holiday maker all they need.  Click here for tourist information on Los Canos de Meca, Costa de la Luz, Spain Los Gallos - Los Gallos is located only a few minutes drive form the wonderful La Barrosa beach.  It is a lovely urbanisation that has great access to place such as Chiclana, Cadiz, Vejer, Medina Sidonia - click here for tourist information on Los Gallos, Costa de la Luz, Spain Marquesado - El Marquesado (also known as just Marquesado) is based a 10 minute drive from the town of Chiclana and all its amenities.  It is only a 15 minute drive from La Barrosa beach - click here for tourist information on La Marquesado, Costa de la Luz, Spain Matalascanas - The beach resort of Matalascañas is found on the shore of the Atlantic in the extreme southeast of Huelva and south of Seville, next to the mouth of the Guadalquivir. Matalascañas extends from the Torre del Loro to the mouth of the river Guadalquivir, along 45 kms of fine, golden sands.  Click here for tourist information on Matalascanas, Costa de la Luz, Spain Medina Sidonia - Medina Sidonia is a hill-top town (also known as a white village) with a history of 3,000 years.  Its main square is arguably the most attractive on the Costa de la Luz - a very pleasant place to enjoy a coffee, drink and the famous Medina cakes and watch Asidonenses at work and play.Its main square is arguably the most attractive on the Costa de la Luz - a very pleasant place to enjoy a coffee, drink and the famous Medina cakes and watch Asidonenses at work and play.  Click here for tourist information on Medina Sedonia, Costa de la luz, Spain Novo Sancti Petri - Novo Sancti Petri is a purpose built beach resort lying between Roche and La Barossa and is still growing. It has a mixture of hotels, modern build apartments and houses. The whole resort is built around the 36 hole golf course, there is also a large selectionof other sporting activites at Novo sancti Pectri including tennis, horse riding and football to name a few.  Click here for tourist information on Novo Sancti Petri, Costa de la Luz, Spain Nuevo Portil - Nuevo Portil offers a varied landscape.  14kms of unspoilt coastline with fine white sand and a calm sea, the beach at Nuevo Portil is protected by the Flecha del Rompidio a 12 km long and 150 metres wide sandbank which is accessible by boat only, making the beach ideal for families. Click here for tourist information on Nuevo Portil, Costa de la Luz, Spain Pago del Humo - Pago del Humo (‘Settlement of the Smoke’) is a small, friendly village situated on the outskirts of Chiclana de la Frontera.  It is only a five minute drive, or a short bus journey, from the centre of the Chiclana, which has all the facilities you would expect from a traditional working Spanish town. Click here for tourist information on Pago del Humo, Costa de la Luz, Spain Pinar de los Franceses - the village of Pinar de los Franceses is located only a short drive from La Barrosa beach.  It is a lovely urbanisation with great access to local areas of interest.  Click here to view tourist information on Pinar de los Franceses, Costa de la Luz, Spain Puerto Real - article being worked on Rana Verde - Rana Verde is a suburb of Chiclana (see Chiclana de la Frontera).    Ideally located, you will be spoilt for choice of day trips to choose.  It is also located only 6km from La Barrosa and Sancti Petri beach.  Click here for tourist information on Rana Verde, Costa de la Luz, Spain Roche - Roche is an exclusive development that is located fifteen minutes away from Chiclana and it has its own beach.  This thirving village offers some of the most exclusive properties in the area.  Click here for tourist information on Roche, Costa de la Luz, Spain Rota - Rota is a resort in the western part of the region, in a convenient position, 45 km north of Cádiz, 15 km south of Chipiona. An old village to the west of El Puerto with a population of 25,000, Rota is a seaside resort.  Click here for tourist information on Rota, Costa de la Luz, Spain Sanlucar - Situated on the costa de la luz between Matalascanas and only 8 km from Chipiona , the delightful small town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda is flanked by the Guadalquivir estuary. The Sanlúcar beaches are magnificent and stretch several kilometres to the south-west like all on the Costa de la luz are a fine white sand. Click here for tourist information on Sanlucar de Barrameda, Costa de la Luz, Spain Seville / Sevilla - The capital of Andalucia, Spain, Seville is one of the great cities of the area and also boasts that is is the Flamenco capital of Spain.  Seville is a wonderful city which has a maze streets that are just waiting to be explored. Click here for tourist information on Sevilla / Seville, Costa de la Luz, Spain Sotogrande - Sotogrande is situated on the far eastern point of the Costa de la Luz coast next to La Linea de la Concepcion. Gibraltar (The Rock) can been seen from Sotogrande and it also looks over the Mediterranean. Just 20 minutes to the east is Estepona and Marbella is a further 20 minutes drive.  Click here for tourist information on Sotogrande, Costa de la Luz, Spain Tarifa - The dark blue Mediterranean in the east, the turquoise emerald ocean with its magnificent white endless sandy beaches in the west, hilly nature parks in the north – Tarifa, continental Spain’s southernmost town & beach resort, is one of the most remarkable places in the world.  Click here for tourist information on Tarifa, Costa de la Luz, Spain Vejer - The white village of  Vejer is squeezed between the sierras and the sea this hill town is a perfectly preserved example of what many Andalucian towns were like during five centuries of Islamic occupation.  Declared a national monument in 1978 Vejer is a labyrinth of white washed houses & winding cobbled streets.  Click here for tourist information on Vejer, Costa de la Luz, Spain Zahara de los Atunes - Zahara de los Atunes is a small fishing village/ beach resort on the coast of the Costa de la Luz, 30km west of Tarifa. There is a wonderful wide golden sandy beach bordered by sand dunes, which stretches 12km from Atlanterra to Barbate.  Click here for tourist information on Zahara de los Atunes, Costa de la Luz, Spain Zahora - The beach resort of Zahora is a small but unspoiled community on the windswept but stunning  Costa de la Luz on the Atlantic coast. On the border of the Parque Natural del Acantilado, Zahora has beautiful beaches, backed by cliffs and pine trees.   Click here for tourist information on Zahora, Costa de la Luz Spain