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EXPLORING THE
COSTA DE LA LUZ
Cadiz city lies
on a small peninsula, almost in the centre part of the province’s coastline,
the Costa de la Luz, the Coast of Light.
The town founded
by the early Phoenicians more than 1000 years ago shows many signs of
prehistoric settlement and is thought to be Europe’s oldest city. Due to the
positioning at the entrance of the Mediterranean it is an important port for
seafarers and over the centuries was a main departure point for fleets leaving
for the Americas, including Christopher Columbus.
Since 1998 there
has been a remarkable rise from 3 million visitors to 5 million. With 15% of the
visitors to Andalucia it puts Cadiz in 2nd place behind the province of Malaga
and offers 55,000 choices of accommodation ranging from hotels, campsites and
rural accommodation. This popular demand is due to the increased attraction of
language learning, embarking in sports such as golf and equestrian, kite-surfing
and rock climbing. To appreciate the culture there are opportunities for visits
to museums and historical ruins, castles, vineyards and winemakers, craft
factories, large ranches and small palaces along with monasteries. Of
course one of the most popular past time is relaxing on the golden beaches or in
the countryside with the countryside boasting wide open spaces with 5 areas
being protected as National Parks.
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Cadiz
Less than
30 mins away
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Los Alcomocales,
a total area of 170,000 hectares, is regarded as being one of Europe's last
virgin forests and includes an area of prehistoric woodland some 5 million years
old of great botanical importance, with cork and oak forest dating back at least
1000 years. Very close to the parks in communities such as Benalup, Los
Barrios, Alcala de los Gazules one will find birdlife and fauna the ever present
eagles soaring. Further to the West near Sanlucar, the National Park of Donana
offers a home to a variety of species and a resting place for migratory birds in
transit twice a year to Africa.
| Seville
Just Stunning!
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In the
National Park of Grazalema, a protected area of botanical interest, one will
find unspoilt, by development, towns of Arcos de la Frontera, Grazalema,
Benaocaz and Ubrique, on the route of ‘los pueblos blancos’, the white
villages. Inland from the coastline these white villages have similar style to
those in the neighbouring province of Malaga but with the added attraction of
being less developed for residential tourism. On the coast the main communities
up to Cadiz City are Chiclana, Conil, San Fernando, Puerto Real, Novo Sancti
Petri, El Puerto de Santa Maria and beyond Cadiz, Rota, Chipiona and San Lucar
de Barrameda.
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80 kilometres
south of Seville, close to Cadiz, is the other principal town of the province,
Jerez de la Frontera, well known to the British and famous throughout the world
for its sweet wines named after the town, which the British pronounced
‘sherry’. Called ‘de la Frontera’ because once it stood on the frontier
between the Moorish and the Christian territories from those early days the town
has developed its traditions and reputation for its pedigree horses and
brilliant singers and flamenco dancers.
| Access to the
Costa de la Luz, from the eastern Costa de la Sol, by road passing by Algeciras
and Tarifa can either run by the coast or take the new motorway connecting Los
Barrios to Jerez. Access from the West is serviced by UK airline Ryanair from Stanstead
an airport handling 18 different airlines from Germany and Austria.
Also you will find Iberia Airline services Jerez from other areas of the UK. Gibraltar
airport gives convenient access from the east, but flights only
connect from UK.
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Gibraltar
Not far away for a day out
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The typical
beaches running along 138 km on the Costa de la Luz are wide, and in many places
with African style sand dunes with dense copses of pine trees behind, and a sand
colour varying from golden to white. The sand is finer than that of the
neighbouring Costa del Sol, the air temperatures are slightly milder than the
rest of Spain and the strong Atlantic winds and waves attract wind surfers and
board surfers.
| Tangier
Great Day Trip
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Development on
the Costa de la Luz has seen most activity and many new residential projects
with more golf courses planned to match demand. Among the nearest golf courses
to Jerez are the Jack Nicklaus course at Montenmendio and the course at Benelup,
as well as the resort courses at Novo Sancti Petri and Chiclana Arcos de La
Frontera which now claim to be the prettiest towns in Spain. Further to the East
Ubrique probably represents to visitors all that is southern Spanish being a
centre for breeding of fighting bulls and is steeped in traditions going back to
Roman times. |
With a Roman
presence from 100BC Gades, Cadiz city was the most important Roman community
after Rome and Padua, an importance mostly due to efforts and activities of the
Balbo family which built in 45BV the largest Roman theatre in Spain together
with a number of other works still preserved.
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Vejer de la
Frontera
"one
of the most beautiful villages, not only in Andalusia, but in Spain"
Less than an
Hour from Villa Malvarosa
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