Holiday Guide to Spain's Costa de la Luz
The Spanish coastline meets the Mediterranean Sea and isn't tidal. Right? Well, most of it. There is an area of Spain to the east of Gibraltar that fronts onto the Atlantic Ocean and is very different to the rest of Spain's coast.
A coastline of fine white sand that runs for some fifty miles, where the beaches are never crowded, and there is little in the way of development. It sounds too good to be true. So what's the catch? The wind. But read on.
The Costa de la Luz, which translates as the Coast of Light, is one of the finest coastlines in Europe, yet the area in sparsely populated compared to the rest of Spain's coastal strip, and has been ignored by both developers and visitors. This is a shame, because the area has a secret.
The Costa de la Luz stretches from Gibraltar in the east to the border with Portugal. The coastline meets the Atlantic and the wave action has resulted in a finer sand and cleaner beaches. Average temperatures are milder than the rest of Spain, which can be a blessing in the peak of the summer.
Two strong winds, a westerly known as the Poniente, and an easterly called the Levante, rip across the shore making this area a wind surfer's paradise, but a nightmare if you want to sunbathe on the beach. However, I said there is a secret, and that is the winds die away to a breeze in July and August when most take their holidays. The Atlantic swells, whipped up by the winds, flatten, leaving an uncrowded, unspoilt area ideal for a relaxing holiday.
The winds have no doubt discouraged developers from building many hotels, apartment blocks and holiday villas, so unfortunately the opportunity to rent self catering accommodation is small. Instead the Spanish themselves take their holidays here and keep the secret from the rest of us!
The region is divided into two by the River Guadalquivir. To cross the river requires a long trip inland to Seville, so holidaymakers staying on the Costa de le Luz tend to remain either to the south-east or north-west of the river.
Most foreign visitors favour the south-eastern half. Starting from the Gibraltar end, places of interest include Tarifa which is reputed to be the surfing capital of Europe; the fishing port of Barbate; and the Barbate National Park. The historic walled city of Cadiz is well worth a visit, as are the costal villages of Canos de Meca, Conil de la Frontera, Rota, Chipona and Sanluca de Barrameda.
Visitors to the north-western part of the Costa de la Luz are more likely to have driven over from Portugal.
There is an airport at Jerez de la Frontera and the cheap airlines have started to fly into the region. Ryanair has a service from Stansted.
Katy Bivens writes holiday guides for http://www.holidayhomefinders.co.uk a site that advertises accommodation to rent in Spain and many other destinations throughout the world.
