Heading to Spain in search of summer sun is nothing new. For decades tourists have been flocking to popular coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea such as the Costa del Sol and Costa Brava to enjoy a typical summer holiday.
But you know that I’m not happy with typical. Nor I’m happy with ordinary. I’m not even happy with okay. And unfortunately, the towns on these well trodden coastlines can often skimp on a true Spanish experience. This year I did have a stroke of luck visiting Tossa de Mar on the Costa Brava, but I assure you, not all places are like this.
Some of the most popular coastal destinations have Old Towns that are non-existent, or that have been taken over by noisy pubs and holiday apartments with barely a local in sight. How do you get an insight into a place when you are only surrounded by other tourists?
Costa de la Luz is Spain’s lesser known and slower paced coastline, and it strikes the perfect balance of Spanish sun without skimping on experience. This part of the Spain’s coastline is much less developed than the aforementioned regions which makes it easier to find places and experiences that haven’t been ruined by mass tourism, while still being in reach of cities and towns that are on the tourist trail.
What can you experience in and around the Costa de la Luz?
1 / The tiny Moorish town of Tarifa
Tarifa is a great little town at the very southern point of the continental Europe, right where the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean meet. This is beach town that hasn’t been overrun by resorts. Even in the peak of summer, you can still find plenty of space on the sand of Playa de los Lances, Tarifa’s main beach. Tarifa is the kite surfing capital of Europe so it goes without saying that the town is windy, but unless it is blowing gale force winds the beach can still be enjoyed – the buildings of the town often act as a natural windbreak.
In fact, I happen to love Tarifa and wax lyrical about this curious little place to anyone that cares to listen. If the beach isn’t your thing you can spend your time wandering around the old Moorish town, look in the little clothing boutiques and keep the local economy intact or bar hop and sample the food and wine on offer. You can even go to Morocco for the day, if that’s what takes your fancy.
Tarifa’s main beach, Playa de los Lances, in the height of summer. Look at all that space!
2 / The dry white wine of Andalucía, vino de Jerez
While La Rioja is the most famous wine region in Spain, thanks to its Rioja DOC wines, Andalucía also has its fair share of wine fame.
Jerez is known for its dry fortified wine, sherry or in Spanish, vino de Jerez. We all know that I believe if there’s wine on the itinerary, it’s a mandatory stop, and Jerez is no exception. The town itself is an interesting place to visit, but the best thing to do in Jerez is to become a sherry connoisseur for the day.
Bodega Luis Perez is located a little bit outside the centre of the city, but it’s worth making the effort to seek out this winery as this place is one of the best around both for its scenic location and friendly, warm welcome.
Bodega Luiz Perez – Carretera el Calvario, 11408, Jerez de la Frontera
Barrels of Sherry
Photographer: Juan Barea. Sourced under a Creative Commons License.
3 / The local taverns in Andalucía’s vibrant capital city, Seville
Seville is worth a stop on any trip to Andalucía, but too many visitors to Seville get caught up with checking out the big tourist monuments – the Royal Alcazar and the Cathedral – and forget to discover the pulse of the city. This is a city with more than 3,000 bars, so spending some time visiting Seville’s local taverns is a must.
El Rinconcillo is one of the few bars that claims the title of being the oldest bar in the city, and given that this place has been running since 1670, it probably is. Here you can try some typical tapas from Seville such as espinacas con garbanzos (spinach and chickpeas) and carrillada cerdo ibérico en salsa (Iberian pork cheeks in sauce). This place just embodies a typical tavern from this region – legs of jámon dangling from the ceiling, orders etched on the bar in chalk to keep track of the bill, and well-heeled elderly men keeping themselves upright on the bar. There is even a “regular” in the bar who writes love letters on napkins to the female patrons he admires. I promise I didn’t make that last bit up.
And after you have eaten at El Rinconcillo, don’t forget to check out some of the modern gastrobars that are becoming popular in Seville’s tapas scene.
El Rinconcillo – Calle Gerona, 40, 41003 Seville
4 / The vibrant and severely underrated city of Cádiz
Someone once described Cádiz as the best parts of Tarifa and Seville – two places that I love – blended together. It’s got the beach like Tarifa (and sometimes the wind to match it!) but with an Old Town more in the style of Seville. And of course, a good selection of local eats thrown in the mix, just for good measure.
Cádiz is a great place if you are looking for a day trip to visit a beach and a vibrant town in one. It’s also somewhere you could easily spend a few days relaxing by the beach, enjoying some tapas and wine in the local bars and just exploring the town itself. Don’t forget to visit the architecturally impressive Cádiz Cathedral, an 18th century Baroque Cathedral, which doesn’t receive nearly as many visitors as more famous cathedrals in Andalucía.
Photographer: José Antonio Cartelle. Sourced under Creative Commons License.
5 / The pace of life in the Ronda valley
Pueblos blancos, or white villages are something that Andalucía is known for. You know, those postcard perfect scenes where little white buildings are dotted on a slope, with a back drop of rugged and dry mountains and blue sky. It almost sounds like a fairytale!
One of the most famous pueblos blancos is the small town of Ronda. This town has historically been an aristocratic sort of place, and to this day is still retains that vibe. But getting outside of the town itself is something that most visitors to Ronda don’t get to experience.
Descalzos Viejos is a winery that is located only a five minute drive from the centre of town, but once you are there it feel like you a world away. This place is something of a dream: an old monastery that was converted into an artesian winery and picture perfect views out over the valley. To visit Descalzos Viejos is really an experience, thanks to the insight and stories from one of the partners, Flavio. His tales of life in the Ronda Valley will leave you feeling like you’ve really had a true experience of Andalucía.
Descalzos Viejos – Partido de los Molinos, s/n, 29400 Ronda
If you are happy to hire a car and drive, it’s fairly easy to organise your own independent trip around the Costa de la Luz, but with so many things to see and do, a good option is to seek out tour companies like First Choice who can help make your Costa de la Luz adventures easier.
So that’s just a little peek into the Costa de la Luz, Spain’s forgotten coastal region. Have you been before? Are there any other experiences that you would add to the list?
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