|
Zahara de los Atunes is a small fishing village
on the Costa de la Luz 30 km north of Tarifa on the Atlantic coast.
To find Zahara, you need to turn off the coast road (CN 340) at
a little bar called Venta el Retin at km 56.
Zahara is a windswept place with an interesting
atmosphere. On a quiet day, it is like going back in time. A fine
example of what we politely call Opopulist architecture. By contrast,
on a summer¹s day, it's the trendy place to be. A stunning
wilderness of 20 km of unspoilt white sandy beaches stretching as
far as Cape Gracia. You can drive south from Zahara, as far as the
lighthouse on Cape Gracia and explore the beaches. This is a no
through road, hence the area has remained unspoiled.
In the village itself there are the sadly neglected
ruins of the Castillo de las Amadrabas built in the fifteenth
century by the Dukes of Medina Sidonia for protection against pirates
and later used by local fishermen to store their tuna fishing equipment.
In this part of town, you can enjoy a drink on the
beachfront in the bar of the Gran Hotel Sol. A few modern resort
hotels sit alongside the traditional beach cabins and hostels, but
when it comes to accommodation, my own personal favourite is the
Hotel Dona Lola, which despite being a modern hotel, is well worth
a visit for its pleasant atmosphere and immaculately clean rooms.
There is an excellent little pizzeria next door which is a great
spot for an informal bite to eat!
Local Festivals: Zaharas summer festival
takes place at beginning of August each year.
top of page
|
