The urban morphology of the two small cities of Úbeda and Baeza in southern Spain dates back to the Moorish ninth century and to the Reconquista in the 13th century. An important development took place in the 16th century, when the cities were subject to renovation along the lines of the emerging Renaissance.
The San Fernando beaches are Camposoto which is 9km long of fine, golden sand. It is well known for its excellent wind surfing conditions, thanks to the fairly strong winds on the Costa de la Luz. Playa del Castillo the beautiful 3 kilometre stretch of beach.
If you want a break from the clamour and crowds on the Costa then explore Mijas, Alhaurin, Coin, Monda, Ojen and also Istan. The scenery is quite spectacular and the roads are well-travelled, yet perfectly good.
To the east of the Rota American naval base is the town of El Puerto Santa María which is well known for its sherry, cobbled streets and typical Andaluz architecture. The first beach to the east of the naval base is Playa de Fuentebravía. The golden, sandy beach is 1.6km long with a width of 30m and is backed by the Fuentabravía residential area.
Rota is not a major tourist center but it does boast 16 kilometres of beautiful beaches. La Ballena: Playa de la Ballena is a 2.5km beach of fine sand backed by the relatively new Costa Ballena urbanisation. The beach has a seasonal chiringuito, several kiosks and sun loungers, parasols and boats to hire. The beach can be reached by bus from Rota town centre.
Popular with Sunday day trippers, but quiet in the week. Large sand dunes to the north and military land ensure it will always remain totally undeveloped. Visit the ruins of the Roman town . The village to the south is waking up to tourists very quickly and bars and hotels are opening up.
The beaches on the coast in the municipality of the inland town of Moguer are actually closer to Mazagon and the famous Doñana Natural Park. This 100-metre wide beach gets its name from the Parador Hotel located here. Playa del Parador is located just a few kilometers from Mazagón along the A494 road but feels like a different world.
Mazagón is a town in the municipality of Palos de la Frontera. This long beach spans 5.5 kilometres next to the town of Mazagon and borders Doñana natural park. The most urban part of the beach to the west of the town and closest to the marina has all facilities including: showers, beaches, lifeguards, parking, parasols and sunbeds for hire, beach cafés and parking.
As well as being home to part of Doñana National Park, the municipality of Almonte is home to the village of El Rocio which sees an annual pilgrimage of over a million pilgrims at Pentecost. The beaches here are very popular with naturists.
The municipality of Cartaya boasts just over 4km of sandy estuary beaches, protected from the winds by a sandy spit of land opposite, just across the Rio Piedras. The beach at this small, friendly fishing village called El Rompido is protected from the open sea by the spit that extends across the Río Piedras estuary.
Isla Cristina is one of the most popular resorts on the Costa de la Luz in Huelva and gets very busy in the summer. There are many beaches to choose from, although the main beach, Playa Central can seem overcrowded in July and August.
Normally you will see this on sale in pastlerías (cake shops) as well as in supermarkets and smaller and specialist food shops. They are usually sold individually wrapped in thin tissue paper. Although they are traditionally cooked with lard, which gives the delicate crumbly texture, they can also be made with butter.
Place the clams in a saucepan with some salt and just enough water to cover; cook on high just until most have opened. Set aside about ¾ cup of the broth and drain off the rest, and remove the clam from the shells, leaving only some shells intact. Discard any clams that have not opened. Rinse the beans well and set aside.
There is most certainly a difference between grabbing a bite of something on the run, or sitting down at table to eat a meal the "right" way, and the Spanish are experts on making meals so much more than just sustenance.
Roscos Navideños are an exclusive Andalusian specialty that is relished in homes across southern Spain during the Christmas season. You would be hard pressed to come by a recipe for this genuine delicacy. But never fear, our secret agents have convinced an Andalucia.com relative to smuggle this authentic, generations-old document out of the family kitchen and into our studios.
Málaga province has long been famous for its sweet fortified wines, made from the Moscatel and Pedro Ximenez grape varieties. From the Phoenicians in the eighth century BC, the Greeks and Romans to the Moors and later the British, all enthusiastic drinkers of Málaga wines.
Columbus set forth for his historical voyage from the port of Palos, in the western Andalusian province of Huelva. The navigator took with him his dreams of discovery. His crew, who came from Palos and neighbouring Moguer, took more practical things, such as dried tuna, legumes and, of course, a good supply of Huelva wine.
Montilla-Moriles, located in the south of the Andalucian province of Córdoba, is one of the historical wine regions of Spain. The wine here has certain similarities with the Sherry of Jerez, but usually has suffered from the comparison.
Few things can beat Sherry as a pre-meal aperitif. Ever since Sir Francis Drake ransacked the port of Cádiz in 1587 and made off with 3,000 barrels of Sherry, the British have been addicted to the stuff, and continue to be the main international clients.
In the up-market areas of Andalucia, a growing trend has evolved for a beach life quite different from the simple pleasures of buckets and spades, cool boxes and fold-away deck chairs. Many simple, traditional "chiringuitos" or beach bars still exist dotted along the coast where you can enjoy local cuisine and get an ice cream.
