Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Spain’s Picturesque Costa de la Luz

Situated in south-western Andalucia on Spain’s border with Portugal and the Algarve, a three hundred kilometre stretch of coastline called the Costa de la Luz, its name which translates as “Coast of Light” comes from its clear unpolluted skies, and the quality of light that can be found there, it is particularly renowned for its stunning sunsets. As yet mostly unspoiled by tourism the Costa de la Luz is becoming increasingly popular with international holidaymakers, who visit to enjoy the fine sandy beaches, the ancient towns and cities and the beautiful countryside of its hinterland. Apart from the usual beach type holiday, many visit for the splendid water sports facilities, especially windsurfing and surfing, where strong winds from the Atlantic Ocean provide perfect conditions for these popular sports, one of the best resorts for these activities is Tarifa in the south-east of the region. The sea breezes make temperatures cooler in this area and the weather on the Costa de la Luz is generally a little cooler than on the Costa del Sol. The Costa de la Luz has an interesting history and claims the oldest permanently inhabited city in Europe – Cadiz – which is well worth a visit if you are in the region. The Costa de la Luz is made up of two provinces Cadiz and Huelva, Huelva begins at the border with the Algarve and Portugal, and ends at the River Guadaquivir, Cadiz extends from the Guadalquivir to the town of Tarifa. If you are arriving by air to the Costa de la Luz, you will most likely land at Jerez airport, a modern and compact airport situated north-east of Jerez de la Frontera. If you are on a package holiday you will no doubt be picked up from here, if not you can oganise a Jerez airport transfer or alternatively pick up your Costa de la Luz car hire vehicle directly from the airport. It is recommended to hire a car while you are visiting the Costa de la Luz, otherwise you will miss out on some excellent chances to travel around the region, don’t forget a trip into the magical city of Seville or perhaps to the Natural Park at Donana, an important wetland area with lots of wildlife. Map of Costa de la Luz.